Culture Secretary Sajid Javid has accepted what Dame Louise Casey said in her Report about some sections of society not accepting British values such as tolerance.
Javid said that people could not play a "positive role" in British public life unless they accepted basic values which include democracy, equality and freedom of speech. That is true.
That these three basic values are contrary to the ideology of those claiming to be suffering most because they are not allowed to do as they please in their host country appears to have escaped him. Sharia is preferred to democracy, equality is an alien concept and free speech is a one-way vehicle.
There are diverse views within groups as illustrated by the Muslim housemates in the previous entry. Many public servants may be sufficiently relaxed or ill-informed about their faith allowing them to accept the idea of a British values oath. They are not the problem. It is those who are prepared to follow their supremacist ideology to the letter with the promise of salvation if they die in the process.
The idea is well intentioned. It is based an typical British values which requires a sacred Oath to be sworn or an affirmation to be made. If the values expressed in the sacred book of choice are alien to British values the idea is dead before it starts.
What is needed is a proper evaluation of an ideology which expects others to accept that it is a religion of peace but regards any questioning or perceived criticism as Islamophobia.
Better understanding is the key. A comparison with traditional Christian values on which our culture is based is paramount but politicians and religious leaders shrink from the challenge as they ignore the Great Commission and validate other faiths to the detriment of Christianity.
Javid said that people could not play a "positive role" in British public life unless they accepted basic values which include democracy, equality and freedom of speech. That is true.
That these three basic values are contrary to the ideology of those claiming to be suffering most because they are not allowed to do as they please in their host country appears to have escaped him. Sharia is preferred to democracy, equality is an alien concept and free speech is a one-way vehicle.
There are diverse views within groups as illustrated by the Muslim housemates in the previous entry. Many public servants may be sufficiently relaxed or ill-informed about their faith allowing them to accept the idea of a British values oath. They are not the problem. It is those who are prepared to follow their supremacist ideology to the letter with the promise of salvation if they die in the process.
The idea is well intentioned. It is based an typical British values which requires a sacred Oath to be sworn or an affirmation to be made. If the values expressed in the sacred book of choice are alien to British values the idea is dead before it starts.
What is needed is a proper evaluation of an ideology which expects others to accept that it is a religion of peace but regards any questioning or perceived criticism as Islamophobia.
Better understanding is the key. A comparison with traditional Christian values on which our culture is based is paramount but politicians and religious leaders shrink from the challenge as they ignore the Great Commission and validate other faiths to the detriment of Christianity.
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