N.O.R.F Posted January 6, 2008 Kapang! Bishop warns of 'Islamic areas' Dr Nazir-Ali criticised the 'multi-faith' agenda A Church of England bishop has said Islamic extremism has turned some communities into no-go areas for people of a different faith or race. The Bishop of Rochester, the Right Reverend Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, criticised government multicultural policies. He said those of a different faith or race may find it difficult to live or work in some areas due to "hostility". The Muslim Council of Britain accused the bishop of scaremongering. 'Christian cause' Dr Nazir-Ali said there had been a worldwide resurgence of Islamic extremism, leading to young people growing up alienated from the country they live in. Not only locally, but at the national level also the establishment of the Church of England is being eroded Dr Michael Nazir-Ali Bishop of Rochester It had also turned "already separate communities into 'no-go' areas". He said there had been attempts to "impose an 'Islamic' character on certain areas", for example, by amplifying the call to prayer from mosques. Apart from issues about noise levels, Dr Nazir-Ali said it also raised questions about "whether non-Muslims wish to be told the creed of a particular faith five times a day on the loudspeaker". The Muslim Council of Britain said the mosque call was no different from church bells ringing. Dr Nazir-Ali warned of a multi-faith "mish mash" as the government promotes its integration policy - "an agenda which still lacks the underpinning of a moral and spiritual vision." He said the role of chaplains in such places as hospitals, prisons and educational establishments was in jeopardy "either because of financial cuts or because the authorities want 'multi-faith' provision, without regard to the distinctively Christian character of the nation's laws, values, customs and culture". If there is no evidence he can put forward then it boils down to simple scaremongering Ibrahim Mogra Muslim Council of Britain "Not only locally, but at the national level also the establishment of the Church of England is being eroded," Dr Nazir-Ali said. He added: "If it had not been for the black majority churches and the recent arrival of people from central and eastern Europe, the Christian cause in many of our cities would have looked a lost one." 'Simple scaremongering' Ibrahim Mogra, of the Muslim Council of Britain's inter-faith relations committee, described the bishop's comments as "alarming". He said: "If there is no evidence he can put forward then it boils down to simple scaremongering. "It is very worrying if parts of our country become no-go areas for anybody, and it is not acceptable. "To suggest that a handful of people are beginning to create such areas where nobody else can go unless they are Muslim needs evidence to back such claims." Akbar Ali, a Muslim community leader in Liverpool, said Dr Nazir-Ali was not being helpful. He told BBC News: "This is something new I'm hearing. I'm sure when the Bishop of Rochester says something he has done his initial research to make such a pronouncement. "But I would have thought that giving publicity to such radical views really makes the situation worse rather than better." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7173599.stm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chubacka Posted January 6, 2008 say anything negative about Islam and you are guranteed to make the news. :rolleyes: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
