12 Graphs That Show Why People Get Fat By Kris Gunnars - Authority Nutrition

People are fatter and sicker than ever before.

Obesity rates have tripled since 1980 and have increased particularly fast in children.

The reason why this has happened is still debated among scientists, but it must be due to changes in the environment because our genes don’t change this quickly.

This article contains graphs with historical trends and results from obesity studies, showing some of the main reasons why obesity has become such a massive problem.

Here are 12 graphs that show why people get fat.

1. People Are Eating More Junk Food Than Ever

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Fast Food, Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance.Whole Health Source.

People are eating more calories than before… but pretty much all of the increase has come from processed foods.

In the graph above, you see how the population changed its eating habits in the past 120-130 years.

At the turn of the 20th century, people were eating mostly simple, home-cooked meals. Around 2009, about half of what people ate was fast food, or other foods away from home.

This graph actually underestimate the true change, because what people are eating at home these days is also largely based on processed foods.

2. Sugar Consumption Has Skyrocketed

Source: Johnson RJ, et al. Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.

Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet.

Numerous studies show that eating excess amounts of added sugar can have harmful effects on metabolism, leading to insulin resistance, belly fat gain, high triglycerides and small, dense LDL cholesterol… to name a few (1, 2).

There is also a plethora of observational studies showing that the people who eat the most sugar are at a much greater risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer (3, 4, 5).

Sugar is also fattening, partly because it doesn’t get registered in the same way as other calories by the brain, making us eat more. It also has adverse effects on hormones related to obesity (6, 7, 8, 9).

Not surprisingly, studies show that people who eat the most sugar are at a high risk of future weight gain and obesity (10).

3. People Gain Lots of Weight During The Holidays, Which They Never Get Rid Of

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why do we Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective.2014.

Most people don’t gain weight overnight… it happens slowly, over years and decades.

But the rate is uneven throughout the year and spikes dramatically during the holidays, a time when people tend to binge on all sorts of delicious holiday foods and eat much more than their bodies need.

The problem is that sometimes people don’t lose all the weight back. They might gain 3 pounds, but only lose 2 after the holidays are over, leading to slow and steady weight gain over time (11).

In fact, a large percentage of people’s lifetime weight gain can be explained just by the 6 week holiday period.

4. The Obesity Epidemic Started When The Low-Fat Guidelines Were Published

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (US). Health, United States, 2008: With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults. 2009 Mar. Chartbook.

There was an epidemic of heart disease running rampant in the U.S. in the 20th century.

A lot of scientists believed fat, especially saturated fat, to be the main dietary cause of heart disease (although this has since been disproven).

This led to the birth of the low-fat diet, which aims to restrict saturated fat. Interestingly, the obesity epidemic started at almost the exact same time the low-fat guidelines first came out.

Of course, this doesn’t prove anything, because correlation doesn’t equal causation.

But it does seem likely that putting the emphasis on saturated fat, while giving processed low-fat foods high in sugar a free pass, may have contributed to negative changes in the population’s diet.

There are also massive long-term studies showing that the low-fat diet does NOT cause weight loss, and does not prevent heart disease or cancer (12, 13, 14, 15).

5. Food is Cheaper Than Ever Before

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why do we Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective.2014.

One factor that has most likely contributed to increased consumption is a lower price of food.

From the graph above, you see that food prices have dropped from 25% of disposable income to about 10% of disposable income in the past 80 years.

This seems like a good thing, but it’s important to keep in mind that real food isn’t cheap… it’s processed food.

In fact, real foods are so expensive that a lot of people can’t even afford them. In many poor neighborhoods, they don’t even offer anything but junk food, which is often subsidized by the government.

How are poor people supposed to stand a chance if the only food they can afford (and access) is highly processed junk high in sugar, refined grains and added oils?

6. People Are Drinking More Sugary Soda and Fruit Juices

The brain is the main organ in charge of regulating our energy balance… making sure that we don’t starve and don’t accumulate excess fat.

Well, it turns out that the brain doesn’t “register” liquid sugar calories in the same way as it does solid calories (16).

So if you consume a certain number of calories from a sugary drink, then your brain doesn’t automatically make you eat fewer calories of something else instead (17).

