AIBU to question religious exemptions and equal treatment under UK law?

[faithfultoGeorgeMichael]

I thought carrying a weapon in the UK is illegal - for everyone except a trained police officer or solider?

Why is there a religious exemption for one religion to carry a weapon on our streets "in the name of tolerance"?

Rastafarians are not allowed to smoke cannabis legally, even in their own places of worship and homes. My Rastafarian nephew had to be home schooled. Not only was he not allowed to have dreadlocks, but he not allowed to wear a hair wrap to cover them, as the muslim girls were allowed to cover their hair. Appealing on religious grounds got them no where, they tried for 3 years!

Growing and smoking cannabis only harms yourself (unless you selfishly make others breathe it in), dreadlocks harm no one. Why are these not allowed when some can carry a bladed weapon? In an era when knife crime is disturbingly frequent?!

My view - if it is illegal no one can do it (knives, drugs) if it is legal anyone can (head scarf/dreadlocks)

AIBU to say all religions should be treated equally?

The issue is that we are not a secular country. We have an established church ( C of E). If we were secular like France we could impose secularism. I think the C of E should be separate from the State. The Head of State doesn't need to be the Head of the Church anymore.
Btw it does sound odd ( and discriminatory) that your nephew couldn't wear a hair wrap. Is Rastafarianism not a recognised religion under UK law? There are some like Scientology that aren't covered I think.

@Desperatelyseekinglazysusan Yes, Rastafari is recognised as a legitimate religion and belief system in the UK. It is officially protected under UK equality and human rights law.

I agree we should be secular, but even when we are not this makes no sense to me.

I'd love to hear why people think IABU, I cannot fathom smoking cannabis at home being seen as 'worse' than carrying a knife in public?!

If you are talking about the murder of Henry Nowak, it sounds like the perpertrator was carrying 2 knives. One the ceremonial one and another larger one that he used for the stabbing.

Not sure people being stabbed by kirpans is a major cause of death or injury in the UK. But maybe I am wrong.

Shocked that your nephew was not allowed to cover his hair.

How would you manage allowing only Rastafarians to buy and smoke cannabis legally without allowing it for everyone?

Knives have many other uses than hurting people.

Sikhism developed partly aa a way of bridging divides between Hindus and Muslims. Community service and ethical behaviour to everyone, absolutely everyone, is a cornerstone of Sikhism. A small ceremonial knife is a reminder of the need to serve and protect, of non-toxic masculinity and of human dignity. It is the absolute opposite of 'carrying a knife' for violent intent.

If you know anything about Sikhs in the UK, you will know that they selflessly and tirelessly feed the poor, help white working class businesses under threat in riots welcome all to their celebrations, etc.

One single rogue man is not a reason to demonise an entire community non-Sikhs should be engaging with as a model of a positive future for Britain.

Meantime, secular violent martial arts classes go unchecked teaching people to kill with credit cards, pens, and mobile phones. Look at those instead. Pits of toxicity attracting no hopers and a breeding ground for paramilitaries.

Most Rastafarians grow their own cannabis - that is what has repeatedly been asked to be legalised.

That is an excellent point I had not considered, thank you

Just changed my vote. I thought you could carry a tiny ceremonial blade, like an inch long maximum, and that it had to be concealed under clothing.

But that ruling makes it sound like you can basically carry what you like! Which is bonkers.

If the blade is only symbolic/ceremonial then it doesn’t need to be 8 inches long as it will never be used.

In fact I think it’s very provocative to display the wearing of any weapon visibly in public and that should be banned.

Insane to do anything else.

Now is the time to totally dispose of the idea we can be a multicultural society. Multiracial? Yes but not multicultural. It doesn't work as Kemi Badenoch stated.

Subscribe to this countries values and laws if you want to live here.

