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| Europe |
| Swiss Think-tank Recommends Teaching Islam in Schools |
| 2005-02-21 |
| A Swiss think-tank has recommended teaching Islam in schools as it helps the second and third generation of the Muslim community integrate into society. The Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) cited in a recent study the success story of teaching Islam in schools in the two cities of Kriens and Ebikon, central Switzerland, in the 2002/03 school year. "The results of the experience exceeded all expectations and showed a positive feedback," said the study, released on February 15. "It can serve as a model for all cities across the country. Such schools encourage Muslim students adhere to their identity as they learn their religion in the languages used in the country," it added, referring to the four official languages German, French, Italian and Romansch. The study further said that the move is aimed at removing ethnic tensions as Muslims feel that they are being discriminated against for no reason other than their religion or background though a large portion of them do hold the Swiss citizenship or are permanent residents. The academy called for providing basic finances for the project and enhancing cross-fertilization in the country. Founded in 1991 and based in Biel-Bienne, SAD is a politically independent, non-profit foundation. It is dedicated to the question of how societies handle social change and cultural diversity. Federal authorities have put the study into consideration and signaled readiness to hold talks with academicians and experts in this regard. In 2001, the Union of Muslim Organizations in the district of Luzern managed to get the government go-ahead for teaching Islam in Kriens and Ebikon, where a large number of Muslim students are enrolled in schools. The body had offered to pay for schoolbooks, teachers' salaries and other expenses. Appealing The study further concluded that it was better for Muslim students to have their religion classes in schools other than in mosques. "When they go to mosques, they feel as if they are doing it out of duty since most of these classes fall on weekends." The program has indeed appealed to Swiss Muslims, who hailed its modern and endearing methods. "My daughter has grown up here and speaks fluent German. She finds religion classes in her school very appealing," Bosnian-born Murad Mildic told IslamOnline.net. Munira Bin Hassan, of Tunisian origin, said that ever since their three sons joined the religion classes in school, they demonstrated great enthusiasm for learning more about Islam. "There is no problem with the teaching method in mosques, but it is too classic for my sons," she told IOL. Pakistani-born Momtaz Khan is proud that his son and daughter can brilliantly defend their religion. "They impress me when they talk about Islamic tenets like fasting or hijab," he said. Many parents who spoke to IOL also paid tribute to Mrs. Regina Steiner, a Swiss teacher who embraced Islam 13 years ago, for helping their children love religion classes. Right-Wing Obstacle Experts, however, see right-wingers are a major obstacle to expand the teaching of Islam to other areas. Officials in Luzern have already refused to support programs for qualifying imams and teachers of the Muslim faith in the district. "The Muslim community in Luzern will definitely be disappointed at this kind of marginalization," Bruno Staehli, an educational expert, told IOL. The right-wing Swiss Peoples Party (SVP) has launched a ferocious campaign warning of "Islamizing" Luzern, portraying its famous tower as a minaret. In 2004, Swiss Muslims withstood media onslaught, demonstrating to the public that they were an integral part of society. Day in and day out, headlines like "The Islamic Terror is Coming", "Country Vs. Radicalism", "Islamists Living With Us," "Hijab in Parliament" and "Swiss Funds for Islamic Terror" were splashed by newspapers. Islam is the second religion in Switzerland after Christianity. The country is home to 330,000 Muslims representing a sizable 4.5 percent of the country's some eight million people. Forty-three percent of the Muslim community is of Turkish origin. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #55 Didn't someone (not you, someone!) i.d. itsy as Man Bites Dog the other day? Something about tracing the whatsis number? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-02-21 9:32:47 PM |
| #54 "So, "Gentle" has returned . . . I predict Antiwar will also be returning soon." And Man Bites Dog and PeaceNik too? |
| Posted by: Korora 2005-02-21 7:34:44 PM |
| #53 So, "Gentle" has returned . . . I predict Antiwar will also be returning soon. I don't know why they like to pop up now and then. They're just phoney-baloney-pretend-to-be-female-propaganda-slinging operatives whose goal is to attempt to "educate" bloggers in favor of Islam. And BTW, this time around, "Gentle's" manner of speech is significantly different from earlier posts. The GROUP is back! Can't believe Switzerland is helping in the jihad. They probably think that if they themselves allow and promote the teaching of Islam, then the Moslems will respect them and leave them alone. Guess they don't too much about militant Islam. Hopefully, what is taught in schools will be a moderate version of the religion. We'll see. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2005-02-21 7:19:08 PM |
