Cantu, Noah

Mr.Wisner
World History
2nd Tuesday/ Thursday
4/13/17

Restrictions on Religious Groups on the Rise

Link to the article:

http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/restrictions-religious-groups-rise-europe

Key Vocabulary

1. Religion: The service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or

devotion to religious faith or observance.

2. Restriction: the limitation or control of someone or something, or the state of being

limited or restricted.

3. Religious Groups: A set of individuals whose identity as such is distinctive in terms of

common religious creed, beliefs, doctrines, practices, or rituals.

4. Religious Harassment: Two kinds of religious harassment in the workplace: requiring

employees to abandon or change their religious beliefs as a condition of employment, and

unwelcome and pervasive comments or behavior regarding their religion that create a

hostile or abusive work environment. For behavior to qualify as harassment, it must

generally be severe and widespread.

Summary of the Event

An article was recently posted on the web site World Religion News.com titled:

RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS GROUPS ARE ON THE RISE IN EUROPE dealt with

current religious restrictions in Europe specifically aimed at Islamic groups. The article points to
Cantu, Noah
Mr.Wisner
World History
2nd Tuesday/ Thursday
4/13/17
a variety of events occurring in Europe that deal with religious religious restrictions and

harassment aimed pointedly at Muslim people. The article states that the harassment comes in

many forms, both direct and indirect. Some subtle ways that religious harassment can take place

include the implementation of practicing religion in public. An example of a more direct form of

religious harassment includes the Vehement way the burkini ban was enforced.

In particular religious harassment and restrictions seem to be targeted at Muslims and

immigrants. The article speaks of cases where Muslims have been asked to remove their hijabs

and shave their beards. The article also sees a rise in physical attacks on Muslims due to the

recent terrorist attacks. Some claim that this abuse or harassment is necessary to national

security, while others say that this abuse it retaliatory. These offensive acts are clearly acts of

religious persecution.

The article also points to religious restrictions in the United States. The article states that

perceived religious persecution of Christians lead most Christians in the U.S. to vote for Donald

Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election. According to the article this is primarily because most

Christians are finding it harder to pray and publicly display their religion in public due to

religious restrictions placed on them by secular forces. It appears that the article suggests that not

even the United States is immune to religious intolerance. Thus religious persecution is currently

a global issue.

My opinion of the Event

Recently there appears to have been a rise in religious restrictions, specifically in Europe,

aimed mostly at the Muslim Community. I can understand why many people would want to
Cantu, Noah
Mr.Wisner
World History
2nd Tuesday/ Thursday
4/13/17
establish restrictions in light of recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by Islamic terrorist groups.

Fear of these groups may have caused some to generalize, that anything related to Islamic

traditions and customs could lead to further acts of terrorism. While I and most people do not

condone terrorist acts on any level I believe any decision regarding religious customs should be

openly discussed and debated prior to implementation rather than instituted in an impulsive

reactionary way. For example France recently banned the use of the burkini; a full body

swimsuit used by muslim women. However most would agree that this ban was the primary

result due to fear. As FDR once said The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. meaning that

we should never be governed out of such fear.

Relate your Event to a Historical Event

One cannot help to think of the religious persecution experienced by the Jewish people of

Nazi Germany. Ultimately this persecution lead to a horrific outcome that included the genocide

of six million Jews. These circumstances begin in with a slow process of restricting religious

customs. Thus history demonstrated what can happen if these types of restrictions go

unchallenged. The difference between these two events is that because this was within the last

hundred years and because it was documented thoroughly most people are well aware of the

atrocities experienced by the Jewish people in World War II and are less likely to sit back and do

nothing about it.

Relate your Event to a Sub Theme

Cantu, Noah
Mr.Wisner
World History
2nd Tuesday/ Thursday
4/13/17
I would relate this event to the sub theme cultural interactions belief systems,philosophies

and ideologies. This article clearly illustrates the interaction of two cultures which in this case

are the western Europeans and people practicing Islamic traditions and customs. The difference

in customs has created a cultural misunderstanding.

4 Questions about the Event

1. Will France continue to pass laws that prohibit religious customs?

2. What can be done to prevent religious harassment?

3. Should governments allow religious restrictions to be targeted on a specific

group.

4. At what point would it be acceptable to implement religious laws or policies that

promote religious restrictions.