@Paul. As an atheist I can say I have no sympathy with any religious extremists whether they're Muslims brainwashing people into committing murderous attacks with promises of rewards in heaven or Christians brainwashing others into believing creationism because they haven't updated their views for a thousand years or so How do we deal with the problem? I agree it needs open debate. Personally, I'd like to see all education being secular but I know that's going to cause a storm with all religions! So we need to discuss how we balance the extremes of religions within what is in essence a secular but multicultural society. It's not just a Muslim/secular issue; consider Northern Ireland where there is still Catholic/Protestant divide that has resulted in violence both there and in the rest of the UK. I'm not saying this is entirely a religious problem, it's often people hijacking religion for their own purposes to attain power, status, money, etc. Other times it's fuelled by historical subjugation, inequality, colonialism etc. Basically, until one gets to analysing the root cause there's no way of resolving this or other problems. Austerity and cuts in prison, court and probation systems further compounds these problems when punishing terrorists. Cutting the length of prison sentences coupled with a period on licence/probation may reduce overcrowding in the prison system and help get thieves, dangerous drivers, drug dealers integrated back into society if those criminals work on a "cost-benefit-risk" mental algorithm but that isn't going to work on extremists brainwashed into a blind faith that they're right when they murder infidels! Also, piling terrorists together in one place seems a recipe for disaster - a bit like a nuclear fusion critical mass! I could be wrong, but I'd have thought diluting the extremists in an environment with a broader spectrum of views/opinions where they can be reeducated and deradicalised with a view at some stage to reintroduce them back into society seems better - but I suppose that's what needs to be discussed and evaluated. Perhaps some can never be released if public safety has to be maintained? I see some want capital punishment but I suspect that's a good way of creating martyrs and creating further resentment in alienated groups.
It's definitely a home grown problem: racism and inequality over the decades since immigration commenced in the 1950s has stoked up the resentment in some groups and inhibited integration. Blair compounded that with his disastrous intervention in Iraq which destabilised the middle east further, creating a fertile ground for ISIS to breed and the subsequent creation of the current massive refugee problem we now have, and additionally dividing loyalties among a few British muslims. (An Iraqi I was friendly with in the early 1990s was annoyed that Sadam wasn't deposed by the west after the first Iraq war and believed that was a cause of many problems. ) It does look like Europe/the West will lose its leading global position, probably to China? Interesting that China also has its problems with muslims - although perversely it seems close to Iran - but I doubt many would agree with the dictatorial way the Chinese seem to be treating the Uyghur muslims? We do have to remember that most religions people including muslims, aren't extremists, and I've never felt threatened by muslim neighbours or colleagues. However, if you're worrying about Europe in two, three or four generations this is probably not the main concern; if the effects of climate change aren't addressed then other problems probably fade into insignificance 🙁
Michael Ixer ● 2537d