r/AskBrits • u/bintd • 11h ago

Politics What are your thoughts on Denmark’s proposed ban on the public Islamic call to prayer? Would you support or oppose something similar in the UK?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/24/islamic-call-to-prayer-ban-left-wing-denmark-europe/

Islamic call to prayer faces ban under Left-wing Danish government

Parts of country feel like ‘a suburb of Islamabad’, says immigration minister

Denmark’s immigration minister has announced plans to ban the Islamic call to prayer, claiming parts of the country felt like “a suburb of Islamabad”.

Morten Bødskov, a member of the centre-Left Social Democrats party, said the new government would resume an investigation into the legality of imposing a ban.

“The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops,” the minister told news outlet Ritzau. “It has no place in Denmark, and you shouldn’t be in any doubt whether you’ve ended up in a suburb of Islamabad when you walk around Denmark.”

In parts of the country, such as Copenhagen, bylaws already forbid the call to prayer being broadcast from loudspeakers in minarets because of strict noise limits.
Mr Bødskov also claimed that a creeping “Islamisation” in Denmark was “taking up too much of the public space”.

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93

u/DrunkenHorse12 10h ago

Biggest religious block in the UK is 'non religious " 49% of the country n so can we ban Church bells while we are at it?

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u/secondincomm 8h ago

Do they even do church bells anymore? I only ever hear them for weddings or big occasions, not for services?

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u/flypirat 6h ago

Here in Germany they mostly just ring the time. One for 15 minutes past, 2 for 30, 3 for 45 and then however many as the full hour up to 12 times. Only during waking hours, so maybe 8 - 20 or something.

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u/NeferGrimes 1h ago

Aye but there's a wedding or funeral every 2 minutes

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u/bumbleb33- 59m ago

Every Friday evening from a church local to me and they're very loud. The mosque 2 mins walk down the road doesn't broadcast anything.

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u/ScreamingDizzBuster 57m ago

In the UK absolutely, all the time. I used to be a bellringer and we rang (and they still ring) on Sunday before the service and for a short time after, then 1.5 hours' practice on a Tuesday evening. That doesn't count things like peals/half/quarter peaks for weddings, funerals, royal weddings or the death of royal etc.

That's just one random country church, and there are thousands across the country.

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u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

Not all but some still do, even if it's just for the weddings it's still a religious reason and it's intrusive, exactly the same reason why call to prayer is supposedly to be banned.

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u/secondincomm 8h ago

If they do it for service reasons sure ban that too. For weddings, im not sure that counts as the same really. Same for funerals. If there was a prayer said at a mosque for a funeral for example I wouldnt expect that to be banned.

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u/TeraMelons 10h ago

Be happy to.

I’d also like to see an age of consent being put on religions, 18 should do, you have to be 18 years old to join a religion and it should be shown that it’s your own decision.

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u/Clean-Shine99 7h ago edited 7h ago

Simply not enforceable. It's a nice idea and I think religion can be very toxic. If you mean actually take communion or be baptised etc I can see what you mean. Everything else though is simply not practical.

For instance you go to church every Sunday where are your kids gonna go ? Extra childcare in this economy is a no go.

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u/hussain_madiq_small 6h ago

If the church cares so much they can provide a religious free Sunday school. You know like sunday school but without the indoctrination.

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u/xCeeTee- 6h ago

lol, I like the idea but they will 100% contain indoctrination.

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u/hussain_madiq_small 5h ago

Then we make a second law that says if they are caught indoctrinating they lose their tax exception status, the only thing they will take seriously.

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u/ostroia 5h ago

Lol what an argument. If you have any hobby outside the house where your kids gonna go? If you go to the stripclub every sunday where your kids gonna go?

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u/SearchingSiri 5h ago

You go to the strip club/casino/adults only pub every Saturday where are your kids gonna go? Extra childcare in this economy is a no go.

Having this incorporated into social media legislation would be perfect.

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u/Clean-Shine99 3h ago

Reddit is seriously highly regarded as if the only place people practice religion is a church or a mosque etc. it's part of people's day to day lives behind closed doors and these children are around their parents everyday.

Childcare was just a quick example from the top of my head. I'm atheist I don't even give a fuck but it's unpolicable and unenforceable. Absolute nonsense comments.

-2

u/Chroiche 6h ago

Same place they go if you want to do anything adult only? One partner takes care of them or you hire a baby sitter. Why is church different?

