Mosques

There seems to be a new mosque opening up everywhere, and it's causing a lot of friction in Bolton, with a lot of people taking to Facebook to rant about the issue.
I'd say build one on every corner if they didn't have to be so conspicuous - they simply don't compliment the average English street. In the countries of their origin, they're surrounded by space and buildings of a similar design, not terraced housing and Premier off-licences.
I've stayed in numerous places in Turkey that has a mosque on it's doorstep, and it's my favourite holiday destination in the world. I just don't want one at the bottom of my street in England.

Is it fair for people to take issue with there being so many mosques?

My mate's dad was the roofing contractor on that big Mosque near the bottom of Halliwell Road, when it was being built in the mid 1990s. My mate helped him out when he was working on it.

My mate went to the chippy for lunch one day, but the food wasn't very good.

As a result, to this day, there is a decomposed meat pie somewhere in the cavity wall of that Mosque.

I'm not aware of any of the other Mosques in Bolton, or the friction you speak of. I live outside Bolton and never read the Bolton News etc.

I do know that the vast majority of 'protest' groups on Facebook are absolutely pathetic, and that in most cases they are driven by paranoia and xenophobia with poorly-veiled racist undertones. However I can't comment on the ones you refer to doffcocker because I haven't seen the groups and know nothing about the prposed Mosques your article is about.

Often buildings are built which don't quite fit the existing profile of a British street, as it were. Churches often don't really look like any other buildings in most cases. Ultra modern buildings with glass exteriors don't, either. For me personally, that's not a strong enough reason for councils to deny a mosque planning permission, unless there are already restrictions in place which equally apply to other buildings. For example there are some streets which are designated that new buildings/extensions must be in keeping with the character of a particular street.

For me though the underlying rule of thumb is this: you can't expect Muslims not to want Mosques to worship in: they come hand in hand. The issue is that some people don't want them on their street or in their community. It's the same "not in my back yard" mentality which most people have, nobody wants to live on a flight path, near a prison, near a refuge or halfway house, near Asylum seekers hostels, near drug rehab clinics, near brothels, near land fill sites and so on, and it is my view that in most cases, these objections are borne out of pure self interest. However in the case of Mosques, I believe that people often use the excuse about the building not fitting into the look and feel of their community as an excuse to smokescreen their own prejudices and intolerances.

I once put a gas supply into, what was then called Peace st. Mosque, off Cannon st. Daubhill in the late 70's. only problem was i couldn't understand what they were saying, but i took my shoes off just in case...elf and safety would go mad nowaday's, carrying a pair of 24in's Stillsons and not wearing safety boots.

They've built a new one Mosque since.

largehat wrote:I'm not aware of any of the other Mosques in Bolton, or the friction you speak of. I live outside Bolton and never read the Bolton News etc.

I do know that the vast majority of 'protest' groups on Facebook are absolutely pathetic, and that in most cases they are driven by paranoia and xenophobia with poorly-veiled racist undertones. However I can't comment on the ones you refer to doffcocker because I haven't seen the groups and know nothing about the prposed Mosques your article is about.

Often buildings are built which don't quite fit the existing profile of a British street, as it were. Churches often don't really look like any other buildings in most cases. Ultra modern buildings with glass exteriors don't, either. For me personally, that's not a strong enough reason for councils to deny a mosque planning permission, unless there are already restrictions in place which equally apply to other buildings. For example there are some streets which are designated that new buildings/extensions must be in keeping with the character of a particular street.

For me though the underlying rule of thumb is this: you can't expect Muslims not to want Mosques to worship in: they come hand in hand. The issue is that some people don't want them on their street or in their community. It's the same "not in my back yard" mentality which most people have, nobody wants to live on a flight path, near a prison, near a refuge or halfway house, near Asylum seekers hostels, near drug rehab clinics, near brothels, near land fill sites and so on, and it is my view that in most cases, these objections are borne out of pure self interest. However in the case of Mosques, I believe that people often use the excuse about the building not fitting into the look and feel of their community as an excuse to smokescreen their own prejudices and intolerances.

There's been a mosque at the bottom of my street since I was too young to know the significance of one. It wasn't a bother of anyone's until a year ago when it got a dome extended onto it, and joined the other one which you refer to in dominating the Halliwell skyline.

As you say, there are lots of buildings people don't want at the bottom of their street, so it simply isn't necessarily a rant fuelled by Islamic prejudice when somebody says they don't want a mosque at the bottom of their street, although I appreciate that often is the case.

It's a question of whether so many are necessary.

There was an item in the Bolton Evening News a few weeks back about a study centre being turned into a prayer centre. Basically it meant that praying would be allowed between sunrise and sunset. I seem to remember that the objections to this planning change massively outweighed the number of people who proposed it, but the council gave the go ahead anyway to cries of "shame on you" etc. I don't really understand the problem other than if I wanted to park outside my house, but every parking space was taken by people attending the prayer centre, then that would start to piss you off after the first few days !