That’s why liquid sugar calories are usually added on top of the daily calorie intake. Unfortunately, most fruit juices are no better and have similar amounts of sugar as soft drinks (18).

Studies have shown that a single daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage is linked to a 60.1% increased risk of obesity in children (19).

Sugar is bad… but sugar in liquid form is even worse.

7. Increased Food Variety Contributes to Overeating and Weight Gain

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why do we Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective.2014.

One factor that contributes to overeating is food variety.

The graph above shows a study where rats were split in 3 groups… one group got regular healthy chow, the second group got one type of junk food, but the third got multiple types of junk food at the same time (20).

As you can see, the rats eating one type of junk food gained more than the ones eating rat chow, but the rats eating multiple types of junk food gained the most… by far.

There is some evidence that this is true in humans as well. When we have more types of foods available, we eat more… and sometimes more than our bodies need (21).

8. People Don’t Burn as Many Calories When Working

Source: Church TS, et al. Trends over 5 Decades in U.S. Occupation-Related Physical Activity and Their Associations with Obesity. PLoS One, 2011.

A lot of people blame obesity on decreases in physical activity, that we’re just burning fewer calories than we used to.

Although leisure time physical activity (exercise) has increased, it is also true that people now have jobs that are less physically demanding.

The graph above shows how people are now burning around 100 fewer calories per day in their jobs, which may contribute to weight gain over time.

9. People Are Eating More Vegetable Oils, Mostly From Processed Foods

The fats we are eating have changed dramatically in the past 100 years or so.

At the beginning of the 20th century, we were eating mostly natural fats like butterand lard… but then they were replaced with margarine and vegetable oils.

Most people aren’t frying real food in vegetable oil, they are getting it from processed food. Adding these oils to the foods increases the reward and caloric value, contributing to overconsumption.

10. The Social Environment Can Strongly Affect Calorie Intake

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why do we Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective.2014.

The social environment is another factor that determines calorie intake. For example, eating in a group can dramatically increase the number of calories consumed.

According to one paper, eating a meal with several people can increase calorie intake by up to 72%, or 310 calories in a single meal (22).

There are also studies showing that people tend to eat more during weekends (23).

11. People Are Sleeping Less

Source: Cauter EV, et al. The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism. Medscape, 2005.

Sleep is often overlooked when it comes to weight gain and obesity.

It is known that poor sleep has negative effects on various hormones that are related to weight gain, and can contribute to increased hunger and cravings (24, 25, 26).

In recent decades, average sleep duration has decreased by 1-2 hours per night. The reasons for this are numerous, but increased artificial lighting and electronics are likely contributors.

As it turns out, short sleep duration is one of the strongest individual risk factors for obesity. It is linked to an 89% increased risk in children, and a 55% increased risk in adults (27).

12. Increased Calorie Intake

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective.2014. (Data from CDC NHANES surveys and USDA food disappearance data)

People may argue about the causes of obesity… whether it is sugar, carbs, fat, or something else.

But one indisputable fact is that calorie consumption has increased dramatically over the past few decades (28, 29).

According to studies, this increased calorie intake is more than sufficient to explain the increases in obesity (30).

But it’s important to keep in mind that it is not some collective moral failure that drives the increased calorie intake.

All behavior is driven by the underlying biology… and the way the diet and environment have changed has altered the way our brains and hormones work.

In other words, these changes have caused malfunctions in the biological systems that are supposed to prevent us from getting fat.

This is the underlying reason for the increased calorie intake and weight gain, NOT a lack of willpower, as some people would have you believe.

Article taken from authoritynutrition.com

Why Germans Work Fewer Hours But Produce More: A Study In Culture - Knote.com

When many Americans think of Germany, images of WWII soldiers and Hitler often come to mind. But what many people don’t realize is that Germany is the industrial powerhouse of Europe, and is a leading manufacturer of goods for export to developing Asian nations. We don’t hear about the superiority of German engineering in Volkswagen commercials for nothing!

