Minarettes

[Sand-Yeti]

Recently during a referendum in Switzerland to stop the building of a new minarette. The majority of Swiss voted not to have the new minarette built. This was against the recommendation of the Swiss government but highlights the level of democracy where every individual has the right to vote on any issue they feel affects their way of life.

 

The Islamic population of Switzerland is put at 6%.

 

If someone was going to build a minarette in your town would you vote for or against it if you had the same democratic right to vote like the Swiss?

 

Interestingly enough, I spoke to my brother in Geneva on the day the UAE newspapers were slagging off the Swiss as an intolerant bunch.

He was laughing because the Swiss newspapers on that day had front page news about Dubai being broke.

[Steve1599968621]

Immediately you have made it an issue about race, Islam and intolerance, not simply the erection of a new building.

 

If it was an office block for insurance workers which would make up maybe 0.1% of the population, would anyone be bothered in the same way? Would there be a referendum?

 

6% of 7.7 million is still a fucking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

[cookie121]

AS pointed out the UK is no longer a democracy, minarette, EU or otherwise

[lunaloco]

without posting any personal opinion, my answer to this question is a question in itself ....

 

"how would islamic countries react if we started building churches all over they country?"

 

I think racism is a cheap excuse, often used by immigrants all over the world. Racism however works in two directions .... If you move to a certain country (which is not your own), you do this because you like that country (for any reason whatsoever). Why not adapt to that country's habits?

 

 

I feel this thread will lead to heated discussions already ..... :-S

[Steve1599968621]

The town I live in has a population of about 25000. The Christian temple of worship (or church if you will) is the biggest, grandest most spectacular building in town by a long way and will insist on banging out its bloody bells at all hours, calling the christians to worship. Yet on a good 'holy day' there's maybe 100 worshippers in there at best.

 

Knock the fucker down I say. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

 

[Spock]

from an architectural point of view, they look great, like our churches do.

 

i can't see why you are not allowed to be offended by it though, like ppl can be offended if i wear a cross or celebrate christmas by putting the decs up or even celebrate being english by putting a flag up.

[DavidOps]

Bit rich of the Swiss to complain about someone making a lot of noise from a high place isn't it.

 

A loa-da-lay-lo-da-lay-eh-o of contradiction.

 

(Thanks to Last weekend's Now Show on radio 4 - damn it's hard to type out yodel noises)

[Lem]

Whatever you think about the outcome, you have to admire the Swiss for their democratic ways.

I'm sure it would be the same if you wanted to build a church in Saudi. They would vote on it, and if they disagreed with your proposal, that would be that. The only difference is that it would likely not be a public vote.

[Sand-Yeti]

without posting any personal opinion, my answer to this question is a question in itself ....

 

"how would islamic countries react if we started building churches all over they country?"

 

I think racism is a cheap excuse, often used by immigrants all over the world. Racism however works in two directions .... If you move to a certain country (which is not your own), you do this because you like that country (for any reason whatsoever). Why not adapt to that country's habits?

 

 

 

Many Islamic countries do have churches. e.g. the UAE has a few churches to cater for the Christian community. However, church steeples and bells are strictly forbidden. There is no freedom of religion as in the UK e.g. Jehova's witnesses would be locked up if they tried banging on doors here with their Bible thumping activity.

 

In Saudi Arabia only Islamic places of workship are permitted. Don't even wear a simple cross around your neck that is visible when you go through immigration

 

In multi-religious countries such as India who have more Moslems than the whole of the Arabian peninsula, there is total freedom to have whatever building you want to practice your brand of religion.

 

What you may not know is that Switzerland does have a few mosques with minarettes. There is no people's initiative demanding the removal of these mosques or inhibiting any Moslem rights to practice their religion.

 

I agree that if you move to another country it is a good idea to adapt to that country.

However, it doesn't mean that you should discard your own beliefs and cultural background. However, I do agree that you shouldn't try and impose your your own ideas & beliefs on the people of your host country because it may be considered impolite and even offensive.

[lunaloco]

What you may not know is that Switzerland does have a few mosques with minarettes. There is no people's initiative demanding the removal of these mosques or inhibiting any Moslem rights to practice their religion.

