Oslo Muslims recommend polygamy

Although polygamy is illegal in Norway, the Norway Post reports that the Oslo-based Islamic Cultural Centre Norway (ICCN) has recommended the practice.

According to the Post, the ICCN (which is supported financially by the Norwegian government) said on its website that polygamy "is advantageous, and ought to be practiced where conditions lend themselves to such a practice. . . .

"Norwegian politicians have reacted strongly to the article, which was removed later on Sunday, following Aftenposten's report. Labour Party MP Karita Bekkemellem Orheim says to the newspaper that she expects that the Government will now stop the state grants. 'I expect the Minister of Culture to take action,' she says.

However, all the Minister of Culture was interested in contributing to this debate was dhimmi subservience: "Culture Minister Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, however, says she does not want to use such a strong reaction. In her opinion, the article discussing [polygamy] comes under the scope of freedom of speech. 'We cannot forbid an Islamic congregation to discuss Islamic doctrine,' Svarstad Haugland says to Aftenposten." Indeed. But this sidesteps entirely the question of how to reconcile conflicts between Islamic law, which many Muslims consider to be the law of God himself, and the law of the land.

Posted by Robert at January 12, 2004 9:25 AM
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