The economic engine of the EU, Germany single-handedly saved the Eurozone from collapse in 2012. At the same time, German workers enjoy unparalleled worker protections and shorter working hours than most of their global counterparts. How can a country that works an average of 35 hours per week (with an average 24 paid vacation days to boot) maintain such a high level of productivity?

Working Hours Mean Working Hours

In German business culture, when an employee is at work, they should not be doing anything other than their work. Facebook, office gossip with co-workers, trolling Reddit for hours, and pulling up a fake spreadsheet when your boss walks by are socially unacceptable behaviors. Obviously, in the United States these behaviors are frowned up on by management. But in Germany, there is zero tolerance among peers for such frivolous activities.

In the BBC documentary “Make Me A German“,  a young German woman explained her culture shock while on a working exchange to the UK.

“I was in England for an exchange… I was in the office and the people are talking all the time about their private things… ‘What’s the plan for tonight?’, and all the time drinking coffee…”

She was quite surprised by the casual nature of British workers. Upon further discussion, the Germans reveal that Facebook is not allowed in the office whatsoever, and no private email is permitted.

Goal-Oriented, Direct Communication Is Valued

German business culture is one of intense focus and direct communication. While Americans tend to value small talk and maintaining an upbeat atmosphere, Germans rarely beat around the bush. German workers will directly speak to a manager about performance reviews, launch into a business meeting without any ‘icebreakers’, and use commanding language without softening the directives with polite phrases.Whereas an American would say, “It would be great if you could get this to me by 3pm,” a German would say, “I need this by 3pm”.

When a German is at work, they are focused and diligent, which in turn leads to higher productivity in a shorter period of time.

Germans Have a Life Outside Work

Germans work hard and play hard. Since the working day is focused on delivering efficient productivity, the off hours are truly off hours. Because of the focused atmosphere and formal environment of German businesses, employees don’t necessarily hang out together after work. Germans generally value a separation between private life and working life.

The German government is currently considering a ban on work-related emails after 6pm, to counter the accessibility that smartphones and constant connectivity give employers to their employees. Can you imagine President Obama enacting such a policy in the United States?

To occupy their plentiful Freizeit, most Germans are involved in Verein (clubs); regularly meeting others with shared interests in their community. Common interests in Germany include Sportvereine (sports clubs), Gesangvereine (choirs or singing clubs), Musikvereine(music clubs), Wandervereine (hiking clubs), Tierzuchtvereine (animal breeding clubs – generally rabbits/pigeons) and collectors’ clubs of all stripes. Even the smallest village in Germany will have several active Vereinen to accommodate residents’ interests. Rather than settling in for a night of TV after work, most Germans socialize with others in their community and cultivate themselves as people.

Germans also enjoy a high number of paid vacation days, with many salaried employees receiving 25-30 paid days (the law requires 20). Extended holidays mean families can enjoy up to a month together, renting an apartment by the seaside or taking a long trip to a new, exciting city.

Business Respects Parenthood

Germany’s system of Elternzeit (“parent time” or parental leave) is the stuff of fantasy for most working Americans. The United States does not currently have laws requiring maternity leave, while Germany has some of the most extensive parental protection policies in the developed world. The downside of these maternity leave benefits is that employers may avoid hiring women (with the fear that they will take advantage of the extensive benefits), and German boardrooms are consistently male-dominated at a higher rate than other developed nations, although the government is working to eradicate this trend. The financial benefits of staying home (from both Elternzeitand Elterngeld or parents’ money programs) are often too good to pass up for German mothers, and can lead to stagnant or non-existent careers.

Since “at will” employment does not exist in Germany, all employees have contracts with their employer. Parents who have been gainfully employed for the previous 12 months are eligible for Elternzeit benefits, which include up to three years of unpaid leave with a “sleeping” contract. The employee is eligible to work part-time up to 30 hours while on leave, and must be offered full-time employment at the conclusion of the parental leave. Parents may also choose to postpone up to one year of their leave until the child’s 8th birthday. Either parent is eligible for parental leave, and many couples make the choice based on financial considerations.

In addition to the preservation of the employee’s contract, the state will pay up 67% of the employee’s salary (with a cap of 1800 Euros per month) for 14 months. Parents may split the 14 months however they choose. These benefits apply equally to same-sex couples.

