Farwell to the cross

Screenprint from nrk.no

A few months ago a Norwegian TV-reporter in our state channel was told not to wear a cross as a neclace. The tiny piece of jewelery, less than 1.5 centimeter, was a gift from her husband, bought in Dubai. The broadcasting council in Norway supported the ban. There have been similar cases with women beeing banned for wearing crosses as jewelry in other European countries.

A couple of months later, in January this year, the Norwegian Armed Forces received an award for allowing hijab in the forces. The award was given by a minister from Fremskrittspartiet, a party that a Swedish commentator recently called “the mass murder’s favorite gang”, the murderer beeing the right wing terrorist Anders B. Breivik.

So the world has turned upside down. A small cross, often used as jewelery by Christians, secular, and probably atheists alike in Scandinavia, is forbidden. And the hijab is rewarded, and that by a party known as the one and only party with “hostility towards immigration” in Norway. Nobody mentioned the millions of women who are forced to cover around the world, and even punished or killed if they don’t. Just look at the new video, allegedly showing the schoold girls kidnapped by Boko Haram. How happy they look, forced to be veiled. I don’t doubt that individuals feels the hijab is just a sign of devotion, but it is also an instrument of oppression. And why is the headscarf strongly forbidden in Morocco’s military and the police, a country with 99 % Muslims, and awarded in Norway?

Every year one of the Muslim fundamentalist organizations in Norway arrange what they call a “peace conference”.  I think we should call on George Orwell and his newspeak. Imams from many Western countries participate, many notoriously known for hate speech, like Anjem Choudary and Haitham Al-Haddad. I recommend to read what the web site The Islamic Far–Right In Britain quotes from Al-Haddad:

«The far ultimate aim for Muslims is to have Islam governing the whole world, Islamisation of the whole globe. This is the ultimate aim of any Muslim and of all communities.»

And about the freedom in religion in the future muslim state in Europe: “Any person who wants to believe in Christianity, he can. Anyone who wants to believe in Hinduism, he can. Anyone who wants to believe in atheism, he can. But he has to what? To bear the consequences.”

Al-Haddad’s videos are used extensively by Islam Net on Facebook. This is a fundamentalist organization aimed to spread Islam in Norway, and they are so successful that they run their own school for converts. And have 14.035 members in a closed group on FB, and 7.350 in an open group.

During the «peace conference” last year they asked the participants if stoning is the best punishment for adultery and homosexuality. 1500 people (4000 according to Islam Net) raised their hands.

So what is my point by all this? My point is that the Norwegian society is pushing the old traditions and religion in this country under the carpet, and at the same time opens the gates for those with a totalitarian interpretation of another religion. I find this very strange.

And strange again when the board for the Church of Norway voted about gay marriages a few weeks ago. Not gay marriages as such, that has been legal for years, but gay marriage in the church. The proposal fell against a small majority and will certainly be passed someday soon. But rage went loose around the country. Thousands quit the church in protest. They do not see that the Norwegian Church is almost completely reformed and one of the most generous in the world. And they don’t see the narrowmindedness around the corner.

Myself I find it more necessary to fight where the real oppression exists, and where reforms remains. It does not mean I believe all Muslims have such bigoted and dangerous opinions, absolutely not, but they do exist. In February, one of the islamists in Norway was sentenced for threats against journalists. He was also convicted of hate speech against Jews, but acquitted of hate speech against a gay person. According to the court, he had freedom of religion to encourage stoning of a gay writer living in Norway. The sentence was 120 days, but he didn’t go to jail. Part of the sentence was suspended and the other part was spent in custody.  The screen print above is showing how this islamist was celebrating 9/11 on his Facebook page.

The secular populations in Scandinavia and Northern Europe are leaving their churches. And Muslims are ready to take over. Even in my little hometown, 500-600 km north of Oslo. A Norwegian convert writes on the local FB-site for Islam Net that they are ready to take over, but maybe not yet Nidarosdomen. The Cathedral (photo below) is built over the burial site of Saint Olaf, king of Norway in the 11th century, who became the patron saint of the nation. The church is the traditional location for the consecration of the King of Norway, it is almost 1000 years old and is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world. This is what she wrights on the screenprint above, my translation: “Sisters and brothers in Trondheim, hope you look for opportunities to buy churches that can be used as a mosque. It need not be Nidaros Cathedral right away, hehe, but look at Bakke Church. It will fit perfectly! It even has a minaret if the top part is cut down a bit (can be handled by the Cultural Heritage Management Office).”

I do not believe that some religions are better than others (although I expect religions to be reformed for our time). But Christianity is most important in Norway, since it is part of thousand years of tradition and history. So it is actually rather rude to want to take over the churches. I also think it is double standards of the many secular who want to eradicate Christianity, while they open all doors for another religion. Some of its proponents work for a future where there would be no freedom left.