An interesting request, Is Mise.

>>Pericles, Care to comment on the success, or lack thereof, of multiculturalism in Northern Ireland?<<

There have been many studies of multiculturalism in poet-Accord Northern Ireland. Some are quite good. This is one of the more comprehensive reports on the underlying issues:

https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/3811

"This dissertation is concerned with the emergence of multicultural agendas in Northern Ireland; a society traditionally divided along sectarian lines".

The country makes an interesting case study, having been plagued by conflict over religious differences for decades, and then moving straight into a more open society through significant immigration. The gist of the report is that the same bigotry that used to be contained in the Protestant/Catholic divide, has translated quite smoothly into racial and cultural differences. Having had so much practice at it, it would appear that it comes quite naturally to them.

This one is also worth a glance.

http://www.postcolonialweb.org/poldiscourse/casablanca/savaric2.html

"Multiculturalism is not in itself problematic, what is problematic is the politicisation of cultural differences."

Which is, of course, exactly what we are seeing being attempted here on this thread. Rotherham itself, and the despicable acts now exposed there, are going through the same process, becoming grist to the monoculturalist mill. The complete failure of their social services is also being dragged into the front line, changing its nature from blind human incompetence and fear, into an exemplar of total societal failure.

A story that frankly, I don't buy.

Oops. That was of course, post-Accord Northern Ireland. No poets, anywhere.

Mollieme,

Nothing degrades Muslims more than the Quran and hadith, except maybe the actions of Muslims. I don’t do anti-Muslim sites because I don’t need to. I have read almost all the relevant Islamic literature, and I can make my own judgments.

There is nothing wrong with degrading an ideology that teaches hate, discrimination, slander and violence toward others. Do you have a problem with that statement?

Oh yes, Muslims are so good at discussions and debate that they silence any criticism so they won’t have to think about their beliefs. Well, islam is perfect, so anything that indicates otherwise must the wrong, evil, misunderstood, bad translation, only some misguided Muslims, and (insert excuse here).

The “Islam / Quran is perfect attitude” is a trap that captures the Muslim mind. If this is true, then certainly islam is the one, perfect, wonderful, supreme (add superlative here) religion – but if there are lies, inconsistencies, errors and malevolent dogma in it, then it cannot be true. It is an “all or nothing” proposition so a Muslim cannot accept that islam is wrong, so they close their minds and defend the undefensible with silly excuses and by blaming others. For example, we certainly agree that ISIS, Al-Queda, Boko-haram all are evil yet they quote the Quran just fine, thank you. How could a perfect book be so misunderstood? The Quran itself says it is simple, easy to understand (Surah 8). Obviously it is not very perfect if it is the inspiration for much of the evil in Muslim societies in 50+ countries. I have read the Quran and you can’t even get a decent “thou shalt not kill” out of it. Perhaps you have noticed that the actions of ISIS terrorists are mirrored by verses in the Quran and the Sunnah of islam’s prophet. They didn’t just start beheading people because they didn’t like peoples’ haircuts – maybe the ‘strike their necks” verses (plural) has something to do with it.

Anyway, have a good trip and stay away from Malaysian Airlines

Kactuz, you said "There is nothing wrong with degrading an ideology that teaches hate, discrimination, slander and violence towards others".

Thanks for that statement regarding Christianity Kactuz. It's so good to know you support degrading Christianity, after all it has a notorious history throughout the ages of hate, discrimination, slander and violence. Just look at the Christianity witch burnings in the name of their God across Europe, yep over 200 years of Christians murdering multiple thousands of people accused of witchcraft. And let's not forget their God who murdered thousands of innocent little Egyptian babies (it's all in the bible so it must be true). How about all those Christianity victims in the Inquisition, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people murdered and tortured. The Franciscans helped organise the Nazi genocide in Croatia. Currently Christianity is still, even to this very day, burning to death and torturing witches in some regions of Africa. This is merely the tip of the iceburg, you could fill a book 100 times the size of the bible, about Christianity violence throughout the ages. It's all been factually documented in factual history. So let's go out and degrade Christianity.

Kactuz, do you have a problem with that statement?

Angus., No, of course not. Why should I have a problem? A statement is merely a declarative sentence that is either true or false (Wikipedia). Having been banned and censored repeatedly, I find those abhorrent. Unlike so many of our leaders, intellectuals, liberals and Muslims, I don’t fear free speech. If I can’t argue a point, I am either ignorant or wrong.

So now what? So what is your point? That Christianity is as evil as Islam? That all religions are bad? That history is a great field of study?

Christians have never threatened me or my family, the same for Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and spaghetti people. I can’t say that about your friends, the Muslims. I doubt there is a church in the world that I could walk into with a sign saying “The Bible says that Jehovah killed innocent thousands of Egyptian babies” (True, book of Exodus) and not walk out alive. Now, how many mosques would I walk out of alive if I were to hold a sign “Mohammed and his men killed thousands of innocent non-Muslim men women and children” (equally true). That is the difference.

This is the 21st Century, Angus, to put any other religion today at the same level as Islam requires a very disturbed, biased mind.

Oh BTW, the Pope has apologized for the inquisition and crusades and the Catholic Church is paying restitution for its horrible crimes against children. Could you kindly provide a link to an Islamic site apologizing for the hate and violence in the Quran, or condemning the evil deeds of Mr. “I am made victorious with Terror” Mohammed? That is the difference.

The teachings of Christ in the New Testament never gave sanction of the historical atrocities committed by persons supposed to be Christian.

The Koran clearly supports the killing of Christians and Jews, which is now authorizing ISIL for their actions. Clearly the New Testament and the Koran was not inspired by the same God.

ISIL associate Christianity as an American or Western thing, yet the Christian apostles in the first century established Churches in the area of Iraq. This was long before Mohamed or America was even thought of.