The influence of religion in Kazakhstan society and missionary activity

Prepared in the framework of the research project

“All Kazakhs -one Kazakh: religious - cultural aspects”

Kurmanalieva A.D.

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor

Alikbayeva M.B.

Ph.D., associate professor

Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi

It is known that the influence of religion in society is related to the scale (by paces and intensity) of spreading religion. In order to study the influence of religion in Kazakhstan, as well as to analyze the religious situation today in the country, it is necessary to consider the missionary activity of the little-known religious organizations that have taken place in the way of the historical formation of the Kazakh people.

Missionary is a member of a religious organization who leads a missionary service. This concept has a number of meanings in different dictionaries. Thus, despite the differences in the interpretation of uniting the party is that the missionary is a religious man, spreading the Christian religion in a different religious environment for the conversion of others into their religion. In addition, there is a definition that performs a missionary work as an ideological expansion [1]. In our country the missionary service is regulated by the Law "On religious activity and religious associations". In paragraph 5 of the article 1 of the law was explained that the "missionary service is acting on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, foreigners and people without citizenship, religious associations registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan to disseminate religious knowledge in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan", but at the same time is not given a clear definition of who is a missionary. Missionary activity is conducted in accordance with the requirements specified in article 8 of the Act [2].

Careful and correct attitude to missionary service functions performed due to religion in the society. Knowledge of the function of religion in many ways prevents problems on the basis of religion. In theological science it’s pointed as an ideological, compensatory, communicative, regulatory, integration-disintegration, the carrier of culture, legitimate – dislegitimate function of religious activity. If the functions of religion stipulate ways of their actions in society, the conclusions derived from the data that shows the role of religion[3].

Every day increases the influence of religion in society, so this problem should be studied in close connection with the problems of national security. In a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state using a consolidation role of religion requires high professionalism. In this regard, it must be constantly taken into account integration and disintegration functions of religion. Handling more attention to these functions of religion is the basis of prevention of conflicts on religious grounds (for example, the issue of ethnic and confessional nature of the Sudanese, North Sudan - Sunni Muslims, South Sudan - Catholics, Protestants, and the separation of the single mode of the Soviet Union's state of Yugoslavia because of ethno- denominational confusion, separation on the basis of ethnic and religious identity of Serbian Orthodox, Catholic Croats, Bosnian Muslims).

United and divided functions of religion in society these days is the beginning of a deep study of the issue of identification. Identification is associated with a sense of person’s belonging to a particular human language environment, nation, culture and religion. Human identification is carried out successfully in the situational (social, political, and international), primordial (genetic and racial), traditional, requiring long periods of time (ethnic, religious) directions.

In modern Kazakh reality, the question of religious identification differs with excessive relevance. Currently mentioned the increase of the degree of population religiosity, and the relative rejuvenation of the religious component. According to Gaziz Telebaev’s study in religious identification of Kazakh youth can be identified as following:

- "progressive" religiousity, year after year, the number of young people who converted to the religion is becoming more and more;

- "rejuvenated" religiosity, the rejuvenation of the next generation compared to the previous generation;

- "surface" religiosity, despite the innate religious identity, the attitude to the religious life is a formal and situational;

- "differentiated" religion, in this case, ethnic identity is a differentiating factor, and it defines the different degrees of religiosity [4]. Also makes for sobering question ratio of religious and national identity, which of them is dominant for most of the population, or more precisely, how positive or pernicious tendency of increase in the number of those who want to show themselves as Muslims in the first place, and only then Kazakhs ... [5]. For a more focused and detailed analysis of this issue, needed fundamental research that would identify all the indicators at each stage of development of society, the differences, the current situation in this area. At the moment, the national identity becomes more the exception than the rule. And it is also a question for scientific research. In this vein, requires special attention to the cultural identity of Kazakhs: where religious identity would be a harmonious part of the national and civic identity.