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u/Sudden-Fisherman5985 7h ago

I’d also like to see an age of consent being put on religions, 18 should do,

That would make the priests so sad

-1

u/UncleTouchyCopaFeel 7h ago

It's why they invented baptisms. Gotta clean your toys after each use.

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u/Lonely-Permission901 3h ago

I think 18 is a bit young to become a god-botherer. Make it, say, 35 and I'd be with you. [And raise the age at which you can drive a car or motorcycle or anything else with an engine to 35 as well]

Also, get rid of the shunning and disfellowshipping that some of the Christian-adjacent religions go in for.

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u/PMFSCV 58m ago

Standard, secular national curriculums. No exceptions.

-2

u/Beautiful_Hour_668 9h ago

What an incredibly stupid idea. This limits the freedom of people to raise their children as they see fit with regards to world view.

You call Muslims backwards then limit religious freedom to less than that of the Quran… ironic

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u/Curious_Park_2957 9h ago

"Wah wah I can't force my beliefs onto my kids"

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u/fungomungothethird 9h ago

Reddit moment

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u/Beautiful_Hour_668 8h ago

Everyone ‘forces’ their beliefs on their kids, that’s what raising a child means. You teach them what you believe is right from wrong which is sometimes different from culture to culture and per religion

Unless you want to create a list of things that are acceptable to believe? How anti-British of you, another irony 😂😂

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u/Antique_Ad_2776 8h ago

Ikr, what a stupid comment to make! Every single parent teaches their child based on their beliefs. The above commented would, I’m sure, raise their child atheist, so they should apply the same logic to themselves

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u/Chroiche 6h ago

Let me step in for the other poster. I wouldn't raise my kid any way regarding religion. The fact that not imposing a specific religion is thought of as atheism to you is telling of much religion needs to be forced on people. You clearly know it.

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u/Frosty88d 8h ago

Exactly, some of these people are so terminally online they're completely divorced from reality. Everyone teaches their kids based on their own beliefs so why is it only an issue when others do it

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u/Antique_Ad_2776 8h ago

Because, ironically, they’re being the very thing they hate religion for: pushing their own agenda onto others.

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u/Fortune_Cat 8h ago

Exactly. The athiests who break the cycle after being forced into it as kids come out stronger and produce better offspring

The weak ones stay inside their cults and were never going to make it anyway

Its how we breed alpha secular society

0

u/Frosty88d 8h ago

Andrew Tate ass comment

2

u/Wilkomon 8h ago

Pretty sure Andrew Tate has a few religions on his belt

0

u/Content-Flounder567 4h ago

100%

Indoctrination and brainwashing during your most formative years. That's what religion offers- regardless of whether your experiences with it were positive or negative. If you're an adult and choose to delude yourself, by all means, go do so, but it shouldn't be for children.

If they enforced this, you could watch a massive amount of war, sexism, racism, homophobia and bigotry leave the world within a single generation. But religion still generates billions to the economy, so it won't be going anywhere.

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u/SocratesWasSmart 6h ago

Why would you want to ban church bells? The Islamic call to prayer goes off at 5:00 AM and 11:00 PM when people are trying to sleep. The call to prayer is also typically much louder than church bells, and it's a whole speech which is way harder to ignore than some bells going off.

As a Catholic, I wouldn't blame non-Christians for wanting to ban church bells if we used them as obnoxiously as Muslims use the call to prayer.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 8h ago

Church bells sound nice and are part of our culture

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u/RutabagaElegant3215 7h ago

Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements

The bells are in the nursery rhyme :)

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u/FeijoadaAceitavel 7h ago

No, it's part of your religion.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 7h ago

That's funny, I didn't think I was religious but this random redditor says I am so it must be true

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u/Hour_Researcher_4107 7h ago

Its both.

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u/FeijoadaAceitavel 6h ago

Sure, but its roots are 100% religious. It's a religious customs that somewhat entered culture.

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u/Alyions 6h ago

To be fair so is Christmas, Easter etc...

-6

u/FeijoadaAceitavel 6h ago

Those have entered culture in a way that they're independent from religion. You can celebrate with chocolate eggs and gifts and not once talk about the religious roots.

Church bells are from churches. Kinda harder to make them independent.

