Is the Pope Catholic?
CNS News Amid growing concern across Europe about the threat of spreading jihadism, Austria’s coalition government unveiled far-reaching legislation which aims to stamp out foreign influence on and funding for Austria’s Muslims and mosques, and also envisages a standardized German-language version of the Qur’an.
Muslims in Austria protest
A major consequence of the law, which is due to come into effect from January, would be the rescinding of permits for scores of Turkish imams, or religious teachers, paid for by the Turkish government. Austrians of Turkish descent make up the biggest group of Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic country, followed by those of Bosnian background. Muslims comprise about six percent of the population.
Like those in many other European countries, Austrian authorities are deeply concerned about Islamist radicalization of Muslim citizens at home and abroad. As many as 140 Muslims who are Austrian citizens or residents are believed to be fighting with jihadist groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL).
Austrian MP Ewald Stadler screamed at the Turkish Ambassador: “People are sick and tired of Islam.”
Foreign Affairs and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz said Thursday there should be no contradiction between being a devout Muslim and a proud Austrian.
The draft bill, which aims to regulate Muslims’ rights and obligations and revises a 1912 law that officially recognized Islam, states that religious doctrines, institutions and practices must not conflict with the laws of Austria. If teaching institutions promote negative views of society or jeopardize public order, their recognition may be withdrawn.
Foreign funding of operating costs for mosques, schools and other Islamic facilities will be prohibited. As in many other European countries, Austrian officials are concerned about foreign imams who speak little of the local language, are not well-integrated into local society, and who may be spreading radical views.
A poster campaign by the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) shows a blonde woman with the phrase “Too beautiful for a veil”.
Imams working in Austria will be expected to have Austrian theological training so as to better connect with the local community. Religious organizations will be required to show a unified German-language version of their doctrine and religious texts, including the Qur’an.
The Qur’an proposal is potentially controversial, since Muslim scholars teach that the Qur’an – in the original Arabic – is the actual divine revelation given by Allah to Mohammed over a 23-year period in the 7th century. Translations in any other language are considered no more than approximations of the meaning, and not the Qur’an itself.
Kurz said in a recent radio interview there were “countless translations, countless interpretations” of the Qur’an, and having a uniform German translation would help to prevent extremist “misinterpretations.” (The quran IS extremist and any attempt to change it will cause Muslims to riot and kill)
Other provisions in the draft law cover issues like religious holidays, dietary matters and cemeteries. Genital mutilation is forbidden, although circumcision is expressly permitted.
The bill was drafted in consultation with two recognized Islamic bodies, the mainstream Islamic Religious Community in Austria and a body representing Alevis, a Muslim sect viewed as heretical by Sunnis, originating in Turkey.(See Turkish president Recep Erdogan’s view of the Muslim presence in Europe below)
The Vienna daily Wiener Zeitung noted in an editorial that some of proposed new regulations, such as the ban on foreign funding, were not applicable to other religions. But as long as murderers refer to Islam at the beheading of helpless hostages, Islam is just not a religion like any other,” it said. “Every law is a child of its time.”
In response to the rise of ISIS, the Austrian government last month announced a ban on ISIS symbols, plans to revoke the citizenship of any dual citizens who join the jihad, and new rules making it harder for minors to travel outside the European Union.
Earlier this year Austrian media reported on cases of teenage girls of Bosnian origin who traveled to Syria to “marry” jihadists and then join the fight, after being radicalized by an imam at a Vienna mosque.
I love Austria, it's a beautiful country especially Tyrol where my Sister In Law lives, it's breathtaking, the views of the mountains is awesome, and the thought of Muslims moving there makes my blood boil,but from what my Sister In Law tells me,Muslims are moving in everywhere, and the Austrians do not like it one little bit.
In Vienna they have people there similar to the UAF which is in Great Britain, there is no escape from them, they are everywhere these Muslim sympathies, but i wonder how much sympathy they will have for the Muslims, when they themselves are on their way to be beheaded or hung or even stoned to death.
Peter Kassig 26 became a Muslim. He was captured in Syria a year ago, he was helping Muslim refugees. He was an American veteran who served in Iraq, his decision to convert to Islam in captivity could not save his life.
Alan Henning was a British worker and a total lefty, he loved Muslims. He was an aid worker in Syria. Before his death, he blamed the government for the taking of his life, because of the attack on Isis. While these two men were being beheaded, David Cameron was praising the Muslims for Eid. What a slime ball Cameron is.
It makes no difference if you like Muslims or not, they will still kill you, they hate you and they can not be trusted.
I would hope the Austrian people will vote for the FPO party, then the Austrians can take back their country before Muslims take it over making everyone turn to Islam. I would never have thought the German government would allow all those Muslims to destroy their country, but they have, and now the Muslims are turning against them, it's the same all over Europe, it is a disgrace.
The only way to stop the Muslims, is by voting for your countries Nationalist parties.
To the people of Austria, don't let Muslims destroy your beautiful country, and vote for the FPO and take your country back.