France’s top Muslim official has suggested turning empty or
abandoned Catholic churches into mosques, saying as
many as 5,000 are needed for the country’s Muslim
population – the largest in Europe.
“It’s a delicate issue, but why not?” Dalil Boubakeur, rector of
the Grand Mosque in Paris and the president of the French
Council of Muslim Faith, told Europe 1 radio on Monday.
There are currently about 2,500 mosques in France with
another 300 under construction, but the number falls short
of what is needed, he said. With roughly 5 million Muslims
in France, at least 5,000 mosques are needed, Boubakeur
said.
During the interview with French radio he gave an example
of the transition of a church into a mosque in Clermont-
Ferrand, which was welcomed by the local religious
community. The church had been abandoned for more than
30 years and the building was given to the Muslim
community in 2012.
“It’s the same God, these are neighboring rites, fraternal, and I
think that Muslims and Christians can coexist and live
together, ” he said.
It’s not the first time the lack of places of worship for
millions of Muslims has been brought up in France. In April,
Boubakeur called for doubling the number of mosques.
His remarks were welcomed by the Christian community as
a “ legitimate” demand.
“Muslims should, like Christians and Jews, be able to practice
their religion, ” Monseigneur Ribadeau-Dumas, spokesperson
for the Bishops’ Conference of France, told French radio
station Europe 1.
However, this suggestion has been criticized by the far-right
National Front party. In April, Florian Philippot, its vice-
president, argued France doesn’t need more, because “ 100
percent of places of radicalization are mosques.”
The party’s leader Marine Le Pen called to stop the
construction of new mosques in March.
“ We must today freeze the construction of new mosques while
we verify the origin of their financing, ” she said in an interview
to France 24.
The question of building closer ties with the Muslim
community was discussed at the talks between the French
government and about 150 Muslim leaders in Paris on
Monday.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stressed there was no
link between extremism and Islam.
“We must say all of this is not Islam, ” he said. “ The hate
speech, anti-Semitism that hides behind anti-Zionism and hate
for Israel… the self-proclaimed imams in our neighborhoods and
our prisons who are promoting violence and terrorism…
“Islam still provokes misunderstandings, prejudices, and is
rejected by some citizens,” he added. “ Yet Islam is here to stay
in France. It’s the second largest religious group in our
country.”
The first conference between the government and Muslim
community leaders comes five months after the Charlie
Hebdo and kosher store jihadist attacks in Paris that killed
17 people.
The terrorists responsible for the attacks “ belong to a
different world than we do, ” said Boubakeur, speaking at the
conference.
There has been a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents in
France following the Islamist attacks in Paris. A report
issued in January by the National Observatory Against
Islamophobia said that over the month there has been an
110-percent increase in attacks.
www.muslimvillage.com/2015/06/18/82867/french-muslim-leader-make-empty-churches-mosques/

Only God knows what would've happened if the tables were turned. Too many hypocrites in this world.

I don’t think the French that overcame the tyranny of the monarchy, and bondage of the church, would readily welcome the religion of violent peace.

I love the French and their freedom.

I pity europe!

Dollyak:
Only God knows what would've happened if the table were turned. Too many hypocrites in this world.

Spot on!

I just hate reliqion!

turn any mosque into a church and see rain of blood around the globe

Why can't they build their own mosque elsewhere? Why propose to convert a church to a mosque?

European Christians are too liberal and tolerant,
That's why the will soon become a minority in their own country

barcanista:
Why can't they build their own mosque elsewhere? Why propose to convert a church to a mosque?

Na trouble dem sabi find!.

ebamma:
European Christians are too liberal and tolerant,
That's why the will soon become a minority in their own country

Let them continue in their foolish liberalism. It's soon they shall reap the brutal cconsequences of their myopia and foolishness.

They should leave those EMPTY churches alone. An empty church is safer!

I only pity Europe.

joseph1832:
Na trouble dem sabi find!.

Well, I think some people just love to cause unnecessary problem.

barcanista:
Why can't they build their own mosque elsewhere? Why propose to convert a church to a mosque?

Let a pastor, reverend or priest suggest a mosque be turned into a church and see the number of people that will die across the globe...

dearpreye:
They should leave those EMPTY churches alone. An empty church is safer!

I only pity Europe.

I was reading somewhere how some part of sweden has been turned to a "sharia" hub, the original owners of those places had to leave the area...SMH

fitzmayowa:


I was reading somewhere how some part of sweden has been turned to a "sharia" hub, the original owners of those places had to leave the area...SMH

Leave them alone. They shall be the ones to bear the grim consequences of their foolish decision.

barcanista:
Well, I think some people just love to cause unnecessary problem.

Has it ever occur to you that 'trouble' is what some people know how to find?.

I don't think you will ever see or hear any christian say they want to transform a mosque into a church, nope! They won't' do that for fear that the mosque might harbor dark powers, rather, they will collect offering/tithes/sowing seed money from the poor and lobotomize masses and use it to build edifice as magnificent as the Tower of Babel!.

My take, this muslims should go and sit down and stop poking their nose where its not wanted!.

Uyi168:
I just hate reliqion!

You hate God? Or Religion

Everytin abt I s l a m is shitz

fitzmayowa:


Let a pastor, reverend or priest suggest a mosque be turned into a church and see the number of people that will die across the globe...

Bros, if any Christian dares it, many heads will role in some part of the North and the Middle East. I hope the French refuse their request.

joseph1832:
Has it ever occur to you that 'trouble' is what some people know how to find?.

I don't think you will ever see or hear any christian say they want to transform a mosque into a church, nope! They won't' do that for fear that the mosque might harbor dark powers, rather, they will collect offering/tithes/sowing seed money from the poor and lobotomize masses and use it to build edifice as magnificent as the Tower of Babel!.

My take, this muslims should go and sit down and stop poking their nose where its not wanted!.

I think those clerics should seek for help from the Arab billionaires if they need new edifice.

A lot of pained pple on this thread...

Islamophobia

people should be weary of any migrating Muslim community to their territory. terrorist or terrorism comes to mind. in time past converting to Islam is by the sword. Islam or you die. and we can see that already resurfacing back again.

the world need to come to gather and abolish religion from the surface of the mother earth. as we can really see that there is no progress in religion rather its taking man back to stone age and enslavement. and the 21st century is far ahead of slave thinking people. with the advent of technology and evidence by scientists that the earth has been living and existed millions of years ago. which date back by far beyond religion or creation theory of any power ever existence.

Esdb3:

You hate God? Or Religion

....u didnt read wat i wrote,did u?

will the id.iot ever allow an abandon mosque to be converted to church

Uyi168:
I just hate reliqion!

Religion has since lost its purpose and relevance in the present day human society but the Almighty God remains on the throne and He reigneth for ever. Unfortunately , many christians do not know the difference between God and religion. Those who are still confused about this should find time to seek knowledge.

Uyi168:
....u didnt read wat i wrote,did u?

I did hence the question. Just answer

Esdb3:


I did hence the question. Just answer

...go again,read wat i wrote,then cum nd quote me

StOla:
I don’t think the French that overcame the tyranny of the monarchy, and bondage of the church, would readily welcome the religion of violent peace.

I love the French and their freedom.

5 million and still counting, if u are aggrieved, then go...

ebamma:
European Christians are too liberal and tolerant,
That's why the will soon become a minority in their own country

...just like how d Palestinians become minority after invasion of d Israelites right?

This is a very good proposal. The French are mostly indifferent to religion, so if the muslims need to use abandoned churches then so be it.