Bahrain, Yemen, Turkey, Iran, The Revolution Continues, Religion must step aside for Humanity and Reason

Is there any connection between the uprisings within the middle east countries,and the fact that most of these governments are religious in faith and rule? Despite my respect of all religions and the right of their worshipers to praise as they please I do not understand the inability to enter into discussions regarding the obvious flaws in practice within all religions. From all religious perspectives most debates are rife with tension and animosity and most often result in arguments regarding specific doctrine rather than actual practices. If we speculate on the tensions in the middle east sparked by the revolution in Tunisia we see a struggle between the masses and their government, those opposed to the ruling class finding their government oppressive, restrictive and corrupt. I find it no coincidence that the most "religious" countries whether Christian, Hindu or Muslim tend to have a more oppressed body, generally fraught with a history of human struggle. Freedom as defined as the willful act of living, expressing and working without undue restriction, harm or inequity seems to be the underlying theme in all the countries currently experiencing inner turmoil. History demonstrates that the mix of religious doctrine and interpretation (over logic and reason) generally leads to tyrannical leadership, similar to the shamans in early human history getting too drunk on the sacred wine. Within the past thousand years the Christian Church and the countries within its direct domain used numerous hideous acts of terror and oppression in the name of the Church. Hindus in India are still suffering at the hands of their interpretation of the caste system allowing millions to suffer at the lowest form of humanity as accorded to their "birth rite" and socio-religious traditions. The list goes on endlessly when considering what the "elite" and "powerful" can do under the guise of a specified religion but what is mind boggling is how this prehistoric thinking can continue in todays day and age. Religion should be determined by the worshiper and his acts. The truly faithful understand that the most powerful teacher is action. If a government is to rule based on the desire of the people it should do just that. The religious notions, opinions and desires of any person in power should stand as support for law, not the basis of it. The horrific caning, torture and death of women in the most restrictive countries is shameful and disgusting to the human race. The fourteen year old rape victim in Bangladesh is just one of millions of people eradicated by their religiously ruled governments. We may never agree on the "right" religion but we should agree on the right race, the human one. Perhaps millions of people in the middle east tired of the religious rhetoric and rule agree.  

Nina Davis