Muslim students at Queen Mary calling for a ‘right to pray’

The clear difference being that any soc might use the lecture theatre for a one-off event, whereas the Islam SOC is demanding it be turned over to them in perpetuity. It's like inviting someone to take a slice of cake and they pick up the whole darn thing and walk off.

That is a totally inappropriate request. I do not want to see an institution of higher learning turning itself into a house of worship.



It's always a demand with these people. Not a request for dialogue, but an order to be obeyed. These people come across as deeply insecure and in the thrall of a false man-made belief system. I can tolerate its existence, I won't tolerate these bounders taking over a secular establishment for their own convenience, particularly as this convenience relates to paying homage to a non-existent sky dictator.

ISOC's can do whatever they want within their groups provided they don't break any rules of the SU and university.

And guess what, the campaign is working..........

Also, the orgy example is just Why do people feel the need to come up with the most extreme example? ... Lecure rooms aren't solely for education. University isn't solely for education.

There are just too many people in this thread who haven't been to uni yet and don't have a clue how it works. Can't blame them for not knowing, but why are some so argumentative about something they know nothing about.

That's not true at all................firstly its not a lecture theater. Secondly its the ability to be able to book either of 2 halls for usage for 1 hour a week which aren't being used according to spot checks

Its been done in the years before without any problems, when the university needed it, they would get priority and use it and we'd try to find some sort of alternatives.

However the issue is that theres a blanket ban on being able to book the halls.

Again, another one that's just making up his own conclusion to suit his islamaphobic stance. Seems like you're the one insecure

Since when does campaigning for something involves not dialogue. Seriously.

I actually work for a university, so I'm guessing I know more than you do about how these things work.

I'm thinking that the quoted text there is probably a fairly characteristic example of everything people think is wrong with I-SOCs. Arrogant, needy and factually incorrect.

As per usual, you positively thrive on self-pity and victimhood. But please don't let me obstruct you believing this is about Islam, rather than it being about any religion which is excessively demanding the rest of society adjust itself for its convenience.



"Involves not dialogue"? Leaving aside your synactical issues, it appears you construe "dialogue" to mean talking at people, rather than having a conversation with people. Shoving a demand in someone's face is not dialogue.

You are essentially asking for a standing booking. I work for a university and I can assure you that space utilisation is something that's constantly monitored and adjusted, and allowing a standing booking for a non-educational, non-event purpose is inappropriate.

It's been perfectly ok at my uní ín the prevíous years....the halls are barely used, especially the great hall.

It also has a whiff of marking of territory. Universities are supposed to be secular institutions. Multi-faith prayer rooms are reasonable enough, but demanding a major space within the university be turned over to your religion so you can engage in some odd group ritual and sermon is crossing the line.

It's simply one hour per a week thats all...........the mutli-faith room doesn't have a high enough capacity, its overflowing and security came along and started enforcing more rules so we have less space then the first time we used the mfc for friday prayers.

Maybe the circumstances or procedures have changed. Maybe they find the I-SOC's constant demands and paranoid outlook tiresome. Maybe they need to be sensitive to people of all religions

Highly unlíkely........

Which applies equally to all religions and all requests for a booking in perpetuity for non-education related events.

In the last census I listed my religion as 'Jedi"...

However, I am dissatisfied with the worship facilities at my university and do not want to worship at home, (which my religion states I actually AM allowed to do as the force is omnipresent meaning I am able to connect anywhere, but I just don't want to).

Obviously it is the responsibility of my University to let me have a lecture hall every friday night though so that I can watch star wars and appreciate the force. It is my religion after all isn't it?!

Ah, yes. Very clever. Top quality satire.

... where I find it very amusing that you feel so victimised by these people.

Going to keep going in circles with you. Where have I said that music is not good for you? I brought it up as an example to show it is something that not everyone needs/ cater to a very insignificant number of student and feel the room could be used for something else that is more productive to students education blah blah blah. Basically, I brought it up an example to show that people find solace, peace in something that doesn't make sense to others. Trust me, it isn't there to improve their education. It's their for social reason. If it's use was for educational purposes, why isn't it part of the curriculum? Also, who they **** are you to decide for people what they think is good or not. Anyone can find good/ bad in a lot of things. As long as it's not harming anyone/ anything what's it to you?

