The Influence of Technology and Social Media on Secular Ideals and Religious Coexistence

Abstract

The cornerstone of harmonious, pluralistic communities is the coexistence of secularism and religion. Secularism protects people's and communities' freedom of belief by guaranteeing the state's objectivity in religious affairs. Religious coexistence is the capacity of various religion communities to cohabit peacefully while honoring one another's customs and traditions.In the current world, social media and technology have taken center stage in the debate, promotion, and contestation of these ideas. Globally, social media platforms link billions of individuals, boosting voices that support coexistence and secularism. However, they can give rise to problems like hate speech, polarization, and disinformation that jeopardize social peace. With an emphasis on their dual roles as facilitators and disruptors, this essay examines how social media and technology affect religious harmony and secular values.
The interactive component of human communication is satisfied by social media, the foundation of modern information technology. We are unable to ignore social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter and live our lives apart from or unaffected by their use in our surroundings. Furthermore, social media has taken on a decisive role in influencing people's social, religious, and cultural lives. Furthermore, it is now impossible to avoid discussing social media's effects, ramifications, difficulties, and threats in academic settings. India's multi-religious, multi-social, and multi-cultural background makes it a promising place to research the effects of religious tolerance on social media. Also, being a secular nation, India supports its citizens' inherent rights to practice their religion as they see fit. However, secularism in India does not imply irreligion; rather, it refers to tolerance for all faiths. In other words, the fundamental tenet of all Indian religious teachings is nondiscrimination based on religious differences.