English Schoolboys punished with detention for refusing to kneel in class and pray to Allah

This is what you call intolerance?

People really need to get over themselves. There are already far too many lines that divide us. What is the issue with learning about other people's faiths (keeping in mind that "learning about" is not the same thing as "converting to")? Have we ever heard of the field of "cultural studies?" It has nothing to do with "conversion" but with "learning about" and "understanding."

The issue was not that they were being forced to CONVERT to Islam. They were being asked to participate in a classroom activity designed to foster a sense of understanding between differing cultures.

Frankly, I think that the exercise is a GOOD thing, so long as those participating conceptually understand what is being asked of them. Not conversion, not acceptance (of "truth" or "correctness"), simply understanding and compassion (which is supposed to be a good Christian quality, I might add; might do to recall that). That said, in the US the class would have probably had a disclaimer and been a more-or-less voluntary activity. The punishment probably was incommensurate with the crime. Though apparent religious intolerance probably shouldn't exactly be lauded either.

It sounds like this was part of a multi-cultural demonstration (granted, I don't know whether it was ONLY Islam that was being demonstrated, or whether other cultures were being equally represented [that day, or at another time]). In essence, a "show me yours and I'll show you mine" type deal. In other words, "here's how our culture worships, here's how their culture worships, here's how another culture worships."

It's not saying that "by participating you must convert to a foreign belief system or forsake whatever God or lack thereof your belief system dictates," simply that you are to understand it, to "walk a mile in their shoes." Apparently the meaning was either completely lost or not communicated properly in the classroom?

Inevitably, what we should all be shooting for is a mutual understanding and respect. We can agree to disagree, and do so peacefully. There's plenty of room for everyone and every persuasion, on this giant hunk of rock, dirt and water. But, then, I live and was raised on the west coast of the USA, which is relatively liberal, friendly and pluralist. More so, perhaps, than some other regions.

I guess I come analytically from the pluralist mindset, looking in from the outside.

Just my 2c, of course.

Regards,
~Michael Gmirkin

Exactly. I can't believe what happened to you with your poem!

Oh Happy Days.

Barry Artiste wrote:
"Certainly as I had mentioned many, many time, this is multiculturalism and diversity gone wrong!"

I disagree... See my comment above.

I think this is conservative knee-jerk reactionary rhetoric "gone wrong."

The issue is not one of "conversion," it's simply one of "cultural studies" (an attempt to learn about and understand other cultures). Frankly, the parents could use a bit of pluralism study themselves, if they honestly "don't get it" this badly.

It has nothing to do with forcing someone to convert or forsake their God (or lack thereof). People need to ratchet back the rhetoric and view the situation logically, and dispassionately, which their own irrational senses of "moral outrage" seem to be disallowing at the moment.

People need to learn the difference between learning about a culture or "participating" and "adopting" the culture. 100% different propositions.

Participating in the culture: learning something new about another culture (for instance Islam). At the end of the day, you go home and you're still whatever you were before (for instance, Christian or atheist), but with a more learned world-view (understanding how another culture sees and interacts with the world). Includes such things as Irish folk-dancing, reading Finnish folk-tales or Norse kennings or, yes, even viewing or participating in some local or foreign religious festival / ritual.

Adopting the culture: making a conscious choice of one's own free will to consider a particular set of moral / religious / spiritual / cultural beliefs to be of superior value and actively "adopting" or utilizing the same. (Generally a permanent thing.)

There's a world of difference between the two propositions. The entire issue has been illogically distorted and blown way out of proportion. I would agree that the punishment for failure to participate was probably way too extreme, since the failure to participate was on the grounds of religious beliefs (the boys in question had what they believed were legitimate misgivings about the exercise; likely because the above philosophical conversation never took place beforehand).

While they probably should not have received detention for what they perceived to be a valid complaint, they should probably also not be lauded for their display of apparent intolerance of another culture either. From the outside looking in, the boys' actions do seem a bit arrogant and disrespectful. Though, if the point of the exercise was not properly communicated to or received by the boys, then the teacher may bear some small responsibility.

That's my 2c. Still...

Regards,
~Michael Gmirkin

I have to say I agree with Zichi here.  This is not multiculturalism gone wrong.  This is reverse monoculture.   

You do have a different perspective, uusijio

Yeah, but I bet you took them up on their offer of Free Wine and Cheese, oh wait, I think that is Quebec Catholic Communion?

It was exactly the same at my convent school, Beaulieu. I think that was the first thing to turn me against Catholicism.

Yeah, but did you bother to read the comments, some from the parents of children involved in this incident?