Let me be clear from the outset – and get my virtue signalling in early – I have Muslim colleagues among whom I consider many to be my friends. I have few problems with any of them and regularly engage with one of them about the problems I see, not with individual Muslims but with Islam.
Again, my problem with Islam is not that it is different from my own religion, which is Roman Catholic Christianity. On the same basis, I have no issue with Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism or Zoroastrianism. I would argue equally with any of these about how Christianity is the one true religion and the true religion of peace.
But I do have a problem with Islam that separates it from my view of all those other religions listed above which is Islamism: the ideology that emanates from Islam and which is expounded more vocally – fanatically even – by some of our more enthusiastic compatriots. Enthusiastic that is, to make Islam the dominant religion across the world and, especially in my own country and parts of Europe, through the imposition of Shariah law; imposing their culture on ours in such a way that no offence must be caused to them and nothing considered ‘haram’ must be encountered by them. Such an imposition would also necessitate the suppression of other religions, specifically Christianity.
As I look around our country, I can see that the Islamist plans, about which the Islamist fanatics make no secret, are already well underway. Mosques are becoming more common and more visible, and the call to prayer can be heard in many places. Churches are closing (not the fault of Muslims), but adding insult to the injury of closing churches, many are being converted into mosques.
Of course, we cannot hold Muslims totally responsible for all these changes which many find unwelcome. Some of them we are doing to ourselves, or having them done on our behalf by our craven and cowardly politicians, local and national. Who could have imagined that we largely tolerate Muslim rape gangs for fear of offending Muslims, and that a schoolteacher has gone into hiding for the faux offence of causing offence by showing a picture of the Prophet Muhammad?
I could go on but let me turn to the title of this article. For fear of a knock on the door from Mr Plod, we can agree that Muslims are welcome in our country, legally, employed, paying taxes and treating our and their womenfolk with respect. However, if Muslims are to remain here then they must integrate, not be above the law or have laws passed to offer them or their religion special consideration.
My message is, ‘welcome to the United Kingdom – but only if you agree to the following’:
1. No Islamophobia laws
You and your beliefs are to be respected to the same extent as all the other religions which co-exist here. Equally, however, under the auspices of freedom of speech, you will tolerate your beliefs being ridiculed in comedy acts, Korans being burned and any expressions of concern about where your beliefs and culture may not accord with ours.
2. No Sharia courts
You will be subject wholly and exclusively to our legal system.
3. No mosques funded by Islamic countries
If you want to build mosques, you will receive no financial aid towards these from our state and you will not be permitted to build them with money from other Muslim states. No buildings previously used for other forms of worship may be converted to mosques.
4. No call to prayer
If you build mosques, you will not be permitted to issue the call to prayer to the extent that is audible outside of the mosque.
5. No Halal slaughter
All animals slaughtered in this country will be stunned before slaughter.
6. No cousin marriage
To use a terminology you understand, this will become haram. Moreover, no married couples who are cousins will be permitted to settle here, and genetic testing will be used to establish consanguinity. In the same vein, forced or arranged marriage will not be permitted and evidence arising in this regard will be punishable by imprisonment.
7. No Islamic schools
Existing schools will be closed.
8. No burkas or niqabs
Women will not be permitted to cover their faces, and offenders will be arrested and forced to remove their face coverings.
9. No accommodation of Ramadan or public prayers
Employment and education will not be disrupted for Ramadan or Eid. There will be no public celebrations of Ramadan, Eid or Salah.
10. No compromising in schools regarding the sensitivities of Muslims
Specifically, images of the Prophet Muhammad will be shown with impunity, and Christian images will not be removed in case they offend Muslims.
****
I consider if the above, or similar, were introduced and enforced we would stem the rising tide of Islamism in the United Kingdom. Our culture, values and way of life would be protected.
My preferred approach would be for immigrants who enter our country from predominantly Muslim countries – or who are perceived to be Muslim – that they be politely handed a laminated card containing the Ten Point Plan and told ‘Welcome to the United Kingdom, them’s the rules. Enjoy your life here.’
Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.
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“Roman Catholic Christianity” – pleonasm x 2.
“No halal slaughter” – the key objection to halal slaughter for any Christian must be that there is a prayer over the animal/food to consecrate it to “Allah” – St Peter gave Christians the example of the sinfulness of this by refusing to offer a grain of incense to a false Roman god. Check out the First Commandment.