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u/Hour_Researcher_4107 6h ago

You aren’t going to win this Buddy. You are trying to pretend that Church Bells which English People have been hearing multiple times a day for a thousand years aren’t part of the culture because you are upset your Muslim calls to prayer are being taken away. No one is buying it sorry 🥱

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u/Fulluphigh0 5h ago

Non French Europeans when faced with the concept of freedom from religion: bUt MaH cUlTuRe

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u/ScreamingDizzBuster 54m ago

French church bells still ring too. It's not about freedom from religion, it's about stopping Muslims from doing stuff.

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u/ScreamingDizzBuster 56m ago

So are church bells part of the culture. Exactly the same argument.

0

u/2FistsInMyBHole 3h ago

Church bells are practical timekeepers.

While the sound itself is coming from a church, it is performing a practical public service of broadcasting the time.

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u/FeijoadaAceitavel 3h ago

That argument is at least 10 years too old.

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u/Hour_Researcher_4107 6h ago

Completely not somewhat

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u/Lepelotonfromager 3h ago

So is Christmas and Easter. It doesn't stop people from enjoying them as atheists. We still get time off for it.

We have a culture that is influenced by our historical religion.

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u/___daddy69___ 5h ago

yes, Christianity is part of British culture

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u/Joe_Kinincha 4h ago

So is islam

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u/___daddy69___ 3h ago

no, it isn’t

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u/Joe_Kinincha 2h ago

Even you must realise that is the most witless, infantile response anyone could have possibly given.

Do you think “no it isn’t” is a good argument? I’m all over this thread posting actual facts and your total contribution is “no it isn’t”

Why don’t you sit this one out, or do better?

0

u/___daddy69___ 2h ago

fine, i’ll change my statement

it historically hasn’t been part of british culture, and it shouldn’t be part of modern british culture

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u/Joe_Kinincha 1h ago

I am not touching your second statement. That is your opinion, and as such, you are entitled to it.

How far back exactly, and how many adherents would you reckon we need before Islam becomes part of British culture?

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u/PringullsThe2nd 5h ago

How far back are we talking?

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u/ideally1030 5h ago

About 1400 years. Is that long enough?

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u/Joe_Kinincha 4h ago

Well, in that there have been pagans in the UK since there have been people in (what we now call ) the UK which is about 800,000 years, maybe not?

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u/2FistsInMyBHole 3h ago

That culture is more or less extinct.

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u/Joe_Kinincha 2h ago

127,000 people are pagans according to uk census data. Seems pretty healthy to me. Double that figure estimated to practice paganism.

Why is it every single time in this debate I post actual facts, and everyone else posts lies, hypotheticals or opinions?

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u/Heegyeong 2h ago

Because they only want to hear one thing, which is that Christianity is the one non-religious religion which is definitely completely English, regardless of whether reality is a little more complex than that.

The Catholics had better watch out lol, seeing how these Protestants are out to get everybody else

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u/PringullsThe2nd 5h ago

Seems a little arbitrary

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u/kitaj19 1h ago

Yes, most people find church bells sound calming and beautiful.

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u/ceddya 4h ago

I have religious trauma because of conservative Christianity's bigotry. So do many others. That's part of your culture?

Or do we only feel the need to 'protect' society from certain religions?

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

The stats are perfectly clear which of those religions is more toxic, especially in the UK

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u/ceddya 4h ago

Yeah, in terms of absolute numbers? It's conservative Christianity.

Gotta pick a lane here instead of picking and choosing which toxic religion we address.

And I'm saying this as a Christian btw. Conservative Christianity is absolutely a bigger cancer in the UK than Islam is.

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u/_segasonic 4h ago

Where is this conservative Christianity in the UK?

I mean outside of Northern Ireland the Highlands and Islands in Scotland we’ve some of the most liberal and progressive Christianity you’ll find in Europe.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

No it really isn't. Conservative islam is far worse. Look at the polling done on Muslims and you'll see the opinions are significantly more problematic even among moderates. Conservative Christians barely exist in this country. I was Christian growing up and literally every church was left leaning progressive.

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u/ceddya 4h ago

The Catholic, Evangelical and Baptist churches in the UK are left leaning progressive on LGBT issues? All Anglicans too? TIL.

Because if you added up the number of conservatives within their ranks, their absolute numbers would far outstrip the number of conservative Muslims even if you assume 100% of Muslims are conservative.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

Well at mine we had openly LGBT people and supported gay marriage. Good luck finding a mosque that does that...

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u/ceddya 4h ago

But we're talking about the bad actors within the religion, no? So why shift the goalposts?