 

 

It's the same over here ... but the vote in Switzerland gave some people over here the idea to do the same in Belgium. You can guess that these people belong to the "extreme right" political party, can you? ;c)

[The Geoff]

This is a hundred metres from my flat:

 

http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/edinburgh_mosque_aw06_122.jpg

 

 

No big deal as far as I'm concerned, I lump mosques and churches in the same group - part of an outdated system that some people still require in their lives. Religion, very quietly, does slightly more good than harm I reckon.

 

Banning them? There's far better ways to deal with the tiny minority that cause the problems.

[Ally]

Geoff, if people's objections are in any way architectural then I think it's important to bear in mind that that particular mosque is directly opposite Appleton Tower.

[Sand-Yeti]

This is a hundred metres from my flat:

 

http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/edinburgh_mosque_aw06_122.jpg

 

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/Sand-Yeti/Dibbamosque.jpg

 

I have such buildings on almost every corner where I live. I find many of the them architechturally very attractive. No church steeples though

[windy]

Recently during a referendum in Switzerland to stop the building of a new minarette. The majority of Swiss voted not to have the new minarette built. This was against the recommendation of the Swiss government but highlights the level of democracy where every individual has the right to vote on any issue they feel affects their way of life.

 

The Islamic population of Switzerland is put at 6%.

 

If someone was going to build a minarette in your town would you vote for or against it if you had the same democratic right to vote like the Swiss

 

 

Interestingly enough, I spoke to my brother in Geneva on the day the UAE newspapers were slagging off the Swiss as an intolerant bunch.

He was laughing because the Swiss newspapers on that day had front page news about Dubai being broke.

 

You took your time. This happened weeks ago. It was reported on our never ever biased BBC radio 4.

 

 

 

 

Well, going by your last two sentences, it seems that the UAE Newspaper were not wrong in their reporting. Arf-arf!

[martin]

Get rid of all places of worship, 'cos let's face it, there's no such thing as god.

You really don't need to follow a religion to have morals & be a decent person. Relegion causes too many arguments anyway, some of them get quite big:eek:.

[Capt Slog]

A slightly different take on the argument...

 

If all sorts of buildings can be seen anywhere in the world, wouldn't that make it rather boring?

 

I've nothing against muslims or minerets or islam (it's as stupid a religion as most others) but I like the British city/town/village to look like a british city/town/village, the ones in Greece to look greek and the ones in baghdad to look Iraqi. It would be a shame if you could see everything anywhere.

[Lem]

Our company flat in Abu Dhabi is between two mosques. No need for an alarm clock!

[Morb]

Im loving the ad boxes on this page!

 

 

 

 

 

[harry_a]

did you know that if you walk a donkey up a minaret you cant get it down again?

[ukspeedtraps]

Religion = War

 

Ban the lot I say

[Steve1599968621]

Im loving the ad boxes on this page!

 

I want to be a part of christianpersecution.com. Why should they miss out on all the fun?

 

 

 

 

 

[DIEM]

did you know that if you walk a donkey up a minaret you cant get it down again?

 

You don,t actually think that`s a bloke wailing in the morning do you, oh no my friend that's a depressed ass that is:D;)

[The Geoff]

Geoff, if people's objections are in any way architectural then I think it's important to bear in mind that that particular mosque is directly opposite Appleton Tower.

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/Sand-Yeti/Dibbamosque.jpg

 

I have such buildings on almost every corner where I live. I find many of the them architechturally very attractive. No church steeples though

 

 

 

This is the Appleton Tower that Ally mentioned...it's no further than pavement + two lanes of traffic + pavement.

 

http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/appleton_tower_aw070708.jpg

 

 

The mosque's a wonderful piece of architecture in comparison. The flash one Sand-Yeti posted would look out of place around here, it's simply too nice. Some of the earliest mathematical engineering jobs, are mosques, or at least the technology behind them. We westerners were, quite literally, living in caves at the time.

[Morb]

Thanks The Geoff, at least I know what that tower looks like now, as opposed to what it is. (Without Googling it myself of course.)

 

 

 

 

 

[windy]

Those two images of the buildings in Scotland are fake.!!

 

I can see blue sky.