Have you picked your jaw up off the floor yet?

Put Some German In Your Office

The German work culture is very different from the average American office, but there are certainly lessons to be learned from our German counterparts. The diligent focus Germans bring to their working life is to be admired. Separating work from play can help us lead a more balanced life; putting the phone down after hours gives us a mental break from stressing about work, and we can return to the office refreshed in the morning. When it’s time to get something done, closing Facebook and turning off push notifications helps keep our minds quiet and the flow steady. Direct conversation can lead to increased efficiency, and more clarity of communication among team members.

Americans often equate longer hours with increased production and superior work ethic, but examining the German model makes one wonder: When it comes to time at work,maybe less really is more!

article was taken from knote.com

We say white coffee, you say latte by Hariati Azizan - The STAR

Juggling finances: Many young people argue that they are not living beyond their means although bankruptcy cases among those below the age of 25 are increasing.

Fingers are again pointing at youths’ lifestyle for their high rate of debt and bankruptcy. But young people are saying it is a generation gap.

“WHEN I was young, I had to walk to school.”

How many times did our ­parents grate us with tales of their old “hard times” and how lucky we were to have buses and cars?

Well, guess what? We might just be turning into our parents, singing a similar tune:

“When I was young, I had to take the bus and didn’t have a car until I was married.” Or “Last time, when I wanted to chat with my friend, I had to use the public phone.”

And of course, everyone’s favourite now: “Last time, when I wanted coffee, I tapaufrom home in a Tupperware,” or “I paid only 90sen at the kopitiam.”

But before you panic and rush out for that Botox jab, check out the news. Statistics show that perhaps you are not being old, you are just being right.

As reported recently, bankruptcy among youths below the age of 25 is increasing at an alarming rate.

From 2007 until June this year, a total of 1,940 youths under 25 years old had been declared bankrupt, about one-third (579) of whom became bankrupt in the first half of this year.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri, who oversees the Department of Insolvency (MDI), believes many others are on the brink of bankruptcy for “spending more than they earn” and drowning in debt.

Echoing her comments, many “experts” raised the same old arguments – our young cannot differentiate a “necessity” from “luxury”, confusing their “needs” with their “wants”.

Many young people, however, argue that they are not living beyond their means.

Johan*, 25, points to the econo­my as the reason why many young people are accumulating debt.

“Our pay is peanuts, not enough for us to have a comfortable life, especially with the unexpected price hikes. How can we pay our bills like we planned when things keep going up?

“It’s like one morning you wake up and something new is now more expensive. We can only survive if every day we eat Maggi,” Johan, who has been working in sales for a year, complains.

Others say that times have changed and they need to spend a lot to stay ahead of the game.

“I need a car to get to work on time and my smartphone is essential for me to stay connected and relevant.

“And these days, if you don’t look or act the part, you won’t become successful, so sometimes you have to meet clients and friends at that cool coffee shop,” Malek, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, shares.

Is this then yet another case of the older generation simply not getting the Generation Y-ers?

Age-old dispute

Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan thinks the young could live within their means if they wanted to.

“I am perplexed by the attitude and behaviour of some young workers – the current pay for fresh graduates in Malaysia is enough for them to live on.”

On whether our pay is keeping up with inflation, he says we have to understand the situation in the country.

“Sure, there are some increases in the cost of living but we need to look at our purchasing power parity – a global study said that the value of our wages is close to three times higher than the money we get. This means, if we take home RM1,000, we can buy close to RM3,000 worth of goods and services.”

A majority of fresh graduates, he says, start working life on the wrong footing.

“They perhaps indulge themselves on things not considered necessity sometimes even before they start work.

“If graduates start on the wrong footing and develop the wrong financial habits, they will find it difficult to make ends meet on any pay they get.”

Whether a young person spends more than they earn depends on their lifestyle, says Shamsuddin.

“I’m from a generation that thinks paying RM13 for a cup of coffee is murder. To me it is a luxury, not a necessity, and I can argue for days on end about this.

“Whether your salary is enough or not to survive on is relative. It depends on what kind of lifestyle you want to adopt. If you buy a coffee that costs you RM13 every day, it will burn many holes in your pocket.”

