Bangladeshi residents and others in Monfalcone say decisions to prohibit worship at cultural centres and banning burkinis at the beach is part of anti-Islam agenda

Bangladeshi residents and others in Monfalcone say decisions to prohibit worship at cultural centres and banning burkinis at the beach is part of anti-Islam agenda

The envelope containing two partially burned pages of the Qur’an came as a shock. Until then, Muslim residents in the Adriatic port town of Monfalcone had lived relatively peacefully for more than 20 years.

Addressed to the Darus Salaam Muslim cultural association on Via Duca d’Aosta, the envelope was received soon after Monfalcone’s far-right mayor, Anna Maria Cisint, banned prayers on the premises.

“It was hurtful, a serious insult we never expected,” said Bou Konate, the association’s president. “But it was not a coincidence. The letter was a threat, generated by a campaign of hate that has stoked toxicity.”

Monfalcone’s population recently passed 30,000. Such a positive demographic trend would ordinarily spell good news in a country grappling with a rapidly declining birthrate, but in Monfalcone, where Cisint has been nurturing an anti-Islam agenda since winning her first mandate in 2016, the rise has not been welcomed.

    • Cosmicomical@lemmy.worldEnglish
      356·
      9 months ago

      How about we invest in properly educating children so we won’t need to worry about religion anymore?

      • Hadriscus@lemm.eeEnglish
        1219·
        9 months ago

        Religion is not necessarily a lack of education, perhaps there is a correlation where you live but it’s quite insulting to suggest this is universal

        • SkippingRelax@lemmy.worldEnglish
          237·
          9 months ago

          It seems to be, on the planet I live on. It’s literally trying to explain things with magic and imaginary creatures.

          • Hadriscus@lemm.eeEnglish
            65·
            9 months ago

            @SkippingRelax

            You’re being willfully reductive… religion is not only a cosmogony, it is also (and often dominantly) a set of rites and laws. People have always been educated and religious. But then that varies locally and I don’t hope to invalidate your experience by stating that

            • Cosmicomical@lemmy.worldEnglish
              121·
              9 months ago

              I’m sure you’re a good person, and I don’t have much against religion as a concept, but on average it’s not a force that i consider positive for humanity, and religious establishment is very easily corrupted in every possible way.

      • uis@lemm.eeEnglish
        527·
        9 months ago

        Sounds like communism. Or Navalny, but he is busy being corpse.

      • uis@lemm.eeEnglish
        353·
        9 months ago

        Ok. Then removing state funding and subsidies of all religions.

        • iegod@lemm.eeEnglish
          282·
          9 months ago

          That’s reasonable and should be the default. No special treatment, but no special restrictions either. That’s only fair.

          • uis@lemm.eeEnglish
            43·
            9 months ago

            Dunno. But they are in Russia. Fuck Putin.

      • stoly@lemmy.worldEnglish
        75·
        9 months ago

        Yes but then you’re hurting everyone equally. This is actually a better idea than discriminating against a single group because it’s actually fair.

      • mods_are_assholes@lemmy.worldEnglish
        513·
        9 months ago

        anti-theists never care about the damage they inflict, as they are strong believers that the damages religion brings is infinitely worse than the atrocities they feel they must commit to eradicate it.

        It’s just another flavor of fanaticism that feels entitled to their violent rhetoric because ‘they see more clearly’.

        It’s the same euphoria any zealot feels.

        • Alexstarfire@lemmy.worldEnglish
          51·
          9 months ago

          Ahh yes, the atrocity of making it illegal. I’m not for making religion illegal but how is that in any way equal to even a portion of the violence caused by various religions?

          • mods_are_assholes@lemmy.worldEnglish
            25·
            9 months ago

            Religion isn’t required for atrocities to happen, some of the most brutal regimes in the world are staunch atheists.

            Do you have any idea what Russia did to the clergy after the revolution?

            Or the absolute inhumanity by which the Chinese government has treated Tibetan monks?

            All in the name of cleansing the world of ‘hateful religion’.

            It’s so easy to turn a blind eye to your own side’s revolting history and pretend you have clean hands.

            We’ve seen what happens when atheists take over, and it is ALWAYS followed by the blood of the faithful.

            • Croquette@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              61·
              9 months ago

              Religion isn’t required, but history has shown over and over that it is inevitable that atrocities are committed in the name of religion.

              Why do religion get a pass, but a cult doesn’t? They operate the same way.

              • mods_are_assholes@lemmy.worldEnglish
                27·
                9 months ago

                but history has shown over and over that it is inevitable that atrocities are committed in the name of religion.

                Abusers will always seek positions of power to abuse from, the pedo elite in hollywood is proof of this, and only one of their kind was ever even brought up on charges in the last decade.

                Same with the military

                Same with the government

                You just blame religion exclusively because some edgelad youtuber told you to.

                  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldMEnglish
                    11·
                    9 months ago

                    Nothing wrong with the comment until the last line. Do not attack other users. Removed.

                  • mods_are_assholes@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    11·
                    9 months ago

                    Political leaders all around the world pushes for a religious ethno state.

                    Nope, but I do know Russia is trying really hard to be an atheist ethnostate.

                    Religion are tax exempt in a lot of place, and use a lot of that money to lobby.

                    1. Churches aren’t tax free because they are churches, they are tax free because they are charities and operate like every other charity except there is one less disclosure form a year they have to file, and quite a lot of churches choose to file that form for transparency. I know you love your talking point but it is simply incorrect.

                    2. Churches are strictly prohibited from many political activities. Here is some stuff from the Freedom From Religion website:

                    In order to remain tax-exempt under 501©(3), churches must abide by strict guidelines that prohibit election activity. The Code states in relevant part that 501©(3) organizations cannot “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” I.R.C. Sec. 501©(3). Thus, as a 501©(3) organization, churches are strictly forbidden from supporting or opposing a candidate for public office. To do so jeopardizes their tax-exempt status. Churches cannot engage in any of the following activities under the federal tax law:

                    Cannot endorse or oppose candidates for public office
Cannot make any communication—either from the pulpit, in a newsletter, or church bulletin—which expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a candidate for public office
**Cannot make expenditures on behalf of a candidate for public office or allow any of their resources to be used indirectly for political purposes (e.g., use their phones for a phone bank)**
Cannot ask a candidate for public office to sign a pledge or other promise to support a particular issue
Cannot distribute partisan campaign literature
Cannot display political campaign signs on church property

                    It is fucking appaling that religion isn’t put in the looney bin with the rest of the cults.

                    Ok edgelad

        • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.worldEnglish
          11·
          9 months ago

          euphoria any zealot feels.

          Thank you in advance for making me feel good about calling your god skydaddy. Why don’t you pray to it to stop me?