The sorry state of Lebanese activists who want to separate the state from religion.
I was checking my email this morning when I was treated to a Facebook event invitation: “The Lebanese Laïque Pride – ???????? ?? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?????”. The Idea is simple: All you guys out there who think that Lebanon should have a secular state should come and express yourselves. It sounded like an exciting idea: Like-minded people in a collective act of civil activism hoping to effect some change, what’s not to like about that?
But then you look deeper.
The event doesn’t have a website. The organizers don’t reveal their faces. They used a weird picture to represent their cause: A Nacho salad platter. Moreover, “The meeting point and itinerary are yet to be announced”. Even the choice of the word “pride” suggests a pre-admission of defeat. It’s a way of saying “we know we are outnumbered and unpopular, but we still believe in our cause”. So many things can go wrong it’s hard to believe anyone decided to attend that rally (a rally that could easily be hijacked by flag waving partisans who can claim ownership of the event if it were a success, and deny involvement if it flopped)
In a way, that Facebook event is a perfect symbol for today’s Lebanese secularists: Anonymous, scattered, unfocused and powerless. The last time they had an ally in power, his ideas were shot down faster than you can say “Elias El Hrawi”.
No matter how much we pretend otherwise, the fact of the matter is this: Organized religion is part of the very fabric of this republic. Demonstrating against this won’t get rid of it. You can’t even legislate against it (remember, MPs are also chosen by religious affiliation).
Still, all hope is not lost. People like the Minister of Interior Ziad Baroud are working behind the scenes for the long haul. Seemingly small measures like dropping religious affiliation from the Lebanese ID card could end up having a profound impact. If the Minister of Education follows suit, future generations could very well be ready for change.
Tags: Atheism, Civil Action, lebanon
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I have been blogging about Lebanese society and politics since February 2005. You can also find me on 
I think that these “marketing schemes” that wanna-be secularists do are pointless, I know for fact that (unfortunately) no marsh will lead to approving a civil marriage right in Lebanon, so what can we do?
Do the small available things for now before moving on to the main problem, you can start with 2 things:
1. Have a civil marriage in Cyprus, I proudly did it!
2. Remove your religion and sect from the governmental records.
When we have a large number of people in Lebanon who’ve done these 2 points, then and only then we can move to the bigger things.
I had no idea that someone was finally trying to drop religious affiliation on ID’s! I sure hope it happens!
Correct me if I’m wrong but unless we are talking about Hezbollah, then organization & regulation is not a Lebanese strong suit. I’ve always felt it should be taught in our schools. I think these guys are lacking these skills but also ensuring it’s easy to wash their hands of failure in case of defeat, as you mentioned.
I think you’re being a bit harsh :-) but that’s OK because constructive criticism is always good and helpful and I’m sure if the organizers come across your blog, they’ll take many issues into account.
But despite all the valid issues you raise, I can’t but support this event.
Yes, Lebanon is made of the fabric of religions. And not just religions for that matter, smaller sectarian groups, feudal/mafia/whatever families, etc.
It’s good to always raise flags and complain but it’s also a necessity for those who complain to act and try to change things. Try is the key word here. Change has never been easy but it can only come from the people or it won’t stand a chance.
So, in my humble opinion :-) …
1) There’s no such thing as bad publicity :-) the more coverage secular groups can get in the media, the better. When they did the fake civil marriages in Gemmayzeh, it didn’t actually change any law but it did tell politicians, lawmakers and the Lebanese people that some of us refuse to follow religious laws and demand secular, fair, UNITED & EQUAL laws for ALL THE CITIZENS of our nation. Did they listen? Did they act accordingly? Maybe not… Or maybe not yet. But if we vow to never keep quiet, then one day they’ll wake up and realize they have to stop the noise and actually do something
2) This event is not sponsored or organized by any political party and it looks kind of anonymous and scattered but it’s the whole point, I think. Secularism is not the property of anyone, it is a RIGHT FOR ALL LEBANESE. I don’t think certain groups will claim ownership if the rally’s a success (the organizers have made that clear and I believe they can implement it), they may mention they’ve been part of it, and that is OK. I think having no existing/known organization behind the event will help that. Also, it is good for all Lebanese with one goal, Secularism, to ally. Even if on other topics they do not agree and even if they come from different political backgrounds or even no political party/ideology at all. So no clear-cut organization will encourage people already belonging to certain groups to participate as individuals without feeling they have to let go of their own organizations.