Also, stop putting words in my mouth. Where did I say they are sudden prosecuting and exterminating Muslims or even suggested that? I've made great pain to not accuse of them of this and made sure that my post doesn't accuse them of it. Like others, you fail to see the picture here and twisting the argument towards islam bashing.

My issue here is the uni is seemingly lying to student that a room is been used when it's free. It's got nothing to do with muslims. I couldn't care if it was jews, athetist, whatever, if the room is free, it should be available to them. It's peculiar, stinks and downright wrong for the uni to be acting this way as LONG as the room is free. Why they need to change the arrangement from previous years is weird. That's why the argument of "them muslims always asking for special treatment" is void here.

Also, the orgy example is just Why do people feel the need to come up with the most extreme example? It's like the little kid that thinks shouting works the best. Pathetic really. But, at least you've grasp the concept that uni should make it open to students for many things as long as it is legal and cause no damages to the building- unfortunately for you, an orgy in a public building would be illegal and also increases the possibility of infections spreading. FYI, there have been parties held in lectures room. So, yes, let them do it, no argument here. I've hosted one Didn't even book it #badass. And they were cool with it as long as we cleaned it. Lecure rooms aren't solely for education. University isn't solely for education.

The Oxbridge example also shows why the music studies are nothing other than a glorified upper class supercilious attitude to make those of lower echelon feel insignificant. All this studies then to cater towards equipment such as violin, piano, guitar- you know the equipment of choice of the upper class and make lower class people feel less significant. That's why video games- something that has equal cognitive advantages as playing music only ever gets negative press. Oxybrige acceptance =/= intelligence unless you believe in eugenic. But this is digressing and another debate.

Honestly, I really don't know why I'm bothered replying to someone as narrow minded as you, it seems like you've blamed Islam for your shortcoming in life or whatever and just want to attack anything about it as you conversion has suddenly liberated you- not that there aren't many liberated muslims out there. I don't know why you feel the need to bring it up. One can only assume you're bringing it up because you feel the student are asking special treatment. They are not. They aren't asking the uni to build them a mosque or make the room available to them forever. They want the old arrangement they had because the reason for cancelling the arrangement has been questioned. I'm a broken record.

Great quote btw but not relevant here. You could probably take some lesson from it and not alienate people you disagree with. Shows that all you're about is bashing islam, this thread has nothing to do with religion. Please grasp that.

So it went from "they have a right to campaign" to they managed to "force"

What is the point of any campaign or protest To have their voices heard........the uni recognised there was clearly inadequate space for friday prayers.

Stop saying "Public"......the halls aren't open to anyone unless its booked out, and society is more than welcome to do so.
Segregation doesn't as its a rule of the society.

In the last census I listed my religion as 'Jedi"...

However, I am dissatisfied with the worship facilities at my university and do not want to worship at home, (which my religion states I actually AM allowed to do as the force is omnipresent meaning I am able to connect anywhere, but I just don't want to).

Obviously it is the responsibility of my University to let me have a lecture hall every friday night though so that I can watch star wars and appreciate the force. It is my religion after all isn't it?!

It's a valid, if tacit, point. If he says that's his religion, who are you to say otherwise? Or are you proposing that religions should have to register with the government and be officially recognized in order to rely on religion-linked rights and expectations? Or should people have to submit to lie detector tests? Or should we just appoint you as the dictator of religion and you can say what is a real religion and what is not?

By calling it satire, it would appear you've missed the point. They're both made-up religions, they both exist only inside the head of the believer, both are entitled to equal protection under the law and reasonable accommodation in connection with sincerely held beliefs. By calling it satire, it allows you to avoid thinking about the very real similarities between Jedi-ism and Islam (and indeed all theism) in terms of what its practitioners are owed viz. reasonable adjustments.

P.S. Just in case my point didn't come through, a prayer room is a reasonable adjustment. Demanding that you be allowed to create a house of worship within the university is not.