The clandestine religion
There is a far greater threat to Islam in this country than Christianity. It is more clandestine and it has spread its invisible wings and planted firmly its talons. It is a belief system just like Islam and Christianity and before we realize otherwise it will have forever changed our minds and hearts.
This clandestine force I am talking about is called Maumoonism and it has all the features and qualities found in religious belief.
Maumoonism requires blind faith in its founder and an utterly awesome amount of rejection of logic and reality. It thrives on fear and ignorance. Its tools of fear are punishment and retribution. It grows on the soil of intimidation and requires a leap of faith into great unknowns and mysteries - the authenticity of which must be accepted without question or proof by followers.
Belief in Maumoonism requires complete rejection of obvious, empirical, corroborated and documented truths and instead propagates the fallacy of understanding some unknown, absurdly twisted and mind-boggling form of supposedly "higher" truth. The more absurd and illogical is something, the "higher" the truth and the deeper it's meaning.
And it looks down upon people who cannot see this higher truth.
Maumoonism is averse to criticism and will actively discredit and eliminate all critics and their work. Its foundation is based on one thing: that its founder operates above the law and common-sense but he does all that for the good of everyone as he is supremely benevolent and merciful. It requires begging to the founder for short-term benefits and waiting to see if his holiness will comply. Sort of like prayer.
Maumoonism requires absolute submission, which is why we are constantly baffled that in the face of mounting evidence against the founder and his rhetoric there are unwavering and religious followers - a lot of whom are highly educated and otherwise sane people. It inculcates a false sense of higher purpose in followers.
In fact, Maumoonism behaves like any other religion and in that regard is fighting to stay in that special place in our hearts that we give to religion.
Therefore, those of us fighting for change are guilty of apostasy to Maumoonism. We are rejecting the popular faith and embracing logical truth and common-sense of apostasy. Yes, Maumoonism is competing with Islam and it can be as fanatical and extremist.
a | October 24, 2008 7:52 AM | Reply
I believe in the existence of 'Maumoonism'. But I add that it is not only fear and ignorance that it thrives on. It also greatly thrives on rewards that corrupt people's minds. I hear the Church of Scientology also pays for some high profile followers. So, the fact that this can be a characteristic of a 'religion' is not surprising.
Readers some recent examples of how Maumoonism rejects evidence, criticism, and reality, is its condemning of the Auditor General's reports.
Simon | October 24, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply
a,
Indeed. The lure of money and some sense of power is a major feature.
Mau Mune | October 25, 2008 1:46 AM | Reply
Simon, actually you SHOULD vote for Maumoon. Only way to practice some other religion in this country. Very soon there will be suicide bombers and other fanatical nuts within our midst. Maumoon is the only one who can protect us against this.
Eventually, ironic as it may be, we have to all turn to the Devil to live a happier life. Maumoomism will be a religion with better tolerance than the used "Islam" in this country.
thadu | October 25, 2008 2:23 AM | Reply
At sometime in time, Maumoosim perhaps would be listed in the list of religions. And in Maumoonish there is no truth, no false, everything goes under the law "manikufaanu vidhaalhuvi gotheh"...that might be the foundation of Maumoonism?
Control Freak | October 25, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply
Simon, your ignorance over the topic of Islam is just laughable. Don't compare a pathetic cult movement to something that 1.2 billion people follow. You may not have realized it, but you're actually one of those poor souls who've fallen victim to Maumoonism. His methodology, ie, "Ask us no questions and we'll tell you no lies" has made people like you disillusioned with Islam. He's been trying to make us Maldivians follow the "lukewarm" type of Islam that's been "practiced in this country for 800 years". The reason that he wanted this to be the case is that lukewarmness requires ignorance, and to keep people in the dark he's had to tell several white lies which would've worked 30 years ago. It's clear from your language that you think all Muslims are following our faith blindly, and I assure you that there're many, many people who actually bothered to research and delve deep into this topic and found plenty of evidence, none of which you've bothered to learn out or will find out in the near future. Therefore I suggest that you keep your lame comments to yourself if you want to keep your god complex intact.
Hilath Rasheed | October 26, 2008 12:49 AM | Reply
This is a thought-provoking article indeed:
- Evidence? What evidence, scientific or otherwise, do we have, to prove that any one religion is true, much less superior than the other?
- Should the 40 percent of Maldivians who have committed apostasy by converting to Maumoonism and voting for him be put to death for leaving Islam?
- People like Aishath Mohamed Didi should read this article as a last resort that they may be 'saved' by realising the extent of the corruption of their souls by leaving Islam and converting to Maumoonism instead.
Wisham | October 26, 2008 3:33 AM | Reply
What Evidence Indeed??!!
Thought provoking it is, at the same time it quite aptly makes a comparison between occults and Maumoonism we see in our midst today!
I bet, tomorrow if Lucifer himself comes down dressed as Maumoon, reads exactly 2 verses from the "Holy Book" followed by a Iraadha Kurevviya at the end of each sentence, a large proportion of the Maldivian public will vote for Him! Pathetic!
Ignorance is Bliss, but many a times... ignorance and blind faith mixed with a little hunger for power/riches, can be an unhealthy fix indeed! The case with perfectly sane ppl, like Information Minister Nasheed, and Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi!
Suhail | October 26, 2008 7:24 PM | Reply
The saddest thing is long after Maumoon is gone this religion will survive for decades, if not, for centuries, with new leaders by such names as Kaaminee I, II, III etc.
Suhail | October 26, 2008 7:48 PM | Reply
Control Freak, how dare you belittle our ancestors ascribing them to a lesser Islam. What hot Isalm you are talking about?
kalhu_huthu | October 26, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply
suhailaa ur bak isee
Control Freak | October 27, 2008 3:31 AM | Reply
Suhail: I'm not in any shape or form belittling our ancestors. What you've got to understand is that our country remained in isolation from the rest of the world for a very long time and various corrupt practices were instilled during their worship, without them ever noticing. There's still this general consensus amongst us Maldivian Muslims that we're not allowed to have any doubts or questions regarding our religion. In fact, there's nothing wrong in having a few questions as it is part of the human nature. The problem is, Maumoon's scholars are so corrupt that asking them a question will usually give you more doubts than a simple, clear answer. Maumoon wants us to remain in this state of ignorance. Him and his cronies have tried in vain to instill this sort of psychology into the population so that we'll never look too deep into anything, because if we do look too deep, all his flaws and wrongdoings would be exposed. What can I say though? He's failing miserably isn't he?
Suhail | October 28, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply
Your latter comment cotradicts your previous comment, Control Freak.