New graduates need to assess themselves and see what situation they want to be in, he advises.

“They have to realise that as someone entering the workforce, if they indulge themselves, they will get into a situation where they will not be able to pay their credit card debt or loans that they take.

“While a handphone or smartphone is a necessity now, you don’t have to spend RM2,000 or more to get a high-end model or the latest model. But many prefer branded gadgets and keeping up with the latest trends and models. I think that is why at the end of the day, they feel that whatever they are getting cannot support their lifestyle.”

Shamsuddin insists that being thrifty is not an “outdated” or “unfair” value.

“If the young think it’s unfair, they need to remember that many of them have not included their parents in their budget. In my day, we always put aside a portion of our income for our parents.Now it’s the other way round. Today, parents end up supporting their adult children, paying for their housing, food and helping them.”

Timeless value

What is so wrong about the old values? asks Nor Akmar Yaakub, head of the Financial Education Department at the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK).

“Living within your means is a timeless value and relevant for every generation.”

Conceding that things like gourmet coffee, a smartphone and a car are becoming part of life for most young persons, she says one has to prioritise and be a smart consumer.

“We are not saying that you should completely deprive yourself. You need to look at your budget. If you have to meet your friends at that hip coffee place or go clubbing, try to control the times you do that a month.

“And we understand now that people think they cannot survive without a car because of the not-so-accessible public transport and due to safety issues.

“But you need to choose one within your budget. Don’t buy a high-end make if you cannot afford it,” she notes.

Putting aside money for a rainy day is more important than ever, stresses Nor Akmar, advising the young to save and let their money grow when they first start work, instead of spending all their money to establish their working status and lifestyle.

“Don’t rely on your credit card to cover the extra expenses. Delay your gratification until you can afford not only the item, but also its hidden costs,” she says, highlighting the extra costs of owning a car often overlooked by the young, such as insurance, maintenance and even fuel.

Contrary to common belief, MDI data shows that defaulting on student loan and credit card debt are not the main causes of bankruptcy among the young. Instead, it is defaulting on their car loans.

According to the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) legal and dispute resolution manager Santhosh Kannan, Fomca also came to that conclusion in its recent study on the spending pattern of the younger generation.

“Our survey indicated that car loans were the biggest root cause for bankruptcy among Malaysians below the age of 40, trumping credit card debt, the second biggest cause by a big margin.”

The main issue was that loans were sanctioned without a proper check-and-balance mechanism.

“Many were approved for individuals with weak purchasing power for cars that will require them to fork out huge monthly instalments.

“As time passed by, they would undertake extra financial responsibilities like purchasing a property or having a family and this leads to huge debts or even (them being) declared as bankrupts,” he alleges.

Santhosh urges the banks to take into account the borrowers’ financial capacity and capability when approving loans. As for credit card debt, he says data shows that many borrowers go bankrupt without them even knowing.

“For example, one individual cancels his or her credit card and does not get a release letter from the bank stating he or she no longer owes anything. This may lead to the individual still owing the banks some money.

“As time passes by, all sorts of charges, late payment interest, etc, would be imposed, causing the amount owed to skyrocket to an amount exceeding the bankruptcy limit and causing them to be with a notice.”

He says banks and financial institutions need to inform their clients on the proper procedure of cancelling a credit card.

“A mere call to the banks or cutting your credit card would not suffice. A cancellation is where you have settled all owing to the bank, in writing and when you have obtained a release letter officially stating that you do not owe the bank from a specific credit facility that was provided to you,” he advises.

He, however, thinks the claim by the older generation that cars and phones are a luxury today is outdated.

“We need to address the real issue of the younger generation going into debt and even bankruptcy, which is financial knowledge.”

He believes that if it’s a question of generation gap, one should look into “wants” and “needs”.

“During our parents’ time, their aim was to build and sustain, to have basic needs such as food, shelter and school met, and later, job for continuity. Facilities like credit cards, car loans or insurance never existed.”

Today, things are different, Santhosh notes. A car and a smartphone are the implied social standard set. These are no longer seen as “wants” but more as “needs”.