3) They started marketing this event a few months in advance to have time to prepare and I think that everything will move in to place naturally. A structure will probably be created to manage that movement and frame it in some way. (I don’t see it happening any other way actually, because the number of attendees will grow tremendously as days pass; we’ve seen it before on FB with the Civil Marriage group which also started exactly like that, a few individuals coming together outside of any existing organization and just using FB as a tool to connect, then moving on to plan activities and eventually execute them).
It’s true that it would have been ideal to have this sort of organization before marketing the event, but I guess [[and I'm just speculating here]] they probably didn’t want to get involved in power struggles. It’s always about some groups/individuals trying to shine or take control and this would probably lead to some political tinting later on (some of the secular activists in Lebanon are part of political parties and it’s expected, and normal I guess, that they would try to promote them in some way). At this point, the organizers’ main goal is the march and making sure it takes place.
4) The use of “pride” is not such a big deal to me (but I’m no expert on the English language so maybe you’re right and the English name needs to be changed; another point worth sharing with the event administrators) but anyway, we’re talking about Lebanon and even if in our country some like to communicate in English, others in French, our native tongue is still Arabic. And the Arabic name seems to project the right message.
Signed:
A Lebanese who had to travel to Cyprus to get married to the man she loves free from religious grips (even though, on paper, we’re both not only from the same religion but also from the same sectarian group) and who sincerely wishes her [[yet to be born :-P]] children will enjoy the rights she was denied ;-) … and who obviously writes/talks too much! This comment never ends!! lol! sorry about that ;-)
Bilal,
You’re right! Creating facts on the grounds is the best strategy to go about that. Congratulations for your marriage, I hope it doesn’t cause any other troubles with the Lebanese system..
Beth,
Minister Baroud already took the step of allowing us to drop our sects from our ID card. I think there was even a “Drop your sect day” by secular activists..
Rouba,
Thank you for a very well thought-out and passionate comment. I don’t think we’re quite far from each other, but I guess you’re a bigger believer in the power of making a point. As for results, in my opinion, the gradualist “creating facts on the grounds” approach works best in the long run..
i agree with you Mustapha with the part criticizing the organizational structure of that group, maybe they should look and sound more serious, because its true it can be easily hijacked even before it sees any success!
On the other hand we all need to believe more in change and work accordingly and i think such groups and acts promote that and probably makes it easier to understand and to be accepted especially by younger generations. There is a statement of existence held within such movements and thats not bad at all. Besides we need to remember that often, these are personal triggered movements that may suffer inexperience and lack of organization and financing!
Thank you Mustapha, for the interesting topics you always share with us! and for bringing us closer yo our lovely country that we miss alot!
What is with this misconception everywhere I go ?!
“In God we don’t trust”.. no I do trust in God, but that’s a business between me and God and not between Me, Goa, and people.
Secularism is the concept that governments should be separate from religions, and it doesn’t promote atheism/agnosticism. In fact those two are technically a religion if you think about it.
Fadi,
I agree with you 100% . I would even go further: A secular state makes it easier for us to freely practice our religions.
Frankly, I don’t see what you’re all worked up about.The title of the post is just a way to sex it up, don’t be too literal :P
rouba, in the art of war they tell you to pick your battles, and I personally have to agree with BeirutSpring on this one, what is the purpose of this event? I would love a secular government, but just getting together and getting a 2 min air time isn’t enough.
Pride – like gay pride or black pride – suggests overcoming a problem, not defeat. And confessionalism is definitely a problem that needs to be overcome.
This is an awesome idea. More than 1000 have already signed up. Imagine the number by the time April rolls around…
Wow. Just and simply wow. Like you defeatists / fatalists would change anything, you are as anonymous as that FB group, even MORE anonymous with your ridiculous little blog, in FB, at least, people have a name AND a family name, inside that group.
At least, this group started a movement. Hijacked? ok, let it happen. The group had over 600 comments in 2 days, you got 9 (and I am the 10th) in spite being ‘promoted’ on that group.
Ally in power? this old mold Elias only tried to throw a cracker before leaving power, never really worked on that.
YES, a march would be something. If it wouldn’t bring ‘victory’ at first shot, it is NOT a problem. The problem lies with people like you, shooting down an idea 4 months before it happens.
“But then you look deeper.
