Would you object to an amplified Muslim Call to Prayer?

[tortoiseSHELL]

Story here - would you mind? Do you mind church bells ringing? What are your reasons?

Don't know what I think - would be interested to hear your thoughts!

because, as a supporter of Moondog's original cmment on this matter, you are one of the people who seems to consider it reasonable to apply law depending on the laws of the country someone's forbears may or may not have come from.

No I don't. I said I understood where she was coming from. But I have said several times on this thread that I don't mind the call to prayer -- not really evenunderstand what it is. But, hey, freedom of religeon, go for it.

But, I do think the West has right to the same tolerances that are expected of us in the East. So, I understadn Moondog's motivation for what she said.

But I still don't have a problem with the call to prayer... ok maybe the 5am one. But as it happens I am the deepest and best sleeper in the world so it's very unlikely to disturb me.

Oh, and I get up at 5:00am anyway.

Mosschops, Oh, well I don't agree with that, either.

For what it's worth, I am not in favour, in any way, of regimes which do not practice diversity or tolerance.

But what on earth the laws of Saudi have on whether a british citizen, muslim, christian or ice cream enthusiast, should be able to listen to bells, singing-in-Arabic or Greenlseeves chimes at 5am, I have no idea.

Moondog - holding out on goods and services against an opressive regime is one thing - and one that i have subscribed to, many times!

But I don't see what that has to do with british citizens who happen to be muslims possibly, theoreticaly, wanting to have amplified call to prayer in this country!! Oh, British Citizen Ahmed Jones-Begum, whose grandad lives in bangladesh, you cannot have sound from the mosque until Saudi Arabia accepts a christian church in Riyadh!'.

moondog - you're talking about international relations. Blu is talking about domestic policy. Domestic policy can't be applied in a discriminatory fashion - it's against European law for starters (not to mention being immoral).

Fuzzy or Saadia, would you mind answering a question here?

When you say that men must pray in 'congregation' does this mean that they must physically attend the mosque for the prayers or could they pray wherever they happen to be when it's time to pray. I'm thinking about how men manage to pray 5 times a day when they have to go out to work, for instance.

AFAIK men need to attend the mosque for Friday mid-day prayers, I'm pretty sure it is not obligatory for all prayers.

I wouldn't want it from a noise perspective.
But in my experience, that wouldn't really be an issue anyway, because many of the practising Muslims in this town choose to live in the area close to the mosque (which makes practical sense, given the prayer regime they follow)

It's a shame really, I wouldn't mind a few Muslims moving in this street. You should have seen the repercussions when some Polish folk moved in next door...

I agreee with Mosschops, Uk gives, gives, gives.
But maybe that is our problem. Like when the EU agreement says .... farmers and milk..... if the French don't like it, they don't comply. They only comply if it suits them.
UK says yes sir, no sir, to everyone, about everything. Or so, it sometimes seems . But I think this is actually a different issue.

I'm probably going to get kicked off for being racist. I don't mind other religions, but It think that its totally unreasonable for mosques to have an amplified call to prayer 5 times a day. It would be a nightmare and far worst than church bells twice a week.

There comes a point when tolerance for ethnic minorities goes too far. If muslims want a country where mosques have an amplified call to prayer then they should choose a suitable country to live in.

Britain is completely losing its identity. Churches have been in the UK for hundreds of years. It is not the same thing.

Other european countries are no where near as tolerent at the UK. Look at France where they ban the simple headscraf in schools.

I don't know why this is a racist issue? Islam is a religion, not a skin colour.

haven't I read somewhere that many mosques have a link up to the houses so that the call sounds inside the house of the muslim?

That sounds like a very sensible solution.

I have to say I wouldn't be wild about any noise that started happening outside my house at 6.30 every day.

I'f I'd chosen to live beside a railway, I'd have taken the noise on board, but a new noise, I think people have the right to make their wishes known

No oblomov, the Daily Mail reports that French farmers don't comply. The Uk actually has significantly more Opt outs from EU policy than any other member state. Whilst I do think that French farmers are better treated than UK ones, it's down to our leaders not negotiating hard enough on their behalf, not on them ignoring laws and getting away with.