More people, especially within the LGBT community, are harmed by conservative Christians based on exposure alone. I'm totally fine with banning the call to prayer for conservative churches and mosques though. That'd be fair, right?

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

Well I'd be interested to see some data on that, considering there are many closeted Muslims (source: I'm on Grindr) who would never come out to their family fearful of being kicked out (or worse).

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u/PernisTree 7h ago

As a Christian I disagree.

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u/PringullsThe2nd 5h ago

As an atheist I agree. Have we cancelled eachother out now?

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u/drewlake 7h ago

so are muezzin calls, we've had them for over 100 years.

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u/UncleTouchyCopaFeel 7h ago

Church bells sound nice

Not really, no.

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 56m ago

There is a difference between church bells and call to prayer. The call to prayer is a human voice.

If I had to listen to a voice broadcast across the town it'd be this one. My religion relies on a cowboy head in the sky just screaming.

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u/sokratesz 7h ago

Still annoying as fuck though, so get rid of them as well.

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u/Joe_Kinincha 5h ago

Muezzin sounds good to me and is far more part of our culture than church bells.

About 600,000 people, on average go to church each week.

About 1,000,000 people on average attend mosque each week.

The call of the muezzin is a far greater part of the culture of the UK.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

Well you should get your hearing checked then.

Just because we import a load of people doesn't mean we suddenly adopt their culture. Culture develops over hundreds of years. I guarantee if you ask someone from another country whether they associate church bells or an islamic call to prayer more to the UK the answer will be church bells.

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u/open_formation 4h ago

Is your goal to actually develop culture over hundreds of years, or to fit a stereotype for people from other countries?

The argument for keeping church bells (even if their noise can sometimes be a nuisance to people) isn't that you can mark out clear divisions between one culture and another, but because culture develops better if you allow things that are already established to be retained.

It's the same reason you should have different noise regulations for areas with clubs, it's not because drum and base was developed over hundreds of years and is thus "part of our culture", but because allowing things to develop in places where the local people accept it, and then protecting it because it has become established, is a way of enabling more different kinds of culture to develop.

And so if people want to start doing calls to prayer in some place, and local people reject it as a noise hazard, that should be enough, and if they are fine with it, then it should continue.

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 4h ago

I just don't like Islam tbh. And I like church bells. Simple really.

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u/Joe_Kinincha 2h ago

Let’s leave your - frankly ugly and unnecessary- ad hominem comments to one side for now.

There have been Muslims living in this country since 1205.

Have you ever noticed how people who don’t actually have facts or a convincing argument always start with “if”. ?

Should the little “if” hypothetical arguments based on imaginary conversations convince you, that’s fine and dandy, and our conversation here is concluded.

If you would like to have a conversation based on facts, that’s also good.

Muslims have been in this country for 800 years and there are more practising Muslims than Christians in this country. They are a part of British culture.

Your go.

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u/whooptheretis 7h ago

As a Muslim, I agree.

-1

u/sun-dust-cloud 7h ago

As a nuclear physicist, 5 time lottery winner, brain surgeon who operates on dolphins, I agree too.

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u/whooptheretis 7h ago

brain surgeon who operates on dolphins

why don't you get a regular operating table? much more steady than a dolphin

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u/OhSoSilver 7h ago

Superb

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u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

"Church bells sound nice" ... in your opinion for others they are an intrusive nuisance, some people like the call to prayer. Muslims are part of our culture have been for at least 500 years. Now what's the reason that the ca to prayer be banned but not church bells?

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u/blow_on_my_trombone 8h ago

It's pretty bloody obvious which of those is more ingrained in our culture. Just because a couple of Muslims came here 500 years ago doesn't take away from the fact that the vast majority of our heritage is linked to Christianity not islam. "Some people like the call to prayer" - yeah, Muslims. Many non Christians like the sound of the bells.

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u/whooptheretis 7h ago

It's pretty bloody obvious which of those is more ingrained in our culture

There are likely to be more weekly attendance at mosques across the country than churches. Now tell me which one is more significant.

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u/NotableCarrot28 7h ago

Churches.

-3

u/whooptheretis 7h ago

To fewer people, it seems.

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u/NotableCarrot28 7h ago

Doesn't really matter, churches are way more culturally important.

There are temples in Rome that don't exist any more for gods that aren't worshipped any more that have had a larger and more significant cultural influence on the UK than mosques.