| #52 Kalle, those are great! Those WWJDs always got on my nerves - Jesus being the Son of God, he's naturally going to be doing things slightly differently than the rest of us fallen humans. But those are far more applicable! |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2005-02-21 4:40:09 PM |
| #51 BMN, I don't suppose Gentle and her Moslem friends uphold freedom of religion for Hindus, pagans, and atheists? what would Old Mo' (spit!) say? WWMD? he would behead you, infidel! WWMS? death to apostates and infidels! Ceterum censeo, delenda est Mecca |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2005-02-21 3:47:03 PM |
| #50 MacNails:Switzerland didn't give women the vote till 1971 , don't think much of their esteemed 'think tank ' :) MN-They were in the tank while they were thinking. That's why women couldn't vote 'till 1971...Remember, "The Swiss never take sides" {Egotistical, narcisistic, bastards) anonymous2u:First we have to define child - then killing. a2u - Or as Bubba Clinton would say, "It depends on what the meaning of child is..." |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-02-21 3:40:57 PM |
| #49 Taqqiyah doesn't work here, Gentle. So save it. We already know that when you say "religious freedom," you don't mean it for Jews or Shi'ites. |
| Posted by: BMN 2005-02-21 3:24:12 PM |
| #48 --Islam only allows killing in self defence, and in war (those who fight). In no case is the killing of a child allowed.-- Self-defense is such a broad term.... As to no killing of a child??? First we have to define child - then killing. |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2005-02-21 3:20:28 PM |
| #47 Wouldnt be better for integration to christianise them? :) |
| Posted by: z man 2005-02-21 3:17:57 PM |
| #46 Who's letting their idiot-bot run wild? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 3:15:47 PM |
| #45 Where hypocrisy prospers, none dare call it hypocrisy. Muslim butt - especially Shiite - gets kissed here. I am the only one with butt-kick credentials. Muslimutts don't deserve democracy until they come around to my line of thinking. I love the smell of napalm in the morning, and charcoal in the afternoon. And don't talk back. |
| Posted by: IToldYouSo 2005-02-21 3:02:20 PM |
| #44 Actually women in Appenzell could participate in Federal votes, but not in State (Canton) votes. That's what made it easy for the Federal Supreme Court to impose a fix. Note also that the "Landsgemeinde" was still used there until not very long ago, i.e. get all the men out in a large field and see if a majority can be divined by sight or sound... So, how was a field of men ever going to roar approval of a right for those who weren't allowed in? |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2005-02-21 2:02:20 PM |
| #43 That's right .com. |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2005-02-21 12:21:49 PM |
| #42 I'm not sure whether to mock the name of the think-tank or not, so I'll simply say that if this works, that's great. A few additional thoughts, however: - What does it say about the state of a religion when the state begins teaching it instead of the religous figures who are supposed to be leading? (I'm not saying that we should let the extremists teach their particular brand of idiocy, I'm just asking a general question). - Why is Islam getting special treatment? Are they planning to do this with Hinduism and Christianity and Judiasm, too? - Are non-Muslim students going to have to take these classes eventually? Personally, I think it's one of those ideas that sounds real, real good, but will go terribly wrong in the end. And if Islam is being singled out as a "special" religion, does that mean it's special in the same way as the kid in my high school who got "special instruction" because he drooled and babbled incoherent sentences? (Not that I'm knocking him; he was a nice kid, never tried to blow anyone up . . .) |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2005-02-21 12:21:32 PM |
| #41 Lol #37 - #40! ST - You're saying that women did not get the vote in that canton until 1990? Whoa! |
| Posted by: .com 2005-02-21 12:10:25 PM |
| #40 MacNails It took longer than that: Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR) was the last canton to give women the vote; Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI) had to be forced by the Swiss federal court ("Bundesgericht") to give women the vote (27-nov-1990). |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2005-02-21 12:04:02 PM |
| #39 When did paypal begin accepting livestock? |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2005-02-21 11:39:16 AM |
| #38 Just put her up on Ebay..... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-02-21 11:33:30 AM |
| #37 A goat? Now we're bargaining. I say to you Infidel I will need camels and cash in abundance before you touch daughter 19. |
| Posted by: Men Tile 2005-02-21 11:09:23 AM |
| #36 I think I'll find out who she is, contact her father, negotiate, and buy her. I'll see your offer and raise you 3 chickens and a goat. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-02-21 10:43:40 AM |
| #35 Switzerland didnt give women the vote till 1971 , dont think much of their esteemed 'think tank ' :) |
| Posted by: MacNails 2005-02-21 10:41:54 AM |