“Given the deplorable state of public transportation, a car is needed to get to work. If one is required to travel extensively, then a car is seen as an asset and investment,” he says.

A smartphone is not purely entertainment-based, it is used to receive e-mails when out of the office.

Santhosh feels it is not practical for the older generation to impose on the younger ones their values to determine needs and wants.

“It is more important that the older ­generation try to understand the younger generation’s wants and needs and share with them their experience in handling their finances or help them understand better financial management,” he says.

source taken from The STAR

Thursdaywithzubedy - Start The Change With MAD Through P3!

START THE CHANGE WITH

My MAD Experience

From A Newbie’s Perspective

By: Aleza Nadia Othman

When I was asked to observe the Making A Difference (MAD) training program, I was very curious and excited.

Even as an observer, the program made me realize so much about myself and one of them was that I was too complacent. Previously, working as a journalist for three and a half years, I was in my comfort zone; the thought of changing a new job frightened me tremendously even though deep in my heart, I know I was unhappy. Because of that fear, I started to come up with silly excuses like, “I don’t think I’ll be able to change jobs because I would have to pay for parking and toll.” Till one day, I mustered up my strength and made the first step. Next came the obligatory process of sending out resumes and having to go through interview sessions. It wasn’t easy, but I succeeded and now I’m all charged for new challenges.

Adapting to a whole different work culture after being so used to the old one definitely takes time. I need to remove all Artificial Boundaries, push myself, stay the course and be P3. I have to be honest, it is very hard. Just this weekend, I caught myself blaming other drivers after failing to find a parking spot in the mall when I should be taking responsibility for leaving the house late!

I am still learning every day, and with time, God willing, I will be able to unleash my real potential and be P3 in all aspects of life.

MAD Through P3

How The Course Changes My Perspective About Almost Everything

By: Wan Nurul Jannah binti Md Isa

Before MAD, I was too comfortable in my bubble, I never felt the drive to even start dreaming. That’s probably because I do not like changes. I love living in the past, which is why I have a hard time planning for the future. I thought it would not make a difference if I were to plan since nothing is fixed. Because of that mindset, I took my own sweet time doing things and ended up not finishing anything. When things did not go my way, I blame others. For example, I blame my marriage for my lack of focus at work. I thought it’s because of the extra hats I’m wearing that cause me to be disorganized. I also blame my working hours for my decreasing reading time. In short, though I knew there’s something wrong about me, I never bother to change simply because I was too comfortable in my bubble.

After MAD, I start questioning my bubble. What if there’s something better outside my bubble and I’d been missing out on all the better things all this while because I was too afraid to take the first step? It’s really not just about work. It’s a lot more about how I handle my life and the people around me. I also learned that nobody is going to help me build my dream if I do not have the desire myself in the first place. What I have is enough to bring myself to another level. I have to start. Then everything will come in place. Instead of whining and waiting for help, I have to help myself. I need to be more positive about my future. Good luck, bad luck – who knows? I realize that I just need to try and I must try now!

In a nutshell, in term of personal development, I am now aware that I must stop blaming others for my own shortcomings. In term of professional development, I must now learn to compartmentalize and sort out my time management. I also need to be more opportunistic about my own strengths and mend my weaknesses at the same time. I find that if my personal life is managed well, my professional life will become less stressful.

MAD Through P3 had definitely inspired me to take the crucial first step to a better life.

*** MAD Through P3 is a change management program provided by zubedy (m) sdn bhd. For more information about the program or any other programs, you may click the link: http://zubedy.com/product.php

Understanding Liberalism And Religious Pluralism by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar - Sisters in Islam

The fatwa issued by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and gazetted on 31 July 2014 declaring any person or group “professing liberalism or religious pluralism” as “deviants” raises some troubling questions. The

group, Sisters in Islam, was specifically named in the fatwa. 

Of course, a fatwa in Islamic jurisprudence is only an opinion and does not command mandatory force but when it is employed to castigate an individual or organization as “deviant” it assumes a different connotation. The reckless use of the term “deviant” has created deep schisms and feuds and even caused bloodshed and violence in Muslim history. It is only if a religious authority can provide incontrovertible proof that a person (or group) has veered from the fundamental teachings of Islam should one resort to such a description. 

