Is the Brain Hardwired for Religion?

The Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the third largest religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina making up around less than eighth of the nations population. Herzegovina. The Serbian Orthodox Church maintains its greatest influence in the RS, with the most influential bishops residing in Banja Luka, Trebinje, and Bijeljina. Religious leaders also used their position to influence the election outcome by encouraging their communities to vote for certain individuals or parties. Following the end of World War II in Yugoslavia and establishment of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a nominally secular state under influence of state atheism, religions became discouraged. The law also provides the basis for the establishment of relations between the state and religious communities. However, the enforcement and prosecution of such cases can be complex, often relying on the interpretation of evidence and the establishment of clear causal links between the practice of black magic and any resulting harm.

If an individual can rid himself or herself of those wrongful desires, they enter a state of unmatched compassion, peace and joy known as nirvana. The State Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, respect for religious freedom declined due to selective legal enforcement and indifference of some government officials, which allowed societal violence and the threat of violence to restrict the ability to worship of adherents of religious groups in areas where they are in the minority. As a result of the governmental structure created by the Dayton Accords, parliamentary seats and most government positions are apportioned specifically to members of the three “constituent peoples.” These stipulations often result in constitutional discrimination against “others” and sympathizers of certain religious communities that do not fit neatly into the three groups. During the period covered by this report, members of the Bosnian Jewish and the Romani communities filed separate lawsuits before the European Court of Human Rights to address this discrimination against those considered “others” by the State Constitution. On October 16, 2006, the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees issued instructions for implementation of the Law on Religious Freedom, which provides for freedom of religion, ensures legal status of churches and religious communities, and prohibits any form of discrimination against any religious community.

The law calls for an official representative of the various churches or religious communities to be responsible for teaching religious studies in all public and private preschools, primary schools, and universities throughout Bosnia. It grants churches and religious communities legal status and allows them concessions that are characteristic of a nongovernmental organization (NGO). Religious communities tended to receive the most funding in areas where their adherents were in the majority. During the period covered by this report, the entity, cantonal, and municipal governments gave varying levels of financial support to the four traditional religious communities – Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Catholic, and Jewish. Others try to show that religious justifications can contribute positively to democratic polities; the two most common examples in support of this position are the nineteenth-century abolitionist movement and the twentieth-century civil rights movement, both of which achieved desirable political change in large part by appealing directly to the Christian beliefs prevalent in Great Britain and the United States. In late 2011, a Rodnover association named Svaroži Krug, was established in the nation as a part of the panslavic Praskozorje movement. These artifacts, the tradition of pipe smoking and the ceremonies during which they are smoked hold far more significance for American Indian peoples across North America than the misnomer conveys.

Buddhists hold that Buddhahood or Enlightenment is the solution to the problem of suffering. A number of this group, including their most prolific member, Bart Ehrman, a Biblical historian at the University of North Carolina, are atheists who emerged from evangelical Christianity. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe. According to the law, any group of 300 adult citizens may apply to form a new church or religious community with a written application to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice will issue a decision within 30 days of the application, and an appeal may be made to the Bosnian Council of Ministers. Entity and cantonal authorities routinely recognize religious holidays celebrated by members of the area’s majority religion, with government and public offices closed on those days.