Blind, bovine hope will get us nowhere – it’s time to change our response to Islamic extremism
by Douglas Murray, Spectator:
Last Sunday, I appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Politics to discuss the aftermath of the Manchester attack. I said what I thought, and various Muslim groups promptly went bananas.
This was not caused by my suggestion that this country should finally crack-down on British officials who spend their retirements working as shills for the House of Saud. Nor by my ridiculing of that modern European tradition whereby someone blows us up and we respond by singing John Lennon songs (and now Oasis too). Rather they objected to my simple two-word suggestion that we could all do with ‘less Islam’.
In a short film preceding the studio discussion, I mentioned that countries like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have very little Islam and very little Islamic terror. By contrast, France has a great amount of Islam and a great amount of Islamic terror. To most people it would seem obvious – to co-opt the immortal words of Donatella Versace – that ‘more means more’. Because although many communities are capable of producing extremists, only Islamic communities produce Islamic extremists. Of course some people don’t want to accept this fact. Not least because informed choices might result. For instance, it might help us weigh up the ongoing cultural benefits of large-scale Islamic immigration versus the down-side of dozens of obliterated lives every now and then.
Editor’s note: this is an interesting viewpoint which needs to be heard, but I for one don’t agree with it.
It’s not clear to me how Mr Murray proposes that we get “less Islam” in this country without either deporting large numbers of Muslims, or banning public displays or messages of Islam, or both. It’s difficult to see how that could be achieved without race-based immigration policies, and draconian restrictions on freedom for those already here, which would have to include similar restrictions on all religions, including Christianity. Perhaps that is what Mr Murray ultimately wants?
“Less Islam” than what? Murray is right to say that the nation can’t overcome this appalling threat by hand-wringing and lighting of candles. But the answer is not to promote secularism and restrict religion. I would argue that what we need is more public Christianity.
It was very significant this morning (Sunday) that the BBC Radio 4 news reports of the attacks in London were immediately followed by the normal half hour slot of worship. This was a pre-recorded, well-produced and contemporary mix of readings, songs and prayers from the non-denominational ‘Big Church Day Out’, with contributors talking clearly about sharing the message of Jesus with a needy world, and bringing our problems to God through concerted prayer. The secularists will be furious at the editorial decision taken at the BBC to go ahead with this in its normal Sunday slot at a time when millions are switching on their radios at breakfast time wanting to hear more details about havoc in the capital’s streets caused by Islamist maniacs.
But to me it was completely appropriate. What we got as a response to a violent creed was the clear promotion of a peaceful and life-giving one. Following reports of horror we did not get soundbites from politicians or pundits, but the simple lifting up of Jesus as Lord. The Government can respond with more security and surveillance, but the Church can respond with prayer, evangelism, and patient and public explaining of the Christian message, including in the media, in the workplace, and areas inhabited by predominantly Muslim communities. Today of all days we have to believe that it’s possible.
Andrew Symes, Pentecost 2017
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