To establish that one has become a deviant through alleged adherence to “liberalism” or “religious pluralism” the authority concerned has to show convincingly how these two ideas contravene the essence of Islam. To start with, MAIS must be aware that the term “liberal” appears in the fourth goal of the Rukunegara, our National Charter. It says that the goal is to ensure “a liberal approach to her (Malaysia’s) rich and diverse cultural traditions.” In its description of this goal, the Rukunegara speaks of a society that is “free to choose religion, custom and culture of their own in line with the interests of national unity.” 

It is obvious from the Rukunegara that it regards “freedom” and the “right to choose” as essential to a liberal approach. Freedom and the right to choose as values are in line with Islam as long as their exercise does not contravene the essence of faith. Indeed, the Rukunegara as a whole, both its goals and its principles --- as pointed out by the late Islamic scholar, Ustaz Abu Bakar Hamzah --- reflects the spirit of Islam. 

There are other values associated with “liberalism” such as freedom of expression, free and fair elections and the right to private property which are also integral to Islam. True, extreme individualism and the untrammeled accumulation of wealth which are also sometimes defended in the name of liberalism has no place in Islamic Thought. If these aspects of liberalism are the reasons for MAIS’s unhappiness with certain groups and individuals it should say so and provide evidence to show that they have been propagating such ideas. MAIS should enter into a dialogue with them and convince such advocates of liberalism that their views create more harm than good to society. That is the solution, not branding them as “deviants” and banning their writings and activities.

Turning to religious pluralism, the concept has different meanings. Many Islamic scholars equate religious pluralism with religious diversity. For them the harmonious co-existence of the followers of different religions within a specific setting would be an example of religious pluralism at work. They also recognize that while conceptions of the Transcendent or God differ from religion to religion and there are unique and distinctive practices associated with the various faith communities, there are also certain values and principles that they share in common. Living in harmony with nature and the environment, protecting the integrity of the family as the basic unit of society, respecting one’s elders, ensuring that leadership is virtuous and adhering to moral precepts in economic activities, would be some of the values and principles that are embodied in all religious philosophies. Accepting similarities at one level while acknowledging differences in other spheres is what defines religious pluralism. 

These notions of religious pluralism are more than compatible with Islamic teachings. That there are different religions and moral codes is a reality that the Quran accepts (109:6). Knowing one another in the midst of this diversity is also a Quranic principle (49:13). Indeed, Allah had deliberately created such a diverse human family to see how we would treat one another which the Quran regards as a test of our spirituality. (5: 48).

Why then is MAIS uneasy about religious pluralism? Perhaps MAIS does not view religious pluralism through the same lens as many of us. From past pronouncements, MAIS, like a number of other Islamic groups and individuals in Malaysia, tends to highlight a particular interpretation of religious pluralism that regards mutually exclusive ultimate truth claims in different religions as equally valid. Of course, for the overwhelming majority of Muslims this is not acceptable. Tawhid (The Oneness of God) in Islam and the Trinity in Christianity cannot both be “equally valid”. Likewise, reward and punishment on the Day of Judgment in Christianity and Karma in Hinduism cannot both be equally valid. If religious pluralism means accepting the exclusive truth claim contained in each and every religion as valid, most people would reject religious pluralism. There is no reason why MAIS should equate religious pluralism with an interpretation that has so little support among religious adherents of whatever hue. MAIS should not use this minority interpretation of religious pluralism to label any group or individual as “deviant.” 

It is not just MAIS. Some of the highest office –holders in Malaysia have also been equating religious pluralism with this interpretation, forgetting that there are other more popularly accepted interpretations of religious pluralism compatible with Islam and all other religions. By rejecting religious pluralism because of this interpretation, they have unwittingly given the impression to people everywhere that Malaysia does not accept religious diversity. This has tarnished our image and sullied our reputation as a nation when in reality Malaysia celebrates religious diversity as few other nations do. This is why it is imperative that religious authorities and political personalities cease to interpret religious pluralism as the acceptance of the truth claim in every religion and instead view it as the acknowledgement of religious diversity ---which is what Malaysia is all about. 

article taken from Sisters in Islam website