Do you think Islam is British?

iCraig · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:08

I guess it depends on how far you want to go back. Many parts of our culture aren't strictly native.

I don't believe Islam to be attributed to 'Britishness' though, to answer your question.

Nitefly · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:08

cleanbluesky said:
The question is - whether it is obvious to others. Is there anything 'British' about Islam? Have we merely chosen to view it as 'unBritish'?

It is not traditionally British, no.

To which I raise the question, so?

platypus · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:08

Bar said:
I agree, the values and morals that it contains are quite different from a significant part of our accepted values and culture.

Not so different. Women were heavily subjugated by Christianity until quite recently.

cleanbluesky · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:09

dirtydog said:
Not everything that is 'not Islam' is British. But Islam is not British. I think 'British Muslim' is an oxymoron personally.

I think a person cannot be a British Islamist but not all Muslims are socially involved, and for some it is a personal philosophy. Not sure whether there are many like this though.

DAVEM · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:09

No I don't, Britian is a Christian country full stop

Van_Dammesque · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:09

cleanbluesky said:
Taxpayer funding?

That is already happening, cf MCB (who want to islamify the UK by peaceful means) and Blair paying £1 mill for British born Imams to be teaching in universities.

iCraig · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:11

DAVEM said:
No I don't, Britian is a Christian country full stop

I thought technically, it's been regarded as a Catholic country?

I might well be wrong, I'm not a major follower of Catholicism or its roots.

Monkey Puzzle · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:11

So long as Islam is taken as non-fundamentalism then I think it can be compatible with British culture. I don't think allowing more faith schools which further increase Islamic isolation and segregation within British towns and cities was one of Blair's better ideas......

platypus · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:11

DAVEM said:
No I don't, Britian is a Christian country full stop

And why is that?

cheets64 · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:12

No, its culture has no place in the Britain, its goes against nearly what every British person likes to do, go out drinking, having a bet etc.

Not a lot of people in Britain live by a religion, its impossible in this day and age, people like to have fun and go out not be stuck in a church

Islam is just slowly creating towns where non-Islam British people wont go.

Monkey Puzzle · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:12

I was under the impression we are a protestant country.....

Gilly · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:12

dirtydog said:
Not everything that is 'not Islam' is British. But Islam is not British. I think 'British Muslim' is an oxymoron personally.

British Muslim is fine.

Anyone from anywhere can follow any set of values. British Buddhist would also be fine, but Buddhism has nothing to do with being British.

DAVEM said:
No I don't, Britian is a Christian country full stop

No it isn't.

Surfer · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:13

VIRII

Click to expand...

Christianity has been here for over 1000 years and has become very British and is enshrined into our law and many aspects of our life (rightly or wrongly).
It is however very British as far as the UK goes we even have The Church Of England.

But what is to stop Islam becoming the 'natural' religion? Christianity replaced other religions before it, so could others. Just because people aren't happy about it doesn't mean it won't happen, or couldn't happen. I doubt the druids, pagans, naturists, etc where happy when Christianity came along.

VIRII is correct dude. Christianity (Catholicism/Protestantism)has been here a long time!! (i was stunned when Bill said it wasnt lol)
Christianity in some form has been here for hundreds of years. It has had time to develop with Western Society and Capitalism.

From my view of Islam at present it seems to still be caught in the Dark Ages. Christianity had its own dark ages too but IT has grown up, Islam hasnt its still very much extremist.

We as a nation have already had our years and years of bloodshed with our religion: Christianity. Why should we have to go through it all again?

I would say the very nature of Islam is anathema to Western Democratic Society and the principles it holds.

cleanbluesky · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:13

Monkey Puzzle said:
I was under the impression we are a protestant country.....

Church of England... is it true for Britain though?

DAVEM · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:14

platypus said:
And why is that?

Simply statistics really, the majourity of the country is Christian.

Church of England being dominating, second probably us Roman Catholics,

The entire history of the England is Christian,

Why on earth would Islam be considered British, makes no sense?

platypus · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:14

iCraig said:
I thought technically, it's been regarded as a Catholic country?

I might well be wrong, I'm not a major follower of Catholicism or its roots.

The Church of England protested against the Roman Catholic church, so Henry VIII could divorce his ugly wife and marry that next bit of totty*.

Britain is a Protestant body.

*Simplified, GD version

Sleepy · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:15

cleanbluesky said:
Often the question comes up about 'what is British'. Myself and others seem to be able to confidently say that Islam is not British. This seems almost obvious and self-explanatory to me.

So why the problem in expressing this fact in other threads. If its "obvious and self-explanatory" then why do you and other so consistantly fail to adequately explain your views on this matter?

The question is - whether it is obvious to others. Is there anything 'British' about Islam?

Emphasis on family life, respect for authority and community .. wow that was easy.

Have we merely chosen to view it as 'unBritish'?

Given your failings expressed above I think you've failed to define the question, hence your failing to answere it properly.

VIRII said:
Christianity has been here for over 1000 years and has become very British and is enshrined into our law and many aspects of our life (rightly or wrongly).
It is however very British as far as the UK goes we even have The Church Of England.

Xianity has less influence on British beliefs and morals than people think. Morality and ethics by which most people in this country live by.

platypus · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:15

DAVEM said:
Simply statistics really, the majourity of the country is Christian.

Church of England being dominating, second probably us Roman Catholics,

The entire history of the England is Christian,

Why on earth would Islam be considered British, makes no sense?

Read the rest of my posts please.

As I've been trying to portray in this thread, Britain used to be - shock horror - something other then Christian. Maybe the cycle of religion has moved on, and Islam will become the natural religion.

Monkey Puzzle · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:15

Good post surfer - Much of British law is derived from Christianity. To completely separate religion and state is a falsity, as most of our culture and values and basically Christian in origin.

cheets64 · 10 Jul 2007 at 11:17

platypus said:
The Church of England protested against the Roman Catholic church, so Henry VIII could divorce his ugly wife and marry that next bit of totty*.

Britain is a Protestant body.

*Simplified, GD version

That was a long time ago, Britain is very much a place where Christianity has almost vanished, mainly the older generation follow it, I don't know anybody who goes to church or lives by the churches rules but Islam and its law if very scary to look at in Britain today.