Banja Luka, 23 June 2010
“Being a believer In Bosnia and Herzegovina is a condition to get employment and solve a series of status issues" said professor Miodrag Zivanovic at the Banja Luka “breakfast with journalists”. Speaking of atheism and atheists as marginalised social group, Zivanovic stressed that “there is Clericalism ruling BiH – the state where religion, faith and church unite and become political actors”.
"Religious leaders have won political offices and they are the ones who decide on the reform of the police or the army, on investments and economic development, and politicians have in turn become part of the most influential religious communities. It is a black picture of BiH society," Zivanovic said, adding that in such a situation, where politicians flirt with religious communities, citizens are left with no other choice but to incline to one of three religious and ethnic groups due to their personal perspectives.
The question is whether one can be president, minister or director of some important company, at the same time identifying himself as an atheist!? All those that identify themselves as atheists are not only marginalized but also immoral, because they differ from the usual standards of bearers of morality - churches and mosques. "Declaring oneself as an atheist implies to be socially excluded and denied 104% of your rights" concluded Zivanovic.
Otherwise, statistics show that in the beginning of the 21st century, between 75 and 80 percent of the people declared themselves as believers and members of some religious groups. The rapid growth of believers is recorded in the states formed from the former Yugoslavia.
Banja Luka, 23 June 2010
“Being a believer In Bosnia and Herzegovina is a condition to get employment and solve a series of status issues" said professor Miodrag Zivanovic at the Banja Luka “breakfast with journalists”. Speaking of atheism and atheists as marginalised social group, Zivanovic stressed that “there is Clericalism ruling BiH – the state where religion, faith and church unite and become political actors”.
"Religious leaders have won political offices and they are the ones who decide on the reform of the police or the army, on investments and economic development, and politicians have in turn become part of the most influential religious communities. It is a black picture of BiH society," Zivanovic said, adding that in such a situation, where politicians flirt with religious communities, citizens are left with no other choice but to incline to one of three religious and ethnic groups due to their personal perspectives.
The question is whether one can be president, minister or director of some important company, at the same time identifying himself as an atheist!? All those that identify themselves as atheists are not only marginalized but also immoral, because they differ from the usual standards of bearers of morality - churches and mosques. "Declaring oneself as an atheist implies to be socially excluded and denied 104% of your rights" concluded Zivanovic.
Otherwise, statistics show that in the beginning of the 21st century, between 75 and 80 percent of the people declared themselves as believers and members of some religious groups. The rapid growth of believers is recorded in the states formed from the former Yugoslavia.
Banja Luka, 7 July 2010 