| #34 I think I'll find out who she is, contact her father, negotiate, and buy her. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-02-21 10:39:04 AM |
| #33 hmmmmm... like a flare-up of Islamic herpes, Gentle reappears! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-21 10:33:27 AM |
| #32 Well .com, it was fun while it lasted. I have a rainy Monday(Pres-day)off today and was looking forward to some fortuitious troll baiting. |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2005-02-21 10:22:53 AM |
| #31 you've got the meaning of Fitnah wrong. True. The literal meaning relates to discovery of impurities in metals by melting them. It has several meanings within Islam but sometimes refers to what Christians would call the trials & tribulations of man just before the end times. Mohammed in his ultimate wisdom prophecized signs of the impending apocalypse including: They shall construct high-rise buildings. Silk garments will be worn by men. Divorces will become a common practice. The weather shall be hot despite rains. The people shall put on skin-garments. Gold will become widely used. Silver will be in great demand. Lofty minarets will rise from the mosques. Wine will be drunk freely. Woman and man shall be partners in trade.... Men will imitate women and women will imitate men.Women engaged in the singing profession will be held in great esteem and accorded high status. Musical instruments will be kept and preserved with care. Wine will be drunk by road-sides. The number of the Police will increase. Time to duck and cover? |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-02-21 10:14:19 AM |
| #30 Gentle's prolly already gone, folks - but it did, indeed, sound like our Gentle - not some phony imposter. I hope her studies are going well. :-) |
| Posted by: .com 2005-02-21 10:12:19 AM |
| #29 What is the price for an Option at $95? OOOO...I feel like a blogospheric George Soros. |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2005-02-21 10:00:23 AM |
| #28 What I find fascinating is that first she denies the existence of the Verse of the Sword, then when confronted with it, babbles something about us getting the terms wrong. Well, which is it -- does it simply not exist, or do we and 99% of the Muslim world just have it wrong? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 9:22:31 AM |
| #27 Here we go. I'll bet this thread goes over 85. When it reaches 100, sell. |
| Posted by: badanov 2005-02-21 9:18:58 AM |
| #26 Sorry Gentle, but you just pegged my BS meter. What happened is Beslan *was* Islam - no major Islamic organization has denounced it (exept when asked - and then one-tenth-heartedly). What is happening in Sudan - the murders, rapes, etc... is being done by Muslims (against muslims true but then in Islam, Arab muslims are better or holier then other (black) muslims and who cares? According to Mohammed (may he roast in hell) blacks have the heart of a donkey anyway...). And how about the people in Medina. Your Mohammed HIMSELF (may he roast in hell) had the jewish men beheaded in front of their own wives and children. But that wasn't enough, not for mighty mo (merih), he had to rape the women (and I suspect children too) that very night! Every religion has its share of wackos and extreamists (look at that Catholic school bombing in Northern Ireland... Which everyone (except the murders) quickly and fevorously denounced). But Islam makes it an insitution and glorifies it. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-02-21 9:17:57 AM |
| #25 Here we go. I'll bet this thread goes over 85. Any other predictions out there? |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2005-02-21 9:14:40 AM |
| #24 Where do I start? Stop lying. Or do you believe your lies are (yet another) religious obligation? Gotta hide the truth from the kaffir, so they don't realize what you want to do, eh? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 9:03:41 AM |
| #23 Release hubby. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-02-21 9:01:56 AM |
| #22 Where do I start? 1) It should be: "And fight them so it is not a Fitnah" 2) you've got the meaning of Fitnah wrong. Oh' and just about everything else. |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 9:01:03 AM |
#21 âAnd fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e. worshipping others besides Allaah), and the religion (worship) will all be for Allaah Alone [in the whole of the world]â [al-Anfaal 8:39] Source Learn your own religion, moron. (And I *AM* being civil. As civil as you deserve, you lying harpy.) |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 8:52:31 AM |
| #20 Still lying after all these months? No Sword verse? LOL! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-02-21 8:48:39 AM |
| #19 Well...well. Look who has returned. A prime representative of the Culture of Deceit. The undeclared hudna is over. She's back to spread her lies and half truths. Always the apologist for the rank and file of her ideology. |
| Posted by: Mark Z. 2005-02-21 8:48:06 AM |
| #18 You just can't be civil, can you? He did not want it. Sword verse! There is no such thing. Just shows where you get your "so called" information! |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 8:39:58 AM |