The other thing pointed out above is that quite rightly muslims need somewhere to pray. However, we have a lot of muslims here in Germany, but there isn't a mosque on every street corner.

largehat wrote:My mate's dad was the roofing contractor on that big Mosque near the bottom of Halliwell Road, when it was being built in the mid 1990s. My mate helped him out when he was working on it.

My mate went to the chippy for lunch one day, but the food wasn't very good.

As a result, to this day, there is a decomposed meat pie somewhere in the cavity wall of that Mosque.

you do understand that if this news gets to the Muslim community this will cause an absolute shitstorm...

doffcocker wrote:

largehat wrote:I'm not aware of any of the other Mosques in Bolton, or the friction you speak of. I live outside Bolton and never read the Bolton News etc.

I do know that the vast majority of 'protest' groups on Facebook are absolutely pathetic, and that in most cases they are driven by paranoia and xenophobia with poorly-veiled racist undertones. However I can't comment on the ones you refer to doffcocker because I haven't seen the groups and know nothing about the prposed Mosques your article is about.

Often buildings are built which don't quite fit the existing profile of a British street, as it were. Churches often don't really look like any other buildings in most cases. Ultra modern buildings with glass exteriors don't, either. For me personally, that's not a strong enough reason for councils to deny a mosque planning permission, unless there are already restrictions in place which equally apply to other buildings. For example there are some streets which are designated that new buildings/extensions must be in keeping with the character of a particular street.

For me though the underlying rule of thumb is this: you can't expect Muslims not to want Mosques to worship in: they come hand in hand. The issue is that some people don't want them on their street or in their community. It's the same "not in my back yard" mentality which most people have, nobody wants to live on a flight path, near a prison, near a refuge or halfway house, near Asylum seekers hostels, near drug rehab clinics, near brothels, near land fill sites and so on, and it is my view that in most cases, these objections are borne out of pure self interest. However in the case of Mosques, I believe that people often use the excuse about the building not fitting into the look and feel of their community as an excuse to smokescreen their own prejudices and intolerances.

There's been a mosque at the bottom of my street since I was too young to know the significance of one. It wasn't a bother of anyone's until a year ago when it got a dome extended onto it, and joined the other one which you refer to in dominating the Halliwell skyline.

As you say, there are lots of buildings people don't want at the bottom of their street, so it simply isn't necessarily a rant fuelled by Islamic prejudice when somebody says they don't want a mosque at the bottom of their street, although I appreciate that often is the case.

It's a question of whether so many are necessary.

the problem is if they want to build one, you cant stop them...

post a rejection to any building and it will be looked at fairly and your objection will be considered.

post a rejection to a mosque being built and your branded a racist, ignorant biggot...

so they win, the mosque gets built.

just you try building a church in the middle of aliwell' or daubhillstan...

I'm 100% against all these mosques being built, for no other reason that they get preferential treatment. They always have someone on the council who will push it through.

For example, my own church wanted to build a small extension to the back of the church because the youth/Sunday school groups have become so popular. It was turned down because local residents complained. The mosque 50 yards down the road wanted to add one of those dome things to their mosque and virtually the whole city complained but it was pushed through by several councillors belonging to the mosque.

That's nothing to do with religion or race, just old fashioned corruption.

Natasha Whittam wrote:I'm 100% against all these mosques being built, for no other reason that they get preferential treatment. They always have someone on the council who will push it through.

For example, my own church wanted to build a small extension to the back of the church because the youth/Sunday school groups have become so popular. It was turned down because local residents complained. The mosque 50 yards down the road wanted to add one of those dome things to their mosque and virtually the whole city complained but it was pushed through by several councillors belonging to the mosque.

That's nothing to do with religion or race, just old fashioned corruption.

^^^ this...

All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

We should have a similar stance to that of Aussies. If you are muslim that is fine, here is a room you can pray in. I don't see why they need so many mosques / meeting halls.

I dont like the look of them ugly fucking things too many being built,i live in england not the fucking middle east and i dont give a shit who it upsets.

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

Basically where i stand.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

Basically where i stand.

So presumably neither you think any other churches should be built either then?

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

I've never been brainwashed.

largehat wrote:
So presumably neither you think any other churches should be built either then?

Correct.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

I've never been brainwashed.

You have.

largehat wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:All religion is a load of shit in my opinion. I don't mind people having faith if it makes them happy but some people take it to the extreme. Mosques and churches seem to be a place for brain washing people rather than a place to worship. I don't think any more mosques should be built.

Basically where i stand.

So presumably neither you think any other churches should be built either then?

I'm not going to protest or whine if a new mosque or church is built to be honest, but it's my opinion the world would be a better place if they weren't.

Does it really affect us? Many people are too quick to hate Muslims and Islam and it all to do with media they are forever portraying Islam as bad i.e. Every solider who gets killed in action is classed as a hero but they forget the innocent women and children who have lost their lifes just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The media breed hatred and people with no brain cells go along with it.
Its about time that people mingled together and got to know each other and ask question to understand peoples culture and believes.
I am a none religious person but am always asking people of all religions about their faith just out of respect, to get to know why and how they go about certain things in life.
The people who think Islam is bad I put it to you to read up about it and come back and tell me it is still bad. Yes you get a few idiots but dont every faith have them.