With a new constitution beckoning reform and revision of former concepts the Maldives is back to exploiting religious avenues for political gain. It seems that every time the public cries out for religious freedom and secularism a vizier emerges to convince current and potential politicians of the need for coveting theological politics.

Part of the change the Maldivian public expects to arise from the enactment of the new constitution is the elimination of religiose politics. Why? Simply because Maldives does not have a religious institution with unbiased and accredited scholars recognized by the educated majority. This author himself does not recognize a religious authority of such a calibre as to formulate well-researched proclamations backed by the necessary documentation, although some individual persons may exhibit such standards.

Given this lack of institutionalization and the lack of foresight to begin the process, why are the government and its opposition so quick to make theological debates the foundation of political decision-making? In this author's belief the reasons are the very same which dictated the methods of the incumbent government over the last 30 years. That is, to coax the public into acceptance through the use of the greatest weapon of fear: Islam.

In the face of Islamic proclamations the people utter naught in protest against the government for fear of enraging God. This makes for a much more powerful (and cheaper by a million magnitudes) control mechanism than the fear of terrorism. This is how the government has managed to veil the vanguard of corruption (remember the slogan 'be content with what you have'?). This is how the government justified torture (physical and psychological) and injustice. From the looks of current events, it would seem that this will also be the mantra of future governments.

Dear reader, consider what you would want? Would you want Islam being continually used as a means of oppression?