| #17 It is not what Prophet Mohammed wanted, may peace be upon him. It certainly is. Go look up what Mohammed (piss, shit, and blood be upon him) said in the "Verse of the Sword". Then contemplate the doctrine of abrogation, and that this was one of the last things the barbarian pedophile king said. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 8:26:29 AM |
| #16 What is more important? Words? or the meaning? Mrs. Davis? And NO RC. It is not what Prophet Mohammed wanted, may peace be upon him. |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 8:15:54 AM |
| #15 What do you want me to say? For starters, you could acknowledge, without trying to deny the truth, that murderers such as the Beslan killers, al Qaeda, Hizb'Allah, Zarqawi's bunch etc. are members of the same religion as yourself and that their behaviour is first and foremost a problem for people like yourself to deal with. Don't try to pretend you're not in the same religious bed as them. If mainstream Islam wants to kick them out, it needs to do it itself. It needs to concentrate on issuing fatwas against terrorists, and stop issuing fatwas against apostates and critics. Why is there so much support for the actions of terrorist groups like Hamas and the Iraqi 'insurgents' in the Islamic ME if in no case is the killing of a child [or non-combatant] allowed? You could not defend suicide bombing and random rocket attacks if you believe that. Look at the other religions in this world and tell me the name of one other which has as many murderous groups associated with it as Islam has. To many people in the civilised world, terrorism looks like Islam's only significant cultural export. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2005-02-21 8:15:21 AM |
| #14 Hey, "Gentle", why don't you take some lessons in recent history. Islam is at the heart of hundreds of wars, massacres, and crimes all over the world. Once you look at the life of Mohammed (spit upon him) you realize that's what he wanted. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-02-21 8:11:58 AM |
| #13 Long time no comment, Gentle. Where's my hubby? Sentance? Abortain? No offence, but take an English course, would you? Or atleast spring for a dictionary. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-02-21 8:02:47 AM |
| #12 What do you want me to say? The people who comitted that school crime, and I don't care who the hell they claim to be, are worse than animals, and I would sentance them all to death if it were in my hands. They do NOT represent Islam. Even considering it is crazy. Islam only allows killing in self defence, and in war (those who fight). In no case is the killing of a child allowed. For Gods sake, Islam doesn't even condone abortain! Happy? |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 7:25:52 AM |
| #11 I will never forget or forgive the Beslan baby killers. Anyone who defends them or the mad death cult they belong to deserves nothing but wrath and scorn. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-02-21 6:39:19 AM |
| #10 "claimed" they belonged to. In precisely the same way that people like you claim to be 'moderate' representatives of your religion yet never have a harsh word to say about your co-religionists who engage in murder in the name of your shared superstition. You are no moderate - you make evasions and excuses for murders committed in your name. You make me sick. I know plenty of moderate Muslims in the West. They're moderate because they don't take all your brand of ME primitivism seriously at all. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2005-02-21 6:33:50 AM |
| #9 GEntle: "claimed" they belonged to. - I distinctly remember one of the Beslan murderers, being filmed by one of their number, reciting a muslim prayer in arabic. What exactly are you trying to say? - that these animals weren't muslim or simply that they misrepresent your religion? |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2005-02-21 6:32:31 AM |
| #8 No offence, but take an English course, will you? |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 6:23:10 AM |
| #7 There will be no Beslan massacres in the land of there Swiss. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-02-21 6:21:40 AM |
| #6 What exactly are you trying to say? SPD |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 6:19:24 AM |
| #5 The Swiss will not have any of that all most all adult males have an assult rifle and ammo in the hall way closet. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-02-21 6:18:32 AM |
| #4 "claimed" they belonged to. |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 6:18:32 AM |
| #3 I bet swiss teachers are amazed at the peacefulness of Islam Does the word 'Beslan' mean anything to you? Remind yourself which religion the men who raped the schoolgirls, shot the teachers and blew up infants belonged to. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2005-02-21 6:16:07 AM |
| #2 Could be a good idea. This way muslims won't feel opresses, and others will feel "safe" about islamic beliefs. Muslims will no longer be seen as terrorists since the country is overseeing what they study. (not that it needs any. I bet swiss teachers are amazed at the peacefulness of Islam) |
| Posted by: Gentle 2005-02-21 6:04:38 AM |
| #1 Want to bet the money actually comes from Saudi and one brand of Islam is being taught? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-02-21 5:38:55 AM |