Crossing that Line

The Other Guy said:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/world/europe/01iht-swiss.html

Can you imagine if they banned construction of steeples on Churches in the US? This is a REALLY bad idea.
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I don't think that Islam is the majority religion in Switzerland.

Regardless of that, this whole issue has been handled insensitively, by the Swiss govt and by the press. The actual issue is to do with the preservation of the look and feel of Zurich (I think), but has been broadened to encompass all Switzerland - even though the other Cantons haven't even tabled the referendums.

We shall see if this fires up the extremists like the Danish cartoons, if nothing else it will keep journalists from having to research meaningful news stories and passing them on to the public.
 
The Other Guy said:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/world/europe/01iht-swiss.html

Can you imagine if they banned construction of steeples on Churches in the US? This is a REALLY bad idea.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, not so sure actually. Might be an improvement. At least I could get some sleep Sunday morning without those F***ing bells going off. Personally I am sick of ALL religion. I am not an atheist (although fast becoming one), but I am sick of people ramroding their faith down my throat, that means all faiths. As George Carlin once famously quoted the previously unknown 11th Commandment: "Keep thy religion to thyself".

As for Switzerland, its their lillypad, they can do what they want in it. The vote represents two things

1. Islam is now the 2nd largest religion in Switzerland, and because the voters feel that they are losing their identity to a foreign one then that means that Switzerland has a serious immigration problem.

2. It also shows that the Islamic community has not been vocal enough in denouncing Islamic extremism. We know this is true because many of the foreign fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan come from Europe (and USA). Which means they are being freely recruited. If people in Switzerland are voting Islam, its because they are afraid of the radicals that are hiding there. Switzerland has a very liberal immigration policy, and lax police powers. Many Islamic fundimentalists stage themselves there.
 
Well it doesn't surprise me much. The general opinion is that we are being overrun by some army of fundamentalists and our way of life is about to end. Populism is main-stream and people don't seem to think anymore.
Besides both Austria and Switzerland have a long tradition of xenophobia. It probably has something to do with the mountains and the lack of shame of using nazi gold as the engine of their economy...
 
Now this is way to far. I admit, Muslim's must accept that states like Switzerland and Britain are Christian states and this must be respected. So this is why I get really annoyed when they complain about Christmas lights and so on. Yet I must admit what is wrong with spreading the faith?
 
Yin717 said:
Now this is way to far. I admit, Muslim's must accept that states like Switzerland and Britain are Christian states and this must be respected. So this is why I get really annoyed when they complain about Christmas lights and so on. Yet I must admit what is wrong with spreading the faith?
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They don't see anything wrong with spreading thier faith, but do nasty things to those who try to spread another faith in thier areas. They accept that what is thiers is thiers & everything else is open for conversion. Do you want your granddaughters being Muslims?
 
George said:
They don't see anything wrong with spreading thier faith, but do nasty things to those who try to spread another faith in thier areas. They accept that what is thiers is thiers & everything else is open for conversion. Do you want your granddaughters being Muslims?
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You mean like Spanish Inquisition? Nasty Bit of business that, when the Catholic Church put anyone who didn't convert to Catholistism to death, and in some pretty horrific ways.

Don't delude yourself to think that Christians are capable of doing the exact same thing. As a matter of fact that, there are some very radical elements of evangelicals in the US that would like nothing better than to turn America into a Pseudo-Christian Theocracy.
 
Islam and Christianity are not the same. The impact Islam has on normal life based on national culture far outweighs that of Christianity. I hate both.
 
George said:
Do you want your granddaughters being Muslims?
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No less than I would want them Christian, personally I would prefer they live in a world where logic and self belief was paramount rather than relying on an organisation that encourages ignorance, intolerance and subservience (aka all religions).

It always amazes me how Christianity likes to portray itself as the enlightened religion yet in reality the only reason it can make these claims is because it lost any and all authority over the ruling of nations, give it any level of power back and we will be fighting the Crusades within a month.
 
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MontyB said:
personally I would prefer they live in a world where logic and self belief was paramount rather than relying on an organisation that encourages ignorance, intolerance and subservience (aka all religions).
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How is that working out so far? (aka all religions) and current governments. LOL :p
 
“We are a bit afraid of the rise of extremism on both sides,”
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I think this comment is the key...there needs to be a nice middle ground...I think getting to the point of banning a type of structure is a little much.
 
pixiedustboo said:
I think this comment is the key...there needs to be a nice middle ground...I think getting to the point of banning a type of structure is a little much.
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This is true if they are banning it to restrict the influence of a religion however if they are doing it to protect a historic skyline I don't have a problem with it.
 
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