Religious Crackdown in Denmark

The threat of religious extremism has been growing in Europe, and observers think that Denmark may be preparing to crack down on extremists Islamic groups in that nation. Although proposed plans are framed generally about religious extremists, no one for a minute thinks that they will have any impact on Christian, Jewish, or Buddhist groups.

News 24 reports:

Under the new rules, religious leaders will be obliged to be self-supporting, speak Danish and respect "Western values" or risk being declared persona non grata. The rules are apparently designed to deter radical Islamic clerics from establishing bases in Denmark and clip the wings of those who already live in the tiny country.

"The imams (Muslim clerics) have a very negative influence on both parents and young people," Integration Minister Bertel Haarder declared in the Friday edition of daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Haarder told the paper he believed a number of Muslim clerics would be forced to leave Denmark because they would not be able to fulfil the demands of the new rules and would therefore not be able to obtain residence permits or renew them. "I think the most fundamentalist of the imams, who are poorly educated and speak Danish badly, will end up having to go back home," he said.

There is reason to be concerned when the government starts deciding that only "moderate" Muslim leaders are welcome and that only "moderate" Islam is acceptable - that's part of the legacy of not separating church and state. At the same time, it isn't unreasonable for the government not to want to fund religious extremists who preach the destruction of the West. Forcing them to be self-supporting manages to separate church and state a little, and that's a good thing.

Read More:

• Secularism 101
• Separation of Church and State 101