(a) Describe any of the cultures which you are passionate about.
In general, I do not favour any one culture in particular and I do not think any particular culture can claim to be more superior to another. Instead I am passionate about certain values and way of thinking that can be found in several western and eastern cultures around the world. I think different cultures each have their own positives and negatives that shape their societies and the people who live there, for better or worse.
I appreciate cultures where religion is not forced upon you, which is why I admire countries like France and Australia where secular laws are ingrained into their constitution. While I do practice my own religious beliefs, I believe one's religious ideologies should never be forced on another, whether through individuals or by the state. The separation of religion from government in secular countries guarantees a clear prohibition of religious influence in state policies.
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Religion has played an important role in molding Sri Lankan culture since the introduction of Theravada Buddhism by Indian invaders some 2000 years ago. Reverence is given to locations associated with Lord Buddha, special public holidays declared (Poya days, which are observed once per month according to the lunar calendar) and rituals performed are all influenced by Buddhism along with astrology.
The downside of this is that Sri Lanka is a multi-racial country and Buddhism is the religion of the Sinhalese majority. Buddhist monks' are actively involved in politics and even sit in parliament as members of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party. While i understand the reasoning behind having representatives of the majority religion sit in parliament, especially in a country with such close religious ties, i do not agree with the way religion and culture is sometimes used to intimidate