The event doesn’t have a website. The organizers don’t reveal their faces. They used a weird picture to represent their cause: A Nacho salad platter. Moreover, “The meeting point and itinerary are yet to be announced”. Even the choice of the word “pride” suggests a pre-admission of defeat. It’s a way of saying “we know we are outnumbered and unpopular, but we still believe in our cause”. ”
Wow, yes, it is true, a website would make it work, darn! No faces? and what, in April, you will see faceless people walking? I’d like to see that. “Pride” means pride that’s all, I wonder what wonders can your mind come up with, you must be a very intelligent, deep-looking lad. “Look deeper” he says. How does “Pride” suggest a pre-admission of defeat?
And how come you don’t realize that, yes, secularism is unpopular? Just like homosexuality in the 40′s? If things changed for homosexuals, why wouldn’t it change for SECULARISTS?
Unpopularity is due to ignorance. People walking, raising their voices, starting a social discussion about it COULD (if not WILL) make this move forward.
BUT, with defeatists like you, whose only aim is to gain some traffic on their blog to make 50$ a year with google adsense, well, this is what makes me doubt the sanity of the country.
You are in the same ranks with feudal donkeys, monkey-clerics, and rabid mafiosos who LOVE the status-quo.
Liliane: “oh i agree it’s not enough”… WELL IT IS SOMETHING! Even a pigeon shit would be something. All you people do is sit on your couch, in front of a rakwet ahwa, and whine, whine, whine… The gay pride started with a few hundreds, all taken to jail and beating in police stations. Then, oh, they were 10′s of thousands. Then hundreds of thousands.
It has to start somewhere, and the people who started the FB group are doing just that.
Love it or leave it, it’s a first step. You want to polemic with your ridiculous ‘intellect’ on blogs? go ahead.
Oh, and by the way, you who started this blog since the killing of PM Hariri, enlighten us:
“The last time they had an ally in power, his ideas were shot down faster than you can say “Elias El Hrawi”.”
Who was the main gunner of that idea? Mh? A man who wanted to keep green-faced brown-tongued clerics on his side for more power? Who was it?
Sheesh Wassim,
You’re so angry i must have hit a raw nerve..
I would have replied to your points had you been a tad more civil (excuse the pun)
Mostafa ya mostafa,
the organizers of this event are very known people in the artistic feild…just type their names and you will find articles about them…
have you done a little research before dumping your big kaka on the web…?
Do you think you’re a better organizer? the idea is a week old, and is beeing organized with the participants (in case you didn’t notice :)), and everybodies constructive opinion and help is welkom to bring this ‘laique pride’ to day light in the most successfull way…
it’s good we’re not counting on you to try and change things…
what you wrote is the most silly thing i’ve ever read…
then again, nobody asked for your ridiculous opinion…and i’m trying to understand why the hell you needed so much to break these people and this event!!!!ohhh honny, you need attention!!!!!this is why…well hope you got what you wanted…you can go sleep now:))
And dear, don’t be too offended, “yally bi dek el beb, byessma’a el jaweb ”
you’d better apologize to these people…what you wrote is totally cheap…
and you can copy paste your answer to wassim…that’s totally fine with me…and yes, you hit a “raw nerve”…
Live and let live…and try to mind your own business…sa fera du bien a tout le monde:)))))
Wassim,
Your rant is very much called for. The backhanded support that was offered by BS and many of the commentators is not what a courageous grass roots organization needs. It is as if they were saying that we support you once you achieve your goal. That is not helpful.
To keep using the old saw that Lebanon is built on Confessionalism and so it cannot be changed is defeatist that had it been used by abolishenists then slavery would still be rampant, had it been used by those who brought us some gender equality then women would still be enslaved … Change demands that we stand up to power.
You should be proud of yourselves and don’t feel intimidated even if few people show up. You can always take solace in the fact that the blight of equality , liberty and democracy sectarianism. There simply should be no place for religion in the public square. Best of luck.
“Sheesh Wassim,
You’re so angry i must have hit a raw nerve..
I would have replied to your points had you been a tad more civil (excuse the pun)”
Yes, I am angry, you hit directly into my antipathetic nervous bandwidth with that surreal amount of bullcrap.
As for the point-by-point answer, I don’t think it would have raised the intellectual level of your ‘analysis’, so NOT replying will not tickle my curiosity. (excuse the pun)
Whats with the sudden testosterone surges and bashing!!! You guys are free to disagree with Mustapha but plz drop the attitude, its uncalled for. It doesnt validate yr opinion regarding confessionalism or this blog.