In modern Kazakhstan, there are a number of factors affecting the religious identification, and we can not say about their premises. In particular, it is a fake atheism during Soviet ideology, excessive religiosity in the early years of independence, unavailability of "inner filter" for informational waves and other reasons, especially important of which is activity of the missionary service that is the main cause of religious acceptance.

From the stories came in Kazakhstan teaching, especially Protestant direction, you can find out that their missionary experience has a deep history. The colonial policy of European countries was aimed at the economic, political and religious expansion. Religious expansion was carried out at the expense of missionary service. Social problems, needs, spiritual demand of the local people have been clarified in advance, studied, and further satisfied. But you can not say that the missionary had universal methods. For each country was used a peculiar technique of capture. Among them, take for example South Korea refused the traditional Confucian and Buddhist religions and lends itself to the Protestant religion in the XVIII century in Korea, although it has been widely circulated Catholicism, but it could not compete with Protestantism which came a century earlier, the reason for that has been a feature of the Protestant missionary service. And the secret was in the missionary method of Protestant Nevius, which passed into effect in 1824.

"Nevius’s methods:

- spreading of Christianity not in the top of society, in the mass of the people;

- objective is education of the youth and women;

- opening in the administrative centers of primary schools and the introduction of Christian education through them;

-training of teachers in educational institutions under the control of the missionary;

- work on the translation of the Gospel;

- record keeping in Korean;

- increasing the number of religious people who are able to finance the uninterrupted service of the church;

- conducting propagation of the faith among Koreans as possible with the help of these same Koreans;

- missionaries preaching of patients by doctors, based on their personal experiences;

- do not stop communication with patients after their recovery [6] gave a positive result. On top of that the missionaries were able to use on the historical situation, when Korea was in need of confronting the Japanese colonization, forcibly treated in Shintoism and in need of strengthening the national spirit. Construction of educational institutions, hospitals appropriated Nevius’s methods and technologies of assistance helped to improve trust in Protestants.

At the same time, the flexibility and mobility of Protestantism to the culture of the local people brought results. The widespread use of the Korean language, "kanhylya" in spreading the Bible, adapting to the characteristics of the evangelical concept of Korean language, as a consequence of the accelerated development of the Korean literary culture contributed to the emergency Christianization of Korea. Another example of a kind of missionary work can be considered in the Jewish tradition. "Hillel School" in the history of the spread of Judaism was directed scrutiny of the Torah of the Jews and other people. But their small spread was due to the constraints posed by ethnic and religious characteristics (www.dagminobr.ru/storage/files/orkse/1%20UMK_red-29noiab.doc).

Kazakhstan is also in its historical development has passed through the colonial rule of regal Russia. Z.T. Sadvokasova in the article "Study of spiritual expansion in contact regal colonial policy in Kazakhstan as a scientific problem" [7] noted: "The spiritual expansion of Russia over Kazakhstan held on related two highways: the Russification, mainly in the areas of education, through the introduction of Russian language and its wide dissemination; Christianization by force, by means of removal from active preaching of Islam and Orthodoxy.

Missionaries in order to tighten the Kazakhs in Orthodoxy, published Christian literature in Kazakh and then estranging new converts from their native environment and their language carried trough a policy of Russification. "Of course now we are far from thinking that still held the same events, but still, getting a lesson from the past, we need to keep it in mind in studying the missionary activities of other religious organizations.

Missionary activity in our time, works not only in the direction of propagation of religious values, but it is also involved in the positive reputation of the country where the religious expansion, and these goals are supported economically, in particular, the financial support in the construction of places of worship, educational grant program for the free religious training abroad, organizing charity events.

