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Solberg wants Islam 'modernized' (Norway)
Aftenposten ^
| 11/04/03
| Carsten Bleness & Nina Berglund
Posted on 11/04/2003 12:16:47 PM PST by veronica
Muslims living in Norway must accept that they're a minority in a progressive, egalitarian-oriented society, claims Cabinet Minister Erna Solberg. Islam must be modernized, she says, but local Muslims claim they don't understand her criticism.
Cabinet Minister Erna Solberg is calling on Muslims to better integrate into Norwegian society. Solberg, the government minister who's charge of immigration and integration issues among other things, is making some controversial demands of Muslims who have moved to Norway or grown up in the country as first- or second-generation immigrants.
In doing so, she's taking a brave stand. Solberg earlier this year was the target of death threats by a disgruntled Muslim asylum-seeker, and she also has been at the center of the storm around Mullah Krekar, the suspected terrorist who remains in Norway despite a deportation order.
She suggests nonetheless that the burden of integration into Norwegian society lies as much with Muslims as it does with ethnic Norwegians who are part of the state church. After meeting with her British counterpart Beverly Hughes in London on Monday, Solberg is on the offensive.
"The Norwegian Islamic community must make more progress, and see what's happening in other European countries," Solberg told newspaper Aftenposten. "Islam in Europe must function differently than it does in Islamic countries." In this regard, she claims, the Muslim community in Norway lags far behind.
She's especially critical of the role that Imams play in Norway. "These religious leaders can't just be brought up from Islamic countries where Muslims are in the majority," Solberg said. "They have no understanding of what it's like to be a Muslim in a country where they're a minority.
"They have to get more education, which they should get here in Europe," she continued. "It's especially important that immigrants learn what it means to live in a feminist society."
Solberg is clearly intrigued by proposals in Great Britain that would require immigrants to take an oath of citizenship and pass an exam dealing with local society.
The World Islamic Mission in Norway, claiming it doesn't understand Solberg's criticism, asked Solberg to explain what she means by "modernization," which she did on national radio on Tuesday.
Divorce, for example, must be more easily available for Muslim women and follow the laws of the land, she said. Pro-forma and forced marriages must be banned and women in general must be accorded equal rights under the law.
Amber Khan of the World Islamic Mission in Norway claimed Imams brought to Norway are required to learn Norwegian and adapt to new cultural codes.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: norway
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1
posted on
11/04/2003 12:16:49 PM PST
by
veronica
To: veronica
[...] or grown up in the country as first- or second-generation immigrants. I realize that this isn't the only problem but perhaps not calling people born in Norway "second-generation immigrants" might help.
To: veronica
What's the "over-under" on Erna's life expectancy?
3
posted on
11/04/2003 12:21:18 PM PST
by
rube
To: veronica
Funny, I want Islam gone.
To: veronica
You could always treat Muslims the way non-Muslims are treated in Islamic societies:
Bibles are illegal
Churches are illegal
Death sentence for anyone who converts
Illegal to hand out non-Muslim religious texts
etc.
You know, treat them like they are the infidel...
5
posted on
11/04/2003 12:23:28 PM PST
by
2banana
To: journey7873
Yes. Those who cling to the 'belief' that the western world is not at war with Islam are going to find out the hard way. The more they accomodate these fanatics, the more danger to themselves and to their countries is created.
6
posted on
11/04/2003 12:26:55 PM PST
by
45Auto
(Big holes are (almost) always better.)
To: veronica
hmmmm...those wacky Norwegians may be on to something...
7
posted on
11/04/2003 12:27:22 PM PST
by
meowmeow
(Freepin' Wireless!)
To: veronica
Cabinet Minister Erna Solberg is calling on Muslims to better integrate into Norwegian society declare a fatwa against her for insulting Islam..
8
posted on
11/04/2003 12:28:42 PM PST
by
CaptRon
To: veronica
Solberg has hit the nail on the head! Solberg insists that THEY integrate into Western culture.
Our sources in Christian circles say that radical Islamists are threatening to destroy Western Civilization because of its influence on their culture. They see the existence of the West as a direct assault on their way of life.
Sadly, Islamists are partially correct. Western influence WILL alter their culture. They cringe at Western values which allow sexually explicit behavior, lack of honor, and practices such as abortion. On the other hand, they are blind to the moral problems of their own culture, such as human slavery and state sanctioned murder.
