American policy has also contributed to a growing conflict between Islamist and secular forces in Muslim countries.

In both Algeria and Egypt, secular forces were incapable of stemming political Islam s rise, which could be cut short only by a military takeover.

Enforcing a secular constitution before elections does not guarantee a secular outcome.

It is the self styled secular generals who have reared the forces of jihad and fathered the Taliban, Lashkar e Taiba, Jalaluddin Haqqani militia, and other groups.

Ideally, the new democratic order should be based on a common platform adopted by the forces of change, both secular and Islamic, and on a transition pact between these forces and those representing the old system, first and foremost the army.

Secular Stagnation for Free

Turkey s Secular Fundamentalist Threat

Many senior Americans were puzzled that Turkey, a long standing NATO ally and a secular state, refused to allow American forces to use Turkey as a base to invade Iraq.

In 2009 a new body was formed, the Australian Secular Lobby , to promote secular education in Australia.

The Problem With Secular Stagnation

The first is secular dictatorship.

After all, the victory of the secular Awami National Party (ANP) in Pakistan s North West Frontier Province is a strong indication that people there have rejected religious political forces and violence.

The problem is that unless there is a viable opposition, the only check on the AKP will be its own conscience and a crackdown by the still secular oriented armed forces.

If the First Lady wears a headscarf, maintained the secular minded elite, the whole secular system could be undermined.

Moreover, some secular intellectuals demonized the Brotherhood.

His decision to challenge Abbas means that the secular forces within the Palestinian movement may be divided at a time when rivals with a robust Islamic agenda principally Hamas and Islamic Jihad are challenging them.

It's a victory for secular democracy in India.

Drawing Kazakhstan westward would help embed this secular tradition.

But longer term secular factors also play a role.

Why has religion returned to secular and democratic politics?

They ensure that India remains secular, democratic and pluralistic.

Secular explanation A third explanation promoted by religious Jews is that the overwhelmingly secular leadership in Israel sought to undermine the influence of religious elements in Israeli politics and society by allowing more secular Jews and their non Jewish spouses to immigrate.

On cue, the hashtag شريعة_العلمانية (Secular Law) soon came up, and was populated with suggestions on what this new sharia (law) for secular people should be.

Most of us live in a secular, liberal, disenchanted world.

Swedes are overwhelmingly secular and indifferent toward the Swedish church.

Suddenly, however, this secular commitment is no longer so clear.

Another comment reads Ennahda's (Secular American) agenda is now revealed.

Egyptians are drafting their very own secular law on Twitter.

(a) Government forces, including the armed forces, the police forces, security forces and popular defence forces.

Sandmonkey Because Islamists view secular people as being unIslamic, and see that non Muslims are controlling their religious rituals, who wants to write with me a secular law?

And these are just some of his opinions on secular matters.

As with a secular dictatorship, Islamic dictatorship is ugly and destructive.

Nor does the old secular religious divide have much salience anymore.

Turkey, however, scores 24, worse even than Tunisia s authoritarian secular regime.

While most Egyptians may support Morsi s aims, a dramatic expansion of presidential power in order to attain them was, for many, a step too far. Given Egypt s extreme polarization and distrust between its Islamist and secular forces, Morsi should have anticipated the protests.

The secular liberal forces political fragmentation and lack of organization cost them dearly in the parliamentary elections six months ago, and, in the second round of the presidential election, a majority of Egyptians chose Morsi over a restoration of the old regime.

Many non government organizations, both secular and religious, also opposed the resolution.

Middle Israel is mostly secular, though it also includes the moderately religious.

A third alternative is democracy, but with secular restrictions on religious parties.

Papal authority stands on shaky ground, especially in the comparatively secular West.

It cannot, which is why no Muslim state can be fully secular.

The short clip features well known Saudi figures, religious and secular ones.

Gul s wife s headscarf was interpreted as the symbol of darker changes to come. If the First Lady wears a headscarf, maintained the secular minded elite, the whole secular system could be undermined.

In both Algeria and Egypt, secular forces were incapable of stemming political Islam s rise, which could be cut short only by a military takeover. The Algerian military coup eventually ushered in a bloody civil war that is estimated to have taken more than 200,000 lives.

Such arguments have limited appeal in the largely secular world of Western philosophy.