@ThisBirdOnThatRoof I don't know a huge amount but my dad has a close Sikh friend who runs a charity that helped where I live during some flooding - the level of organisation and instant arrival of hot food and help was remarkable. Outstanding. He has a knife tattoo on his calf, I am not sure if this is common.
This is not an anti Sikh thread - far from it, I just believe people should be treated equally and want to understand. - thanks

Yes this is where my head it at - I thought it was a small 'mock' knife - I have seen these. Or a tattoo which I know someone who has.
This horrific crime made me read further and I am stunned tbh.

@booksunderthebed proper protection for people with Afrohair only came in a few years ago - it is shocking https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/63399563

Other people have appealed and been successful

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45499584

@ThisBirdOnThatRoof but the problem is that while a knife-carrying exemption exists, it can be exploited and yes it will shame the whole religious community.

Wouldn’t it be better for the Sikh community to back a common-sense policy stating that a blade is symbolic and could be worn as a pendant on a chain, or a tattoo, and absolutely NO excuse to carry a knife in 21st century Britain?

Religions that cling to old dogma do cause a heck of a lot of problems. Look at the Catholic Church - decided priests had to be celibate to protect church property and ended up with a nest of paedophiles that tainted the entire Roman Catholic faith.

Times change, and I do think the faith community has to bear responsibility because it has insisted on a situation where people can carry knives. Frankly that is just a stupid tradition, and it needs to end.

I am happy for Scotsmen to wear knives responsibly as part of heritage dress.

Not sure people being stabbed by kirpans is a major cause of death or injury in the UK. But maybe I am wrong.

I can't find even one example other than this one. And the knife used wasn't the one carried by normal Sikhs. But the OP knows this full well with the standard 'just asking questions' bullshit. Tommy Robinson stood up at his little rally and blamed this on Pakistani Muslims.

We should ban the carrying of knives and the covering of faces (which in itself is misogynistic). And I include Scottish ceremonial knives too.

@BackToLurk Yes, in London, I know a huge amount about this so know and admire those wonderful families who have fought and won this battle.

It is a lot harder when you are a community of one family and do not want to be in the limelight due to being exceptionally humble, modest and stoical. We did all we could without risking our nephews privacy.

He got 11 GCSEs at 7 and above and 3 A* at A Level so it was the (poor performing comprehensive) schools loss ultimately. When went to a local college at 16 he was teachers favourite across the board 😂

I hope to goodness that Scientology never will be!

I disagree. I admire the Sikhs and want their traditions preserved for the good of all. They are on the whole an example of good masculinity.

Also, celibacy is not a reason for pedophilia. Patriarchy and having men in authority is. Husband and fathers perpetrate proportionally more sex abuse than Roman Catholic priests. Male religious leaders of all stripes have problems with abuse of power. Including in denominations that marry.

@booksunderthebed I know Sikhs as a community have one of the lowest offending rates, along side Jews, but cannot lay my hands on the figures atm, I will find and post later.

The one that shocks and surprises me although I understand the reasoning for it, is burying your dead loved ones.
I understand other communities dig the plot l, prepare the body and organise the transportation etc but I think it’s cruel that people from England have to wait weeks to lay their loved ones to rest.

No. Women who choose to cover? Their body, their choice.

Scots are indigenous and we have rights to our heritage.

YABVU as this is obviously a how-dare-they-come-to-our-country type rant about Sikh kirpans, which is a total red herring in the Nowak case, as it was not the knife that was used. Offensive weapons are illegal whoever is carrying them. Knives are not offensive weapons per se as generations of boy scouts will tell you. I think we are more enlightened now about hair and hair coverings in schools, as you yourself acknowledge. Personal opinions vary, but the law about cannabis is based on very compelling data about its role in the development of mental illness in young people. Hope this covers everything for you.

@ShyGirl32 Paedophiles became priests because they could access children. IN 2026 many safeguarding leads are being arrested for crimes against children. The job lures the predator. men did not have a calling from God and then wake up one day a nonce because they weren't allowed a woman. And they also raped and abused nuns: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47134033

A very different topic but this is the danger with trans women in women's spaces. Not that males with gender dysphoria will attack us, that predators will pretend to be trans to access us.