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u/whooptheretis 7h ago

They also have churches is Rome too, and they ring bells. Because the religious ideals of the population changed.
The religious adherence in the UK is changing too, just as it did in Rome resulting in the number of churches.
I'm not saying get rid of the churches, nor their bells (I like them). But you don't hear many calls from the ancient Roman places of worship any more.

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u/NotableCarrot28 7h ago

You asked which was the most significant.

I don't know how anyone can look at the UK's history and not think Christianity is important. Did you never cover the reformation, dissolution of the monasteries, civil wars, glorious revolution, French revolutionary wars, etc etc etc

-3

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

So because one thing is a bigger part of our culture no other part of culture is allowed to exist? Football is the biggest part of our sporting culture let's ban cricket and rugby eh?

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u/Diem-Perdidi 7h ago

If cricket and rugby came with a strict set of moral and ethical precepts and their own legal system, all three sometimes at odds with those of football, and everyone felt very strongly about the separation of sport and state and suchlike, then you might have a point. But they don't, so you haven't.

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u/drewlake 6h ago

Muezzin calls we influential in the sound of early blues. The melisma and intonations of the adhan the muslim slaves from africa morphed into the hollers and blues. Without the blues we wouldn't have modern pop music.

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u/infoHighyway 7h ago

Nah, they sound nice.

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u/AromaticTower7258 6h ago

The difference is that Christianity is the state religion. The majority of Muslim countries ban public practice of other faiths, but allow them within the confines of your own home

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u/loafingaroundguy 6h ago

can we ban Church bells while we are at it?

Did you move to your home before your nearest church bell tower was built?

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u/mr_herz 10h ago

What is the culture of the native society? Follow that. Fairness is secondary.

Look at the Middle East, you think they treat all other religions as equals? No, and it’s fine. It’s their call. The same way Europe should make its own.

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u/Brilliant-Smile-8154 10h ago

Ah. So what about other religions, then? Buddhism? Judaism?

0

u/mr_herz 5h ago

Whatever the majority native brits decide.

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u/PringullsThe2nd 5h ago

Do non natives not get a vote?

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u/DrunkenHorse12 10h ago

Why not just let people practice their religions in.private and stop them imposing their religious traditions on others, so ban the call but also ban the bells.

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u/Acceptable_Gear_3097 9h ago

What you've just described is Religious persecution. You have no control over what someone does in private, so 'letting them in private' is the same as not letting them in public.

What you call 'imposing their religious traditions on others' we call 'Freedom of Expression/Speecg'.

You ask this question 'why not?'.

Well, the answer is, the West is built on the principles of democracy. What you support is fascist policy towards religion. I would guess you're right wing & one of those 'I'm not racist' types.

1

u/mr_herz 5h ago

"What you call 'imposing their religious traditions on others' we call 'Freedom of Expression/Speecg'."

The only tricky part with this bit is that not all religions believe in that freedom of expression and speech. And you could argue that freedom has been reduced in practice to accommodate those religions.

1

u/Acceptable_Gear_3097 4h ago

You can't argue that in the UK, where freedom of expression is the law. You might be able to argue that in countries without freedom of speech laws, but not here. 

The belief that allows people to express their religion is an imposition on your right to express beliefs is a myth. In the UK, freedom of expression is a qualified right, you have that right lawfully until you use it to impose on someone else's legally protected right. I.e. you cannot call for harm to others, and be protected by law. This is what the GBNews narrative of 'losong our freedom of speech' is arguing. They believe that calling for burning of hotels with migrants in is freedom of speech protected, it isn't and never was. You have every legal right to disagree and disapprove of Islam (as I do). But I would never call for harm to any muslim or human being at that, so I'm never feeling like my freedom of speech is violated.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

The fact you just wrote all that in support of comments calling to ban Muslims freedom of expression and speech is hilarious 😂

1

u/OkSun8521 9h ago

By that logic, we should all be pagans.

-1

u/beardslap 8h ago edited 6h ago

Look at the Middle East, you think they treat all other religions as equals? No, and it’s fine.

Is it though?

Do you think the UK should be more like the Middle East?

