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?

Scottish

As a witch, I have an athame (a black handled ceremonial knife) which is legal for me to carry to and from rituals. It is not used for any kind of cutting.
I also have a boline (a white handled ceremonial knife. Some people have these in the form of a sickle) which is used for cutting, eg herbs and plants, and which also is entirely for ceremonial and therefore legal use.

My DC always had penknives, and learned to be responsible with them, just as they later learned responsibility with firearms.

I also have no objection to Scotsmen or Sikhs having their ceremonial blades.
As I understand it, the man who stabbed Henry Nowak did so with a non ceremonial blade and did it, not because he was a Sikh, but because he was an evil person.

Knives and guns do not kill people, people kill people.

Aaah. So you're permanently kilted up then in order to be able to carry your sgian dubh then yes?

@Roomonthe3rdfloor imagine someone saying that about Islam, which is also adapts other religious texts! Its incredibly bigoted but so common I am not in the least surprised.

Do you carry your blades around with you?
I certainly dont. Neither my athame OR my blade for opening bales of horse feed hay etc.
I can't see there's any need for any blade to be out in public when you're not actually needing it for intended purpuoses...

Nor do I, I did mention it's legal when carrying to or from a ritual.

And yes, I do carry a small penknife about with me, for all sorts of uses.
And I've got a whole cutlery drawer and cooking knives in my van.

Cannabis fucking stinks, it’s sickening and I don’t want to smell it wafting from other peoples’ homes, I don’t care what your made up God says. It’s even worse when you can smell it from cars as you’re driving around, it ought to be an instant driving ban, it’s as bad as being drunk behind the wheel.

I once handed my penknife to a Police Officer who needed to cut a wire.

They thanked me, used it, and gave it back. They certainly wont concerned about me having it.

(And yes, I did have a reason for it. But they didnt ask!)

And my point is more basic. You need a license to have one, because they are dangerous. Anyone who is deemed safe can use one. The end. What they are used for means that they are restricted because of the damage potential. That is rational and safe.

It is not rational to say “you can have a knife for religious purposes”. Why?

@oviraptor21 ‘If something is illegal it should be illegal across the board imo. So no growing/use of cannabis’

Interestingly, the UK is one of the world’s largest growers/producers of cannabis. All legal, and for medical use. I think most is exported, though.

@BorgQueen I am not Rasta and I do not smoke Cannabis - it is a hypothetical question regarding tolerance. I misread your name as "bongqueen" at first which was confusing 😂😂

You said that smoking cannabis at home harms no one but it lingers in the bloodstream for days. This leads to drug driving which is unsafe for other road users.

It is also a Class B drug. Young people may be at risk of developing mental health problems and psychosis if they are heavy users.

All religions have to follow the law and for example plural marriage is not recognised in the UK, even though some Muslims wish to have more than one wife.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2424288/

I think we are all being deliberately obtuse

There should be zero tolerance for cannabis smoking, none at all, it’s a filthy disgusting habit, far worse than normal smoking.

I don’t want to smell it anywhere and I’ve told people to get out of kids play areas for smoking it.
There’s no need for it given that people can get the oil or whatever for pain relief.

@RetiredFromExplaining This is a fair point, personally I would agree that if it's illegal its illegal for everyone and, now I have thought properly(with some help!) only people who work with knives can carry them for that specific reason.

MN has become very reflective of society in few are able to discuss and debate without becoming overheated and making accusations. It is the best thing I realise about growing up with my DF. Enforced debate, discussion, consideration of other views.

I appreciate that @BorgQueen hates cannabis, and I cannot imagine anyone thinks its ok to smoke in a child's playground, but that is not relevant to this, it's just angrily declaring an opinion. This was not a conversation about the huge issues in this country with Skunk and Spice. I work with teenagers and these products are used to groom into country lines gangs and prostitution so the harm is very significant, far more than just the smell. But as I said, this was about tolerance to religious practise, not this sad state of affairs.

Its a shame things have got to this state, reasoning, debate and conversation helps people to understand each other and community cohesion, and fuck knows we desperately need that at the moment.

Only baptised Sikhs have to wear a kirpan. Most are happy with a representation often a miniature worn on a chain around the neck.

Some of the more traditional sized kirpans have bolts through them making them impossible to use s a knife - remember that a knife can be taken from someone and used against them.

As others have said you can carry a knife if you have good reason to do so.

So chefs, builders, decorators, even plumbers often carry a knife / blade as part of their equipment.

If you think about an old fashioned market a lot of the stall holders have knives / blades to cut the stalks off veg like broccoli, cut flowers, cut cloth cut food up.

A friend brought me back a couple of knives from Japan.

I'm sure we have all at some time bought a knife or scissors and carried them home.