Kazkenov calls Kazakhstan to consider a religious referendum

Kazakhstan needs to define its position on the society and religion, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Head of the Center of Analysis, Forecasts and Social Initiatives of Nur Otan party, candidate of philosophical sciences Kazbek Kazkenov as saying at the round-table meeting called Acute issues of reinforcement of propaganda of traditional Islam in Kazakhstan. “We have got a state economic program for the next 20-30 years, but we are yet to define our positions in regards to the society [and religion]. Maybe this could be done via a referendum. This round-table meeting is of great significance in this sense,” Kazkenov said. The meeting covered different trends of Islam and discussed which of the trends suits Kazakhstan the most. Kazkenov cited one of the mullahs who said that they would ask religious leader of Saudi Arabia, Syria and other countries for an advice. But the expert disagrees with this position. “We are Turkic people. Our civilization is above Arabic culture and religion. And this is not me saying this, this is Magzhan Zhumabayev, Kazakh Shakespeare, Kazakh Pushkin, who said: “You, Arabs, are behind…” Why do we have to listen to them? We used to listen to the Political Bureau of the CPSU (USSR), now we have Western or American lifestyle. In this case, in religious context we have to think,” the expert said. According to Kazkenov, Kazakhstan needs its own idea. “To change minds, inversion and mentality and form Kazakhstan's own identity and model with the mother’s milk,” he said.