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November 29, 2005
Belgium: Islam & The Balkanisation Of Europe
A report from the Iranian Islamic Republic News Agency, which I will report in full, following our house policy of ignoring copyright laws when dealing with reports from states which indulge in illegal activity:
Balkan Muslims to shape the future of Euro Islam
Today some 12-15 million Muslims live in the European Union, both immigrants and citizens, compared with only 800,000 in 1950.
The debate over Turkish membership in the European Union has raised questions over whether a country with a Muslim majority could become part of a "European identity."
Furthermore, accession to the EU of a number of Balkan states in the years ahead will bring some predominantly Muslims countries into the Union and nearly double its Muslim population.
The historical experience of the Balkan Muslims can contribute to the development of a "European Islam".
This is the main conclusion of a seminar on "Balkan Muslims and the future of Islam in Europe" held in Brussels Monday evening.
Xavier Bougarel, a French scholar on Islam in the Balkans, noted that eight million Muslims are living in the Balkans.
Before the collapse of communism, there was only one Muslim-majority state in the western Balkans, Albania.
Today there are three, including Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, which is aspiring to become an independent state.
He stated that Turkish entry into the EU would have a considerable impact on the development of Balkan Islam and a European Islam by promoting exchanges between Balkan Muslims and Turkish religious leaders which could offset Neo-Salafi influence in South-East Europe.
For his part, Krassimir Kanev, associate professor of Sofia University in Bulgaria, argued that European human rights standards impose restrictions on the practice of Islam.
He criticized the prevalent view in Europe that the sharia is against democracy as it is "prejudiced."
The event was organized by the Brussels-based think-tank the European Policy Centre in cooperation with the Belgian King Baudouin Foundation.
Well, I'm glad I didn't have to paraphrase any of that. Of course Sharia is not against democracy. Of course people in Europe have a prejudiced view on sharia. And by the way, I'm off to visit my simian nephew, because if I believed in such blatant disinformation, I would be a monkey's uncle.
The only significant changes which European Islam has brought so far are: a fear of terror, actual terror, riots and demands that Europeans capitulate to excessive and unreasonable demands from an excessive and unreasonable Muslim minority. Islam in the Balkans did not lead to a peaceful situation, so why should its spread into the rest of Europe create such wondrous and happy results?
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 29, 2005 8:22 AM
Comments
The ONLY reason the Bush administration is so hot for the Turkish to join the EU is the fact that the Turks have the largest and best trained military...happy happy, joy joy!
Posted by: Begonia Buzzkill at November 29, 2005 3:05 PM
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