A clear and balanced view

Seems the Swiss citizens don't want any religious symbols of power in their country. I suppose if this is applied equally across the board, they have a point. They don't interfere in anyone's right to worship.

I don't see how banning minarets violates religious freedom but equally don't see how constructing minarets has anything to with sharia law. Aren't minarets just the towers from which the muezzin calls Moslems to prayer?

Thanks Greatnan. There is so much to learn about the views on Islam in other countries.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8385069.stm

This is the story of the ban on minarets,which is opposed by the Swiss government but supported in 22 out of 26 cantons.

A balanced article, and I found the myriad of comments underneath even more interesting. I like Henry Porter's views, but even he is prone to exaggeration, like all journalists - never let the truth get in the way of a good story. For example, several comments mentioned that Porter's claim that more mosques cannot be built in Switzerland is not accurate - it seems that minarets are banned but not mosques. Not that banning minarets is necessarily ok! I would like to know more about that. Does anyone know what the thinking is behind this policy?

Thanks, Butter - very interesting article.

Yes, a good article.