Reader Johnnie was candid in his response to Friday's blog, admitting that he has racially or religiously profiled someone in a way that probably wasn't deserved. He "fessed up" to something we have probably all done, the visceral response which overrides our intellectual convictions.
It's interesting that yesterday the citizens of Switzerland voted to ban minarets, the onion-shaped steeple on Muslim mosques. It is not retroactive, but there are only a handful of mosques in Switzerland anyway. It was assumed that this referundum would result in defeat of this racially tinged question. Instead about twenty percent more people voted in favour than predicted. A large majority of Swiss Muslims are Eastern European but there is a growing suspicion of Muslims in Europe, a backlash against aggressive statements and acts which stem from Islamist groups. In France the burka has been banned from schools and there is debate about banning it altogether.
I sometimes wonder how long it will be before someone challenges the public display of crosses on the exteriors of Christian buildings. And what about those offensive nativity scenes which sprout on church lawns at this time of the year?
What is your response to the ban in Switzerland? What are your thoughts about religious freedom and its limits?
1 comment:
I had to reread your entry to understand what it was that was being banned. I can't understand this at all. The burka I can somewhat understand because it is linked to women's rights. [Although I have never been sure about banning burkas either, because some women chose to wear them. I can however see them no longer being mandatory]I can't understand wanting to wear a burka but I do wear a cross. I can't imagine having my cross banned based on the fact that some expressions of Christianty oppress women. It seems that things have not changed since biblical times. Isn't this eerily similar to instructions to destroy [or ban] all alters on high places when they don't conform to whatever king is in charge? It does remind one of images of early Christians worshiping in hidden houses in times of persecution. Of course, no one is saying muslims can't worship their god, only that it is offensive for non-muslims to see their symbols. Do you think the ban on minarets is a way of humiliating muslims? Is it just a way to announce who will be in charge? If crossess were banned from chruches, I would think it would be quite degrading to have to take it down. Like being branded, only in reverse.
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