To: veronica
Muslims don't "understand" the criticism of their seeming inability to embrace the non-Islam culture in which they have chosen to live. Of course not. That would mean that somewhere outside themselves, there are people who live good wholesome lives, and are NOT Muslim. And because good lives can be lived without becoming a Muslim, there is no compelling need to demand that the entire world convert to Islam. Christianity, and Protestant Christianity at that, does have many redeeming social qualities, enough to hold the respect of honest Muslims. Or ought to.
To: veronica
"They have to get more education, which they should get here in Europe," she continued. "It's especially important that immigrants learn what it means to live in a feminist society." Norway's a 'feminist' culture!? What does that mean?
11
posted on
11/04/2003 12:39:41 PM PST
by
nosofar
To: Question_Assumptions
When I visited relatives in Norway back in the early 80's, the Pakistani's were moving in. My relatives hated them. They brought in drugs, etc. They called them "Pakis." I hate to see my beloved Norway infested with this disease.
12
posted on
11/04/2003 12:43:52 PM PST
by
Marysecretary
(GOD is still in control!)
To: veronica
Muslims living in Norway must accept that they're a minority in a progressive, egalitarian-oriented society, Why? If they keep breeding like rabbits, they eventually won't be.
13
posted on
11/04/2003 12:46:32 PM PST
by
Paleo Conservative
(Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
To: Marysecretary
I have relatives who have actually moved to Norway from the West Indies. They love it there. People friendly, laid back European culture,etc. Apparently the situation isn't bad enough yet for them to leave.
14
posted on
11/04/2003 12:47:21 PM PST
by
cyborg
(Kyk nou, die ding wat jy soek issie hierie sienj)
To: veronica
I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I'm encouraged that some people - even in Europe - are beginning to see the threat posed by Islamic immigration and the lack of assimilation into Western society. On the other hand, there is a civil rights issue here, and I think there's a danger that the government will go too far in protecting its legitimate interests. And I'm not sure where the middle ground ends and the extremes begin.
15
posted on
11/04/2003 12:49:57 PM PST
by
Steve_Seattle
("Above all, shake your bum at Burton.")
To: journey7873
Funny, I want Islam gone.Yeah, just get rid of them. Im always struck that they feel their culture is above the very culture they emigrated to..
16
posted on
11/04/2003 12:50:45 PM PST
by
cardinal4
(Hillary and Clark rhymes with Ft Marcy park...)
To: Paleo Conservative
"Why? If they keep breeding like rabbits, they eventually won't be."
That's why there should be SEVERE limitations on immigration from Islamic countries.
17
posted on
11/04/2003 12:51:37 PM PST
by
Steve_Seattle
("Above all, shake your bum at Burton.")
To: the_Watchman
Yes, Muslims rail on our "sexually explicit culture" while promising those who carry out "martrydom operations" 72 virgins in the afterlife...
18
posted on
11/04/2003 12:52:12 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(Go 'Dawgs, Sic 'Em!)
To: Steve_Seattle
A person can come from an islamic country but not be muslim. The owner of the 7-11 I frequent, he is a Pakistani Roman Catholic. The other owner is Hindu, but I'd not say they're hell bent on destroying western civilization. Actually it's not as if they can return home, they'd both be killed, esp. the RC.
It'd be easier for Norway to do whatever it has to do. They're a socialist country. US can go back to rigorous immigrant screening, such as moral character,disease,criminal checks,etc but to start saying, oh well, you're from XYZ middle eastern country, you suck, you're not allowed? At all? Screening people severely, rather than an out-out ban, is better and we'd only be getting the best anyway.
As for breeding like rabbits, people are allowed to have children. People should not blame those who place more value on children, than say pop American culture of abortion, and putting riches over having babies.
19
posted on
11/04/2003 1:00:35 PM PST
by
cyborg
(Kyk nou, die ding wat jy soek issie hierie sienj)
To: nosofar
In the scandinavian meaning, it's a society where women are, and are required by law to be valued the same as men. Norway also have some pretty far-reaching equal opportunity laws aimed at getting more women in leading positions (e.g. minumum of 40% of one sex in boards), laws that recently disqualified a woman from a chair in Statoil where 3 of 5 (I think) chairs already were occupied by women.
20
posted on
11/04/2003 1:00:36 PM PST
by
anguish
(while science catches up.... mysticism!)
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