Islam and the Netherlands.

[Cerebrum123]

I received this in an email, and I was wanting to know what Muslims thought about this.

The Netherlands , where six per cent of the population is now Muslim,is scrapping multiculturalism:
The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism that has encouraged Muslim immigrants to create a parallel society within the Netherlands .

A new integration bill, which Dutch Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner presented to parliament on June 16, reads:

"The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people.
In the new integration system, the values of the Dutch society play a central role. With this change, the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society.

The letter continues:

"A more obligatory integration is justified because the government also demands that from its own citizens.
It is necessary because otherwise the society gradually grows apart and eventually no one feels at home anymore in the Netherlands .

The new integration policy will place more demands on immigrants.
For example, immigrants will be required to learn the Dutch language, and the government will take a tougher approach to immigrants who ignore Dutch values or disobey Dutch law.

The government will also stop offering special subsidies for Muslim immigrants because, according to Donner:

"It is not the government's job to integrate immigrants"

The government will introduce new legislation that outlaws forced marriages and will also impose tougher measures against Muslim immigrants who lower their chances of employment by the way they dress.

More specifically, the government will impose a ban on face-covering, Islamic burqas as of January 1, 2013

Holland has done that whole liberal thing, and realized, it maybe too late , that creating a nation of tribes will kill the nation itself.

So, as a Muslim, is this a good thing, or a bad thing? I would also like an answer for WHY you chose your answer. Personally, I hope the US, and other countries go the same route.

[KingsGambit]

Is there anywhere we can see the text of the bill (or at least an English translation)?

[Cerebrum123]

Is there anywhere we can see the text of the bill (or at least an English translation)?

I'll try to find it.

[Cerebrum123]

So far I can't find exactly what the bill says, but I will keep trying. Right now all I can find is a bunch of articles that mention it. Until I find the exact wording, I will provide a link to one of the articles.
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22...lticulturalism

[KingsGambit]

Ah, there is a 15 page "action plan", but it's in Dutch.

I do find this quote from the Dutch official who formerly supported sharia law interesting, though, stating that the government:

will distance itself from the relativism contained in the model of a multicultural society

Relativism not being a good thing? That's a golden "duh".

[Tanakh Keeper]

Hi Cerebrum123

While the following article isn't about the Netherlands specifically, it does show European issues with their Muslim immigrants. This article was written on April 3, 2012 by female arabic human-rights activitist Ahlam Akram, who resides in London.

http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/6330.htm

"Why do we condemn European governments for denying citizenship to those who have committed unprecedented crimes? I am among those subjected to increased security checks at airports, yet I do not curse the European governments for it. It is the extremist Muslim ideology that I curse one thousand times whenever I travel.

{snip}

As for France's [decision to] ban four imams from attending the conference of the Union of Islamic Organizations, it is the decision of a sovereign state that wishes to defend its citizens from statements that contravene the French values... of equality and liberty... Nobody can deny that the fatwas of [Sheikh Yousef] Al-Qaradhawi, who is regarded as the top jurisprudential authority of the Arab diaspora in Europe, have given rise to dubious ideas in many domains, especially with regards to women. For example, during his visit to Holland, he enumerated the conditions for beating women, thereby justifying [the practice of] beating them....Moreover, his statements hint at returning Islam to Europe through da'wa and ideological [indoctrination], and by increasing the number of Islamic communities there.

{snip}

There is a saying, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do' – that is, respect their customs and traditions. If we live in Rome and acquire a Roman citizenship and eat the bread of Rome, we must respect its values and try to assimilate willingly, and adopt some of the values and principles that protect us after we have fled the burning sun of our home countries. But most Muslims in Europe take the arrogant and one-sided attitude that [only the Europeans] are obliged to respect our religion and customs, and thereby implement the international conventions on human rights. [According to this approach, the Europeans] have no right to force us to assimilate, because that would violate the religious principle of wala wal-bara.

[Cerebrum123]

Hi Cerebrum123

While the following article isn't about the Netherlands specifically, it does show European issues with their Muslim immigrants. This article was written on April 3, 2012 by female arabic human-rights activitist Ahlam Akram, who resides in London.

http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/6330.htm

Thanks for the interesting article TK. I only see one problem with the part that you have quoted here. She refers to these things as being 'extremist" Muslim ideology. I wonder if she would consider Mohammed "extreme". After all, he hit his own wife, and gave permission to Muslim men to do the same in both the Quran and Hadith. Also the idea of indoctrination and invading a country by infiltrating and taking it over like a parasite has been common Muslim practice since the days of Mohammed himself. A lot of European countries have been having very bad problems with Islam. Luckily there are many out there who don't follow Mohammed's "Sunnah", and hopefully there is a way to make them see the light when it comes to the teachings of Mohammed.

[Dan Zebiri]

Islam intends to dominate the non Muslim world of the west, in line with quranic mandates and injunctions.

It has to do it socially, religiously, spiritually and ultimately legislatively. All under the cloak and guise of religious freedom, of course, which it fully exploits when it is in the minority amidst a non muslim mileau.

Sura 9 for example, instructs Muslims not to consider the unbelievers/kafirs or infidels on par with them. Other verses enjoin Muslims to not take Christians as close friends and equals. Other verses vilify non Muslim as filth and unclean.

With such kinds of demands commanded by the quran on Muslims, is it any wonder at all, that so many of them cannot and do not want to integrate effectively and meaningfully with the western societies that are hosting them??

Dan.