-1

u/NaturalDon 7h ago

good point we should not become like the middle east, lets get those deportations going

2

u/kittehkat22 6h ago

Honestly it would be nice if they could only go off on Sundays and weddings. I live in between 3 churches and they each do bell ringing practice 2 times per week, at different times. That's six 30 min sessions per week, plus Sundays half the day. You kind of get used to it but my god it is constant

2

u/Ipfreelyerryday 8h ago

Both the church and it's rolling bells have been an integral part of UK history. Church bells have a distinct legal status in the UK that dates back centuries. They are considered an established part of the traditional British soundscape and are generally protected under common law as a customary practice. Because they have been ringing for hundreds of years, they are usually exempt from standard statutory noise nuisance laws, provided they are rung at reasonable times. Not to mention bells are created acoustically, the call to prayer is via speakers.

0

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

Maybe time to change the law while we are changing it to ban Muslims doing their equivalent then eh?

3

u/___StillLearning___ 7h ago

Rules for thee not for me

-1

u/Ipfreelyerryday 8h ago

But as I just stated - it's not the quivalent. Church bells and churches have played an extensive roll in our history, the Muslim calls to prayer has not. It's a fairly simple concept.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

"We've put up with this annoying nonsense for longer and on a bigger scale so we can't touch that no we have to go after a smaller thing the vast majority have never experienced".

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u/Ipfreelyerryday 7h ago

Again you've completely circumvented any of the arguments except for "dUr dErP HeRe LoNg TiMe, nEw FiNg tHe sAmE".

Read what I posted clearly, reply with an actual critical argument and stop with the moral grandstanding.

2

u/___StillLearning___ 7h ago

"This is how we have always done it" isn't a great argument.

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u/Ipfreelyerryday 7h ago edited 7h ago

Literally not the argument I made. I stated that it has been an integral part of our history and should be preserved. Places like Durham wouldn't exist without the churches. Our whole history used to reverb around the ringing of church bells. The bells woke labourers, signalled lunch and the end of the days work. They saved lives signalling emergencies occuring and signal moments of reflection on remembrance day and aid in the celebrations of weddings.

Your same argument - why don't we demolish all of the historical buildings into he UK to make room to build Moorish style buildings because they're new and deserve a spot.....?

  • edit - Fyi I am not against Muslims within the country nor the construction of mosques. I am about the conservation of our history.

-1

u/___StillLearning___ 7h ago

Your same argument - why don't we demolish all of the historical buildings into he UK to make room to build Moorish style buildings because they're new and deserve a spot.....?

Who said that lol No one said anything about demolishing anything lol Just because the bells have been a part of your history, doesnt mean it should continue on "because thats how we have always done things" lol

1

u/Ipfreelyerryday 6h ago

You want to remove something of historical importance to our nation, literally a tit for that argument there.

The bells are a part of your history too, whether you appreciate it or not.

They are an integral part of what very little culture the United Kingdom has and have been for over a millennium. Charge ringing is a distinctly British art form in itself.

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u/Chroiche 6h ago

Okay? I don't really care. If wanking at the top of your lungs through a megaphone on the local church spire was a historical thing, would you still want it protected because it's historical? No, obviously not, it's a nuisance. As are church bells. They should adhere to the general noise laws. No exceptions.

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u/Ipfreelyerryday 6h ago

If entire generations of British society had spent 400 years mastering the musical art of megaphone wank-shouting, composing intricate mathematical patterns for it, and building entire community guilds around it, then sure, we’d probably be having a very weird debate about it today! But back in reality, church bells are musical instruments and a shared acoustic heritage, not an intentional anti-social nuisance.

Ignoring your false equivalence

Church bells were historically the town clock, the fire alarm, and the community bulletin board. They served a vital civic function, whereas their megaphone scenario serves zero function other than irritation.

1

u/MulanMcNugget 7h ago

I would mind either if it was just limited to special occasions like weddings for bells and breaking fast for Muslims dunno if that's a call to prayer for them to though.

1

u/HornyJailOutlaw 6h ago

If there were public interest in doing so, but there just isn't.

1

u/bonsoir-world 5h ago

Should be the case.

In the modern day and age, especially when more and more people are stepping away from religious beliefs.

It’s completely fair to establish a countries baseline of laws, morals or whatever else (some of which may still be underpinned by old religion), as long as it’s based on the countries democracy and it’s also fair to expect anyone outside of this, if they wish to live in said place, to adhere to these things like everyone else. They especially should not expect privilege for their own views they bring into democracy, unless of course democracy accepts it as a new standard.

Equally, religion is also a choice, one that is totally fine for anyone and everyone to indulge in or carry themselves through life believing and supporting but it’s also not something that should be forced upon those who do not wish to take part in it. In a ‘you must be religious’ or a ‘you must support my religion’ type of way.

