Pompous Mosques and Tall Minarets Challenge Other Religions?

[Barry O'Bama]

Residents of Switzerland who voted for banning the construction of minarets, made a stand against aggressive cultural expansion of the Muslims, said Roman Silantyev, a Russian sociologist Islamic expert.
BREAKING NEWSMuslims continue to conquer the worldJapanese Snow Monkey: Most Polar-Living PrimateMore..."Absence or presence of minarets does not interfere with the Muslims’ opportunity to pray. In old days, minarets were used to summon people for prayer, but these days almost everyone has a watch, a cell phone or an alarm clock. Minarets’ function is obsolete, therefore many are concerned with the idea of building more minarets,” Silantyev stated to Interfax-Religion portal.
He asked not to dramatize the situation. “Swiss Justice Minister clarified that the ban was aimed not against Muslims in general, but against extremist Muslims, since this issue is acute all over Europe,” the expert reminded.
He believes that the Swiss realized that the issue was not about satisfying religious demands of the Muslims, but about an attempt of aggressive expansion, and decided to put an end to it.
He also stressed that Muslim countries often get rid of the most religiously unreliable people who then move to developed countries where they are welcomed. Yet, these people do not appreciate welcoming atmosphere and do not understand that they are visitors and should respect the traditions of the countries they are visiting.
"Often pompous mosques with tall minarets are positioned not for prayers, but as challenging symbols of presence. This is the program implemented by a number of Arabic countries, when they build mosques larger than needed for their community,” the expert explained.
He mentioned that there were two dozens of similar cases in Russia, when hyper-mosques not correlated with the size of Muslim communities were planned for construction in a number of Russian cities. Only a threat of referendums in many cases made them reconsider the plans.
In conclusion, Silantyev expressed bewilderment regarding the fact that the issue of Swiss minarets concerns Islamic activists more than impending destruction of Moscow jami supported by Moscow Islamic Council.
As reported earlier, the Swiss supported the ban for the construction of minarets in the country at a referendum held on Sunday.
Over 57% of voters supported the ban. Only four cantons out of 26 voted against the initiative. In Geneva canton, 60% voted against the ban.

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[Winehole23]

Old. At least a week old.

Was Switzerland suffering a rash of new minarets or something? Was "city planning" a trojan horse for more or less unalloyed xenophobia, or was this really a problem? This wino can't really untangle it yet.

"Often pompous mosques with tall minarets are positioned not for prayers, but as challenging symbols of presence. This is the program implemented by a number of Arabic countries, when they build mosques larger than needed for their community,” the expert explained.

Phallocentrism?

[ChumpDumper]

Pravda?

[Marcus Bryant]

I'm not sure why some in the West are that concerned about the cultural presence of Islam, given that the West has done a fairly good job of destroying its cultural, as well as political and economic traditions over the last century. Not to mention failing to support its own continuance through declining birth rates and the promotion of self loathing among those who are born. And the welfare state does need someone to pay for all this crap which Westerners have voted for themselves. Sure, much of this sentiment is given current play on the right, but it takes two to tango politically and the center-right has bought into the welfare-warfare state as much as the center-left has in the West.

[Winehole23]

And the welfare state does need someone to pay for all this crap which Westerners have voted for themselves.

On deck, immigration reform.

[Ignignokt]

I'm not sure why some in the West are that concerned about the cultural presence of Islam, given that the West has done a fairly good job of destroying its cultural, as well as political and economic traditions over the last century. Not to mention failing to support its own continuance through declining birth rates and the promotion of self loathing among those who are born. And the welfare state does need someone to pay for all this crap which Westerners have voted for themselves. Sure, much of this sentiment is given current play on the right, but it takes two to tango politically and the center-right has bought into the welfare-warfare state as much as the center-left has in the West.

Ofcourse Muslim immigrants are going to become agnostic, drink pepsi and watch the Jersey shore. It's that easy.

[Marcus Bryant]

True. Naturally most of those who reflexively oppose it fail to connect the dots.

Keep yer liberal socialist hands off mah Medikare!

[Marcus Bryant]

Maybe we should revisit the 1990s when social conservatives were batting their eyes at Muslims, who they felt were good proponents of "family values" or what not.

