"British values are muslim values, and the country would be diminished without Islam"... lol? Early contender for dumbest statement of the year by a politician.
On a related point (i.e. integration) I just found this interesting article about some comments made by the former chief rabbi, Jonathan Sachs, in 2013:
In an interview with the London Times to mark his departure from office, Sacks reiterated his dismay at how the concept of multiculturalism has been interpreted and applied in Britain. “The real danger in a multicultural society,” Sacks argued, “is that every ethnic group and religious group becomes a pressure group, putting our people’s interest instead of the national interest.”
As Sacks explained in his 2007 book, The Home We Build Together, this societal Balkanization is inimical to a healthy democracy. “Liberalism is about the rights of individuals, multiculturalism is about the rights of groups, and they are incompatible”
In his conversation with the Times, Sacks honed in on Britain’s unresolved anguish over the integration of its growing Muslim population. The radical contrast between the Jewish and Muslim experiences of living as minorities is, Sacks said, critical to understanding why uncomplicated integration has succeeded with the former, but not the latter: “The norm was for Muslims to live under a Muslim jurisdiction and the norm, since the destruction of the first Temple, was for Jews to live under a non-Jewish jurisdiction.”
The most cringe-worthy part of the whole exchange is the extent to which both Cameron and Pickles have apparently felt compelled to kiss the arses of those involved.
"You're all lovely people but we'd appreciate it ever so much if you could manage not to produce quite so many extremist nutcases who are hell-bent on fighting wars in other countries and doing bad things over here if it's all the same to you"
Somehow, I can't imagine that any similar campaigns intended to deter, say, car owners from drinking & driving or to deter teenagers from indulging in vandalism would be phrased so carefully and politely.
Yes it is you and clearly you do not know what you are talking about .
Even in 2011 David Cameron called us one .
Christian - someone who believes that Jesus Christ is their saviour and is a member of a christian church.
Maybe you are confusing christian with white?
Yes, I woul;d take issue with both Cameron and canterbury over that and a million other things.
Christian - someone who believes that Jesus Christ is their saviour and is a member of a christian church.
Maybe you are confusing christian with white?
Yes, I woul;d take issue with both Cameron and canterbury over that and a million other things.
No I am not , this is a Christian country . It's not a hard concept to grasp!!
Christian - someone who believes that Jesus Christ is their saviour and is a member of a christian church.
Maybe you are confusing christian with white?
Yes, I woul;d take issue with both Cameron and canterbury over that and a million other things.
You clearly don't know what being a christian country means, it doesn't mean being a country of church goers if that's what you think.
The most cringe-worthy part of the whole exchange is the extent to which both Cameron and Pickles have apparently felt compelled to kiss the arses of those involved.
"You're all lovely people but we'd appreciate it ever so much if you could manage not to produce quite so many extremist nutcases who are hell-bent on fighting wars in other countries and doing bad things over here if it's all the same to you"
Somehow, I can't imagine that any similar campaigns intended to deter, say, car owners from drinking & driving or to deter teenagers from indulging in vandalism would be phrased so carefully and politely.
It is a grovelling letter, and yet it is condemned by the people receiving it. What a surprise.
Having a few Muslim friends, I am very aware about not talking about ANYTHING Islam with them. Doing so starts them on the most unpleasant tirades that can end up being close to insulting and on one occasion I had to leave early as they were upsetting me so much. However as people they are fine - and we have some good times - but the religion aspect really is not very pleasant at all.
As with many religions, their over-developed sense of entitlement blinds them to the reality that their belief in sky fairies isn't universally shared, and that some of us consider human life more important than preposterous tales from the dark ages.
Very disappointing response. If they thought it a tad condescending they could have answered in a way that tactfully showed that, whilst accepting the spirit in which it was sent.
Legally the UK is a Christian country. Apart from that, it's really not.
This^^^^^^^^
Its a historical accident, nothing ,more.
Plenty of christians would look at the gap between the rich and the poor, with the demonising of the sick and poor, with the objectification and sexualisation of children, with the proliferation of food banks etc as signs that this is becoming less of a christian country each year.
There is no evidence apart from the legal anomaly of the CofE that this is, in real life a christian country.
Very disappointing response. If they thought it a tad condescending they could have answered in a way that tactfully showed that, whilst accepting the spirit in which it was sent.
This^^^^^^^^
Its a historical accident, nothing ,more.
Plenty of christians would look at the gap between the rich and the poor, with the demonising of the sick and poor, with the objectification and sexualisation of children, with the proliferation of food banks etc as signs that this is becoming less of a christian country each year.
There is no evidence apart from the legal anomaly of the CofE that this is, in real life a christian country.
Well, multiculturalism has certainly put and end to that.
As an atheist, and someone who would like to see the UK as a declared secular country complete with written constitution to safeguard it, I fully accept that it is a Christian culture.
Comments
It explains excellently why Pickles wrote the letter.
He might as well have wrote them a letter saying 'It's all your fault'.
https://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/21/rabbi-sacks-on-multiculturalisms-dangers/
The article then goes on to talk about British sharia courts (it's from a pro-Jewish magazine but it seems fairly even-handed to me).
Spot on. Well put.
The programme didn't go down very well on the Ummah forums. It caused a lot of offence.
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?429460-Who-s-watching-BBC1
Christian - someone who believes that Jesus Christ is their saviour and is a member of a christian church.
Maybe you are confusing christian with white?
Yes, I woul;d take issue with both Cameron and canterbury over that and a million other things.
No I am not , this is a Christian country . It's not a hard concept to grasp!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16224394
http://www.cbc.org.uk/index.php/press-releases/26-uk-a-christian-country
http://www.spectator.co.uk/life/status-anxiety/9191021/toby-young-yes-britain-is-a-christian-country/
You clearly don't know what being a christian country means, it doesn't mean being a country of church goers if that's what you think.
It is a grovelling letter, and yet it is condemned by the people receiving it. What a surprise.
Muslims seem to spend a lot of their time being offended these days ...
The state religion of England is Christianity due to the Church of England.
Legally the UK is a Christian country. Apart from that, it's really not.
Indeed. The UK isn't technically a secular state (unfortunately).
The clue is in the name, as they say.
So what does it mean, then?
What part of Islam deals with "sky fairies"?
It had very little to do with religion.
Now Cameron is asking them to 'keep down the noise in there' and they just told him to f**k off.
This^^^^^^^^
Its a historical accident, nothing ,more.
Plenty of christians would look at the gap between the rich and the poor, with the demonising of the sick and poor, with the objectification and sexualisation of children, with the proliferation of food banks etc as signs that this is becoming less of a christian country each year.
There is no evidence apart from the legal anomaly of the CofE that this is, in real life a christian country.
Agree.
Well, multiculturalism has certainly put and end to that.
As an atheist, and someone who would like to see the UK as a declared secular country complete with written constitution to safeguard it, I fully accept that it is a Christian culture.