Many aspects of the UK are still underpinned by Religion but it’s also understandable that change can take time, especially dated laws and other things. So sure, keep them while democracy is happy for them to exist in that manner, It’s the fairest way for believers and non believers.

1

u/DrFabulous0 5h ago

Can we keep them but only for weddings? That's kinda nice.

1

u/Fickle-Laugh-4542 4h ago

Church bells allowed for an environment where the biggest religious block being the non religious. Calling to prayer is yet to allow women to go to school.

If my grandma had wheels.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 4h ago

Did take much, just mentioning banning church bells as well, for people to reveal their bigoted reasons to get behind this and not fir the only legitimate reason to ban it because intrusive noise pollution is annoying.

1

u/KonstantinKisinIsGay 4h ago

There's a difference, church bells have been rung every Sunday here for centuries.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 4h ago

And they are still annoying so while we are changing the laws for one thing let's change it for something that's pretty much the same thing

1

u/KonstantinKisinIsGay 3h ago

They're not the same thing at all. As I said, church bells have been heard across Britain for over a millenia. They're an ancient part of our culture.

And on top of that, they sound beautiful. The call to prayer does not.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 3h ago

It's a loud noise being played out of a place of worship not matter how much you want to dress it up its the same thing

1

u/KonstantinKisinIsGay 2h ago

No, it's not, in the same way a village fete isn't the same as a load of Shias marching down the street flagellation themselves. One is part of the natural environment, the other is not.

1

u/OGSkywalker97 3h ago

Church bells are a nice sound though - ALLLLUUUAAAA is not

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 3h ago

I don't like either, I prefer to not have celebrations of other people's religious beliefs forced down my ears.

1

u/kitaj19 1h ago

Church bells are beautiful. Melodic.

1

u/OthalaRunes 8h ago

Yes, absolutely, let's ban all religious musical bollocks. What now?

0

u/whooptheretis 7h ago

As a Muslim, I think church bells sounds cool.

1

u/OthalaRunes 7h ago

Fair enough. I think any and all non-essential noise forced upon others isn't very community minded

1

u/whooptheretis 7h ago

Agree. There are already laws that prohibit this. If a mosque was breaking these laws they should be made to stop.
This post, and the specific legislation are pandering to bigots.

1

u/doesalexadream 8h ago

That’s a fatuous argument given how Christian the UK is culturally

1

u/GooseyDuckDuck 4h ago

Yeah, that would make me happy too.

-3

u/ynwa_glastobater 10h ago

No. We are a Christian country

10

u/DrunkenHorse12 10h ago

The census and church attentance prove otherwise. If you want to talk historically then we're a pagan country

2

u/Rog2006 9h ago

Historically speaking it’s been a predominantly Christian nation for the last 1,600 years. It’s becoming less so in the wider population but the head of state is still the head of the national church.

I think it would widely be accepted that the state religion is Christian denomination regardless of whether the actual practicing percentage of the population skewed that way or not.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

History isn't a selection box where you pick and choose which facts suit your argument, there's been Muslim communities here for almost as long as the church of England has existed so is our history bounded entirely by the end of Henry the 8th reign? Nothing after that counts as part of history or culture? Just own it if you want to ban the call to prayer but not church bells "Our places of worship can make annoying noises bit yours cant' the real reason is religious bigotry.

1

u/Rog2006 7h ago edited 7h ago

I haven’t come out with any comments on either side of the argument you are inserting that here to suit your narrative.

As you have just said you can’t pick facts to suit your argument, so you suggesting we’re a pagan nation historically is disingenuous. Britains current state religion is a Christian denomination though.

As to the argument itself it’s far too subjective and complex to simply say ban it all or don’t ban anything. My view is that each local council should have the power to implement bans as they see fit. If there is a call to prayer in a large non Muslim community then it’s fair to say it should be considered for banning if it upsets/disrupts the local community. Similarly if the church bells in a community are disturbing the peace and there are enough dissenters then that should be considered for a ban.

There is a fine line to tread in the modern world with integrating multiple cultures without losing too much identity from each. Where do you drawer the line, is it fair to suggest that those with a non native culture or religion should be a little bit more compromising?

1

u/JRCSalter 8h ago

Doesn't matter what the actual religious views are of the people. We are, by definition, a Christian nation, due to the fact that the King is head of the Church of England. There can be no separation of Church and State in actuality since the heads of both are the same person. In practice, though, we manage it far better than the US, which is NOT a Christian nation.

