The news that Blair is going to close down places of worship based on the idea that they are promoting extremism is one of the most disturbing pieces of news in quite some time.[1] Yes, I am aware that he is referring to those mosques that encourage terrorism, or at "best" "understand" it. No, I have not ceased to consider terrorism an unadulterated evil. No, I have not ceased to question the morality of Islam for the fact that so significant a percentage refuses to condemn terrorism. It is simply that, once again, I see this action as creating dangerous precedent.
Just as I was concerned to see a New Mexico church banned from the sacramental use of a hallucinogenic tea,[2] not because I support the use of hallucinogens, but because I see the parallels between this and prohibition, I am concerned about this action in Britain. Recall that in Canada,[3] Sweden,[4] and Australia (though I cannot find the reference for that one) all have laws on the books that would potentially classify any priest who gives a homily declaring homosexuality to be wrong as "fomenting extremism" (though of a different type), and thus put his parish at risk of being forcibly closed.[5] Though the application of this new United Kingdom law may for now be limited to the closing of mosques that promote terrorism, using the law in this way will create legitimizing precedent should the state (of Britain) ever choose to target Catholics (again). For this reason, this law is to be feared.
[1] Sullivan, Kevin and Fred Barbash. "Blair to
Institute New Deportation Measures" Washington Post (online) 2005-08-05.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/05/AR2005080500477_pf.html
[2] Schierer, Luke. "20050419-1039" Random Unfinished Thoughts
2005-04-19.
http://www.schierer.org/luke/log/20050419-1039/20050419-1039
[3] Weatherbe, Steve. "With New Law, Is Christianity Hate
Speech in Canada?" National Catholic Register (online) 2004-05-16.
http://www.ncregister.com/archive/May/0516lead3.htm
[4]
Robinson, B. A. "HATE SPEECH LEGISLATION IN SWEDEN" Religious
Tolerance.org 2005-01-09. http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_hat8.htm
[5] I think there are examples of priests being prosecuted
under the Canadian law from sometime in the last year or so, but I
cannot find them now. The sites I have found state that
religious speech is exempted in the Canadian bill.