In such a situation, the preservation of religious identification depends on the strength of the cultural foundation of the country. For example, in China and Japan, were also carried out a number of actions aimed at changing religious identification. But China, although was ready to adopt advanced technology of the West, which came together with the missionaries, refused to accept Protestantism. Russian scientists research explains this phenomenon by several factors: the strict formulation and conduct of ideological work, centralized monitoring and control of the state media, as well as the dominance of national culture and values of Confucianism credibility in the public mind [8]. In the country of the rising sun as the prevalence of the Japanese nation, the strength of national identity, as well as a deep knowledge of the value of Shinto are the main basis in the preservation of national uniqueness. Despite of the religious diversity, the Japanese differ with "non-religious" attitude on their lives, because for them the most important are the traditions and etiquette, and religious principle is manifested in their bases. "In Japan we watch the process of transformation of religious life in the festive culture, and it is found as the most necessary to preserve the cultural traditions of Japan." Festival "Matsuri" defines the socio-cultural and ethno-religious identification of the Japanese, in this regard, Shinto is not just a religion of the Japanese, but the core of the national culture of Japan [9].

Kazakh culture is also unique and has the potential spirit, strengthening which can be the basis of spiritual immunity. And here, choosing a modern way of development based on historical experience, it is advisable not to learn from our mistakes, and to draw conclusions from others' missteps. We believe that adhering to the traditional foundations of culture, learning innovation system of the modern world to strengthen national tradition as the basis of the uniqueness of the people. We agree with Myrzatai Zholdasbekov’s ideas reflected in the article "If you know how to stick to religion it is a virtue, if not - it's a grief" [10] that only eschewing from blind, suddenly attacked religion we can preserve the traditional culture of the Kazakhs, and we also agree with Timur Kozyrev’s ideas how to maintain a stable religious situation. So according to him we need to form a religious literacy, secular knowledge and national morale.

Besides the above methods need to be able to use for the benefit of national welfare. If the missionary service of other faiths recognize the internal problems of society, and resort to specific actions to resolve this situation for the benefit of themselves, the government should explore the deep social and economic issues, and spiritual needs, ahead of dubious community to provide decent public assistance and support.

In many cases, giving a fake urgency to move away from the fundamental problem that arises due to the removal of public policy interest and the nature of the solutions of these "urgent" problems is spreading internal capacity and is seasonal. Nowadays, the question to various religious topics of extremism, terrorism, and a range of activities at the state level is certainly a consequence of good intentions, but the use of these one-off round tables, conferences, meetings less than their cost. State support should be comprehensive strategic points: schools, nursery schools, higher education institutions need to strengthen the focus on quality indicators than quantitative. Search in religion and spiritual foundations of the source of traditional culture will bring more positive results than sometimes unfair sharpening on the problems of extremism and terrorism, which in fact do not have a direct relationship to religion.

References:

1. The new dictionary of foreign words. - By EdwART, 2009 / / http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/dic_fwords/21840/.

2. Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On religious activity and religious associations". 11^th October 2011, № 483-IV LRK.

3. Borunkov Y.F., Yablokov I.N., Novikov M.P. and others. Basics of religious studies / ed. I.N. Yablokov. - M.: High school., 1994. P. 368.

4. Telebaev G.T. Features religiosity of modern Kazakh youth / / http://www.isras.ru/abstract_bank/1210064319.pdf.

5. Telebaev G.T. Religious identification of the population and religious situation in the Republic of Kazakhstan / / http://ecsocman.hse.ru/data/214/801/1219/014-TELEBAEV_Gx2cT.pdf).

6. Kim G.N. Stories about the religions of Korea / / http://kore-saram.ru/Kim-GN-Rasskazi-o-religiyah-Korei).

7. Sadvokasova Z.T .Study of spiritual expansion in the context of the colonial policy of regal Russia in Kazakhstan as a scientific problem / / Otan tarikhy. - 2007. № 3.

8. Shugaev A.B. Formation of cultural identity as a factor in the consolidation of the globalizing Chinese society: diss .... Candidate. Philosophy. n.: 09.00.13 / /

9. Bazyulkina O.D. The religious aspect of traditional festivals Matsuri http://research-journal.org/featured/culture/religioznyj-aspekt-tradicionnyx-pra

10. Myrzatai Zholdasbekov "If you know how to stick to religion it is a virtue, if not - it's a grief " / / Egemen Kazakstan. 24^th August 2011.