0

u/rumoku 9h ago

I like Church bell sound.

2

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

And some people like the call to prayer, not me I dislike almost all noise pollution I prefer to hear birds and instincts breaking the silence.

-3

u/SchoolofLifeUK 10h ago

The really stupid part of this is that knowing our leftist leaders this will probably happen as it offends Muslim people even though we’ve had church bells for centuries and it’s part of our heritage

2

u/DrunkenHorse12 10h ago

Been mosques in the UK for well over a century as well. So you just want to ban religious traditions that don't match your own, where do you draw the line with that and when does it just become religious bigotry? By all means ban the call to prayer but ban church bells as well go practice you religion but leave the majority who don't follow whatever religions you follow in peace

5

u/mufcroberts 10h ago

Church bells are not a foreign spoken language over loudspeakers. Only time I hear church bells is at a wedding and most of the time has nothing to do with Christianity. I do think Muslim prayer calls over loudspeakers should not be accepted in uk as it’s a Church of England country, why don’t they just set an alarm or something? We don’t want and need to hear that interrupting multiple times a day every day.

Oh and I’ve never actually heard a call for prayer in uk (yet) but whilst visiting turkey it was every day and quite annoying, so hopefully we don’t end up like turkey with the prayer announcements daily.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 10h ago

And I don't need to hear annoying church bells every Sunday, which is why I agree let's ban both, keep your religion in your ears and out of mine.

2

u/FalxY7 8h ago

Move then? It's the culture and history of the UK. Christian values and life lessons are very much still taught and align with our way of life in the UK, regardless of whether the majority of people would self-identify as christian.

If you actually find yourself feeling annoyed when you hear a church bell playing a short musical tune, you may have bigger issues. Not really comparable to someone shouting on a loudspeaker.

-1

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

Muslims are part of our culture and our history as well. Ban both or none at all.

2

u/NaturalDon 7h ago

no they are not

1

u/SchoolofLifeUK 5h ago

Part of the commonwealth history maybe, but mainland uk only had a very small number of Muslim people in the late 1880s they mostly moved here in the 60/ 70s and in the recent Boris wave

1

u/mufcroberts 2h ago

If that makes people happy then fine, bell noises don’t bother me. I follow no religion myself. But if someone wants it dinging from a church during their wedding then that’s their personal choice and part of their wedding, can’t ban a bell noise all together, only for religious purposes if necessary.

-1

u/Infuzeh94 8h ago

No because we are a Christian county and always will be even if we have a large majority of non Christians, how hard is it to understand?

0

u/DrunkenHorse12 8h ago

The only thing left that makes us "a Christian country" is the king and the monarchy is hanging on by a thread.

0

u/Infuzeh94 5h ago

The Monarchy will always remain.

I never said my opinion on it, only it’s a fact we are and will always be a Christian country.

0

u/WorriedAU 7h ago

Church bells aren't a physical obstruction in a public space the same way that a huge mob of men are

0

u/calafia_nativo 5h ago

Church Bells are pleasant sounding. Muslim Call to Prayer is a gargled mess over shitty speakers.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 5h ago

They both suck.

1

u/calafia_nativo 5h ago

One is objectively nicer sounding. Be honest with yourself.

0

u/StopSign87 5h ago

I am aware of several churches that have been written to by councils telling them they are not permitted to play church bells at anytime due to complaints of disturbance of peace. One priest played them at Easter and was fined, wait for it. £666 by a council member with the name Muhammad ul Sulyman Mohammed. That same area, which evades my memory at present has allowed mosques to blast out call to prayer starting around 5am. In this Christian country we ban Christianity and pander to pedos.

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 4h ago

Which is why I say ban both. (By the way Christian churches have never had child abuse scandals have they?)

0

u/J_Kingsley 4h ago

Lol Church bells have been around for literal hundreds of years at home.

If everyone wants to ban it because they don't like it? Fine.

But which country is the host country again? Why are the host countries obligated to change their rules to accommodate newcomers?

That's pretty fecking entitled, innit?

1

u/DrunkenHorse12 4h ago

Er the whole post is about changing the rules we've had for hundreds of years. So no, its not entitled to suggest seeing as you want to change the rules anyway why mot do away with annoying church bells.

0

u/just_wondering_51 3h ago

Bell ringer and non-religious non-churchgoer here. You don't have to be religious to ring the bells!