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| Europe |
| German state moves toward official recognition of Islam |
| 2010-10-20 |
| [Al Arabiya] Hamburg may soon become the first German state officially to recognize Islam as a religious community and give Mohammedans the same legal rights as Christians and Jews in dealing with the local administration. Four years of quiet negotiations about building mosques, opening Mohammedan cemeteries and teaching Islam in public schools are nearing an end just when Germany is embroiled in a noisy debate about Islam and the integration of Mohammedan immigrants. The deal seems set to go through, but the national debate on Islam and local political changes could make its approval more difficult than expected, politicians and Mohammedan leaders said. "It's important for us that this agreement makes clear that we are part of this society," said Zekeriya Altug, chairman of the Hamburg branch of DITIB, a Turkish-German mosque network that is one of Germany's largest Mohammedan organizations. Germany has about 4 million Mohammedans, mostly of Turkish origin, in its 82 million population. Long treated as migrant workers due eventually to return to their countries of origin, they are now an established minority that wants equal rights. The agreement in Germany's second-largest metropolis, a city-state in the country's federal system, would set out their rights and also their duties, such as consulting neighborhood residents before building mosques or erecting minarets. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 Back on topic, in Germany official recognition of Islam would require a special surtax on registered Muslims to pay for building maintenance and salaries for religious officials, just like the Catholics, Lutherans, and Jews now get. When we lived there Mr. Wife had to unregister us, after the company's international personnel person registered us as part of the transfer paperwork. Not only is Mr. Wife not Jewish, but we take the American approach that our religious beliefs are no business of the government. Nor was the 10% income surtax something we were willing to pay, considering we didn't belong to a local congregation. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-10-20 22:38 |
| #8 DAILY TIMES.PK > [German Federal Crime Office = BKA] GERMANY HAS [more than] 1000 TERRORISTS, domestically in training + waiting to strike. ARTIC > BKA anticipates a RISE IN [Islam-led?]DOMESTIC MILITANCY AS IN TANDEM WID AN INCREASE IN XENOPHOBIA??? * PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > MUSHARAFF: US COULD HAVE AVOIDED [curr Regional, Worldwide] BIN LADEN HUNT, iff only it had given formal diplomatic recognition to the former Taliban-controlled Govt. in AGHANISTAN. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-10-20 20:53 |
| #7 "she regretted the formation of a minority Dutch coalition government which depends on Wilders' party to win key votes" And how exactly is the election of the government of Holland the business of Germans, Angela? Dreaming if the |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-10-20 17:40 |
| #6 I agree that this is indeed a weakness of parliamentary democracy. Merkel however specifically criticized Wilders' participation, not the minority status of the newly formed government. She would not have disapproved of a leftist coalition or a minority government supported by a leftist party. This was a rude and unusual interference in the internal democratic process of an allied nation. More so given the general difficulty forming a stable government after the Dutch election. |
| Posted by: Omaing White7048 2010-10-20 16:22 |
| #5 she regretted the formation of a minority Dutch coalition government which depends on Wilders' party to win key votes. Whenever that happens the government is not strong enough to govern effectively and constrained by prior alliances in terms of bargaining with those parties not in the governing coalition, the main weakness of the parliamentary system. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-10-20 15:10 |
| #4 Merkel's statement re multiculturalism was a clumsy attempt at triangulation. Her shady maneuvers that resulted in Mr Sarrazin's firing have created an electoral backlash that she had not expected. Next March there are important regional elections. Her coalition will, in all likelihood suffer a devastating defeat which she won't survive politically. Here's a source re what probably are her real political views: A controversial book by former German Central Bank board member Thilo Sarrazin claiming that Muslims were undermining German society thrust the subject into the spotlight last month. |
| Posted by: Omaing White7048 2010-10-20 11:38 |
| #3 Woah, you mean to tell me Germany isn't fully aware of what it's doing? When have they ever done that? besides the entire 20th century... |
| Posted by: why am I not surprised? 2010-10-20 10:13 |
| #2 Thought Angela Merkel said multiculturalism is an "utter failure" in Germany; meaning islam is causing much trouble for Germany. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-10-20 08:44 |
| #1 DITIB is not a 'German Muslim Organization.' It is a 'branch of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Ankara.' DITIB Imams are payed employees of the Turkish state. DITIB Mosque sermons are written by the Turkish government, a friend of Hamas and Iran, and an enemy of Israel. |
| Posted by: Omaing White7048 2010-10-20 07:10 |