[Winehole23]

I'm not sure why some in the West are that concerned about the cultural presence of Islam, given that the West has done a fairly good job of destroying its cultural, as well as political and economic traditions over the last century.

Problem is, it has destroyed our own traditional cultures and religiousity too, and leaves us proselytizable even by Islam.

[Marcus Bryant]

Immigration reform should be good fun this year. The Dems will engage in a little reverse race baiting in hopes of staving off or at least mitigating a looming wipe out at the polls in November by energizing Hispanics - not to mention the prospect of gaining a significant bloc of new, generally working class voters. The GOP will resist it to energize its own base while ensuring that it doesn't upset the big business community which is increasingly agnostic politically - and will seek to divide and conquer between older and newer generations of Hispanics. Not to mention that the general assumption that Hispanics haven't been a large part of the US for the last century will be exposed. Both sides should provide plenty of hilarity this year.

[Marcus Bryant]

Amnesty would provide Wal-Mart with an even greater supply of cheap labor. And in this Great Recession we all want what is best for Bentonville, no? Not to mention the en lement programs.

We do forget that there have been plenty who have sought citizenship by fighting and dying in this "War on Terror." But aesthetically they are displeasing.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yet another ethnic, generally Catholic group of immigrants to be on by the descendants of prior generations of ethnic Catholic immigrants.

[Winehole23]

Maybe we should revisit the 1990s when social conservatives were batting their eyes at Muslims, who they felt were good proponents of "family values" or what not.

I recall a somewhat precocious Daily Texan editor who suggested the affinity in the mid-eighties....btw, it's still there.

You'd think traditional, scripturally-oriented, patriarchal cultures would stick together a little more under the general and frankly louche onslaught of an amoral global culture. But no, instead they get in a big fight.

(Ding ding.)

[Ignignokt]

muslim immigrants in other countries have a stellar record of peace just like the chinese and taiwanese.

Infact the influx of more muslim immigrants will only bring more tolerance and peace towards our nation.

We just got to let them have the right to blockade and close entire districst during prayer.

We should also like allow them to blast the quranic verses at 6 am, we all need to get up and stop being a bunch of lazy state worshippers anyway and head over there to the worforce commitee to get dem jebs!

[Ignignokt]

I recall a somewhat precocious Daily Texan editor who suggested the affinity in the mid-eighties....btw, it's still there.

You'd think traditional, scripturally-oriented, patriarchal cultures would stick together a little more under the general and frankly louche onslaught of an amoral global culture. But no, instead they get in a big fight.

(Ding ding.)

It's like they want to kill us or something..

[Marcus Bryant]

I recall a somewhat precocious Daily Texan editor who suggested the affinity in the mid-eighties....btw, it's still there.

You'd think traditional, scripturally-oriented, patriarchal cultures would stick together a little more under the general and frankly louche onslaught of an amoral global culture. But no, instead they get in a big fight.

(Ding ding.)

Essentially fighting over the same space...or, they're too alike to co-exist.

Much like our politicians.

It's not like the IRA engendered much of a backlash against Catholics. Then again, that was the UK's 'War on Terror.' Much easier to ignore or romanticize from afar (or support - Boston, ahem). And hey, who doesn't secretly find the royals revolting?

Perhaps someday fundamentalists will seek to save Islam from modernity, much like the current fundy outreach to Judaism.

[Winehole23]

It's like they want to kill us or something..

They?

[Marcus Bryant]

The ever present and looming "they." The "they" who are behind it all.

[word]

It's like the dome of the rock all over again, sorta.

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, they're building those huge mosques in Moscow, too.



Disgusting.

[Winehole23]

It's like the dome of the rock all over again, sorta.

Switzerland fits into this analogy, how?

[Winehole23]

http://www.essential-architecture.co...ck_Section.jpg

[Winehole23]

Yet another ethnic, generally Catholic group of immigrants to be on by the descendants of prior generations of ethnic Catholic immigrants.

I am basically of the mind that I am depending in the long run on future immigrants to America, to save all our decadent asses. If they come from predominantly from RC countries, all the better IMHO.