The problem is that after normalising non-traditional UK Faiths it is then (now) too late to impose the restrictions that should have been pre-conditions for their adherants first living in the UK.
[There is also the pussy footing around Orthodox Judaism with it’s own schools, kosher slaughter and special courts – is this OK because it’s largely invisible or because of the fact that Christianity arose from Judiasm?]
Some of the 10 Points seem a tad unreasonable without caveats, unless applied to all Faiths or unless Christianity is given a position that isn’t now feasible given its fragmentation into different denominations and the growth of secularism/atheism/agnostiscism etc.
In short, instead no special treatment for UK-living followers of Islam and forced repatriation to a more conducive Islamic State for those who seek or demand preferential treatment (or who break UK law excusing this as a cultural or religious exemption). Also penalties for those who facilitate and turn a blind eye to unacceptable criminal behaviour.
Nathaniel.
There is no way on God’s green earth that there should be any restrictions on those of us who profess to be Christians. Yes, you are right that dear ole King Henry VIII was (albeit unintentionally) responsible for splitting Christianity in the UK, so that now we have people nonsensically describing themselves as Methodist Christians, Baptist Christians, Presbyterian Christians, Anglican Christians etc. Bottom line is, if they all believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, they’re not likely to want to pay homage to a non-Christian “god”, and so they are, so to speak, on the same (hymn) page.
This afternoon, forced to kill time while my car was being serviced and put through its MOT, I had lunch in an Italian restaurant in Glasgow city centre. Having been alerted to a local (where I live) Italian restaurant which serves all halal food, I asked the waiter if I could ask him a question about the food without being hauled off by the police. He immediately told me that yes, they served halal but also non-halal and he would guide me through the menu. Think about that. I asked him to note that if we were in any of the 50+ Muslim countries around the world, the indigenous population wouldn’t be getting guided through the menu to avoid eating haggis and neeps. He looked as though he were thinking about that.
Turns out, just about all the chicken dishes were halal, but there were a few “red meat” dishes which were not. The lovely young waiter said he understood my concern, and that they were taught all about allergies and Faith rules, but I pointed out that while they put their policy about allergies on the menu, there is no mention on the menu of the fact that halal food is served. Point taken: I knew that by the nod of his young head and a light dawning in his eyes. Sage.
No, it’s not about making/changing rules for the entire UK population. “When in Rome” applies here. Those who choose to live in a land foreign to where they were born and raised, must adapt to their new country. That is the beginning, middle and end of it. I don’t want to adapt my lifestyle to suit incomers, whether they be from Aberdeen, Aberystwyth or Saudi Arabia. Beginning, middle and end, long and short of it.
You misunderstand, I don’t advocate any restrictions on Christians but question whether we are currently in a position to impose restrictions on other Faiths that put them at a disadvantage compared to Christians which these proposals (some anyway) arguably do and I’m sure you don’t need to be a Devil’s Advocate to spot these and anticipate the liberal response.
I’m 100% in favour of stopping other Faiths claiming things others don’t and in deporting the perpetrators and families of ALL attrocity/anti-British tradition incidents (terrorists, rapists, wife beaters, FGM supporters, cousin marriages, Sharia judges, thugs picketing schools etc. supporters of Fatwas etc. etc.) plus closure and demolition of Mosques that are involved in fermenting discord.
Thanks for that clarification, Nathaniel.
My position remains very simple and straightforward. You come to the UK, you live and dress like everyone else and if you have particular dietary requirements you deal with those without infringing on the freedom of the indigenous population.
A few years ago, Catholics had a custom (not a strict rule – a discipline not a dogma) of not eating meat on Fridays. It’s now relaxed to allow us to choose our own penance, a little self-sacrifice to mark the day when the Saviour died on the cross for us all, but for a long time we were prohibited, by Church law, not divine law, from eating meat on Fridays. That was all. We could eat anything else. And it was so well known, definitely here in Scotland, that the restaurants always had a fish dish on the menu on Fridays. But just imagine if we had insisted that the restaurants ONLY sold fish or egg dishes, no meat on Fridays. Just imagine the outcry. Wouldn’t have happened, would not have been tolerated – and rightly so. For the record, the “no meat” rule now applies on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday only.
That’s really my point – as I said previously, “when in Rome…”
Neat: seconded.