And I don't have a problem at all with a call to prayers of any religion - I would object if it disturbed my sleep - I'd call the council noise abatement service. So I surmise that it would only end up happening in areas where the surrounding people are happy to hear it - with is kind of neighbourhood self determination and a good think IMHO

You do learn to not hear the noise very quickly indeed though- less than a day (says the woman whose house backs onto a very noisy church complete with bellribgers, chiming clocks etc), so I am not certain it would bother people overly after the first few calls anyway (no we don't have double glazing LOL).

Pru, maybe that was a bad example, but sometimes you do feel that our politicians are weak. That we allow anything. Come on over to the UK, they let anything go. It is only the YOU magazine on a sunday, I don't read the mail, any other time - honest

This is a bit of a non-issue, isn't it?

Perhaps we ought to be asking why the Bishop of Rochester is rabble-rousing...?

FWIW I live in what is becoming a very muslim area and there is a makeshift mosque at the end of our road. As Mamazon said earlier, I know exactly when it's time for prayers as you can't get by for people double-parking, especially on a Friday!

Having said that, our doctors is opposite a mosque (made infamous by that channel4 documentary where they wouldn't allow the women in to pray) and from having appointments there on a Friday, the imam definitely broadcasts his prayers through what appears to be a rock-concert sound-system - I can't understand what he's saying, so it's entirely possible that he's talking about peace and love, but it sounds rather like he's about to start frothing at the mouth... if I lived near there I'd want double-glazing...

No I wouldn't mind, and FWIW I go to church.

Mind you I'm not sure I'd like a house next to a church or mosque if it kept me awake. And God help the person who wakes my LO up from a day time nap .

If he has been on 'the receiving end of religious intolerance' then surely it should have made him more determined not to be intolerant himself? After all, he is a bishop... I'm sure he must've studied that bit in the bible about turning the other cheek. Oh, and the one about loving your neighbour as yourself.

When he comes up with some fact-based evidence of these no-go areas and public broadcast calls to prayer, then I might pay him some more attention. I'm a Christian, fwiw, and I don't think his comments are all that Christian...

Perhaps the Bishop of Rochester has been on the receiving end of religious intolerance - but that doesn't mean that I have to be intolerant.

I would (and do) object to any loud, repeated (as in day after day) noise between 10pm and 8am, if I could hear it from my bedroom.

Other than b/w those times it wouldn't both me one bit.

Sorry but I allowing the call to prayer would be a dreadful idea...there is enough noise pollution without adding anything else.

Sure church bells ring but if you choose to live near a church that has been there for hundreds of years then more fool you. I wouldnt live near a church or near anyone who keeps cockerels because quite frankly it would drive me barmy, same as I wouldnt live near a school as I know my drive would be blocked twice a day.

I am an aetheist but have a soft spot for nativity plays and harvest festival and view these and church bells ringing as a part of british tradition (as a new concept the bells would almost certainly not be allowed now). I also have a soft spot for the pagan morris dancers and maypole dancing..weird and illogical british things which have happened for hundreds of years!!

With regard to the fact that its not likely to happen anywhere else in the UK I really wouldnt be so sure

www.theoxfordtimes.net/mostpopular.var.1863853.mostcommented.muslims_bid_for_call_to_prayer.php

Is n't the thread focussing on the call to prayer as a feature, rather than the alleged implications of it being loud-speakered? ie. that some parts of the UK are becoming "no-go" areas for 'non-muslims', as they feel unwelcolme or intimidated when going to these areas??

IME, "these areas" are often the poorest parts of inner cities, and are thus not the first place people wish to visit/live in. Ethnic minority people earn much less than 'white Brits' so they do tend to live in these areas, through the incidence of relative poverty.

Soo...to not have no-go areas means MUCH better community assimilation, or a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Attitudes are in part derived from your exeriences...I have travelled round Egypt and northern India, and the sound of the call is quite inspiring..tbh not sure if I'd wish it down my lug-hole at dawn though!!

Islam is a religion, and people have the right to believe in it. Everyone should praactice tolerance of other cultures. i find that many brits are spoiled and just think of themselves. It's time to wake up!

Bells make noise, so do trains, cars, dogs, television and mp3 players, how in the world would one more noise be adisturbance to your daily lives?

When you go on holiday, the other countries respect your way of doing things don't they? Those of you who think britain rules the world need to look at other places and learn from what you see.

The immigrants are there, whether you want them to be or not, I think it's time you accept them.

I was an illegal immigrant at one time, we're like everyone else, human.