WSJ: Burqa Is Banned In France

On today's Wall Street Journal front page (U.S. print edition) is an article about the burqa being banned in France. This was not on the front page of the European online edition, but it did make it to the top of the European section (tab).

Right next to that article is another article about the release of an American hiker after 13 months in an Iranian prison when her mother paid $500,000 "bail" (ransom). Extortion is the Islamic way. Is that the Christian way? If not, we Christians must reject pluralism and the "tolerance" of evil.

Before I give you some highlights from the article, let me ask a question: Is this about burqa, minarets, or immigration? Or is this about the failure of "tolerance" and "religious pluralism" and the myth of neutrality in the face of an uncompromising evil?

Some highlights from the "Burqa Is Banned in France" article:

"France risked the wrath of the Islamic world on Tuesday by banning burqas and other full-body robes worn by some Muslim women, in a long-debated move that shows the depth of concern of the rise of Muslim culture in Europe."

"The vote...came as a number of European countries are trying to figure out how to reconcile the values of modern Europe with more assertive expressions of Islamic faith."

"Switzerland, for example, banned the construction of minarets..."

"In Sweden, long known as one of Europe's most tolerant societies, an anti-immigrant party that has called for Swedish Muslims to integrate more is expected to win its first Parliamentary seat in this weekend's elections."

"France is facing criticism of its tolerance on other fronts...for its campaign to deport Gypsies..."