The claim here is that the mosque is much bigger than it seems to be, and so social distancing rules can be observed and large numbers of men can still attend the mosque. This is unlikely on its face, as many, if not most, churches in Germany were built in the days when there were large numbers of Christians in the country, and so they tend to have lots of space. It is possible, however, that the mosque really is much larger, as there is a general tendency in the West to build mosques very large, as an assertion of presence and permanence.
However, what would happen if this Muslim community really were flouting Covid rules? Would German police dare to enter and tell them they had to break up the meeting? If a church were overcrowded, would police enter there? The answers are clear.
“No corona violation: Up to 200 Muslims in Röthenbacher Mosque,” translated from “Kein Corona-Verstoß: Bis zu 200 Muslime in Röthenbacher Moschee,” NordBayern, January 20, 2021 (thanks to Medforth):
RÖTHENBACH – Up to 200 Muslims can come to the Röthenbach Mosque for Friday prayers, even in times of pandemic. The Turkish-Islamic community emphasizes that all the necessary hygiene rules are observed. It responds to complaints from residents.
The parking lot in front of the mosque is filling up, and the believers from the city and the surrounding area are gradually rolling in. Up to 200 Muslims can come together for Friday prayers in Röthenbach – it is probably the largest event in the Nuremberg region since the beginning of the second lockdown. Week after week.
The Turkish-Islamic community in Röthenbach has long since noticed that the number of visitors is noticeable in pandemic times. Recently, there were increasing inquiries in the neighborhood as to how it is possible that so many people meet despite all the distance and contact rules. Mayor Klaus Hacker (Free Voters) was also approached. “There are certain fears and concerns in the population,” he says. That up to 200 people pray together, “that’s a house number”.
For comparison: The district council with its 70 members recently decided to meet as a 14-person holiday committee for a period of six weeks in order to avoid large crowds. Many church services in the district were canceled at Christmas. The Holy Cross Church, towering above Röthenbach, could, according to information from the Protestant parish, with the applicable hygiene rules “only” offer space for up to 70 believers. Currently, the services are taking place in the parish hall, where there is significantly less space. The smaller Laufer mosque currently allows 60 people in.
The mosque is big
“Anyone who does not know the premises can be surprised,” says Recep Çalık, the chairman of the Röthenbacher Ditib community. The mosque has a valid hygiene concept and compared to a church it has an advantage: the building on the western edge of Röthenbach has 1,500 square meters of floor space, and that on several floors. The prayer room on the second floor, which is normally available to women – in Islam men and women pray separately – is now used by men for Friday prayers. It is only mandatory for male Muslims to come together for Friday prayer, explains Çalık.
The places where you can kneel down with your prayer rug are marked with adhesive tape on the carpeting that fills the room. Çalık emphasizes that there is a distance of two meters between the believers, i.e. more than the legally required 1.50 meters.
somehistory says
Well, this is very similar to what has been going on in the U.S. for the past year.
Many churches locked-down, people not allowed to meet even in the parking lot inside their cars, but the bm and antif terrorists allowed to have big groups prowling the streets, shoulder to shoulder, in city after city.
The politicians in NY, the city and the state, warning and threatening Christians and Jews about gatherings…even for funerals in tiny numbers of mourners…while moslims and the domestic terrorists do as they please.
The bm and antif have even been encouraged to keep doing what they wish, while others are arrested, fined, threatened, vilified, …
Why should anyone expect Germany to do differently? After all, a couple of years ago, we were reading here of people being forced out of their homes, where they had lived for many years, in order to give living space to “migrants and refugees,”…moslim invaders.
moslims are “special” creatures in Germany.
nicu says
They are protected and pampered and if you speak against it you are a nazi — Police only attacks it’s own people !
Jayell says
That’s funny! Being labelled as a ‘Nazi’ for criticising Pro-Nazis!
Jean Terry says
Germany goes from one extreme to the other. They are like the Democrats here. They go out of their way to please people who are not citizens. But citizens are treated like second class citizens.
PRCS says
“large numbers of men can still attend the mosque”
“The prayer room on the second floor, which is normally available to women – in Islam men and women pray separately – is now used by men for Friday prayers.”
Per that old Andy Kaufman skit: “Now get back to the kitchen.”
Jean Terry says
So true. I wonder why the feminists never go after these people or defend their women? They are the most hypocritical people. I have no respect for feminists even though I am a woman.
PRCS says
Torn between supporting feminism or “people of color” (though so many Muslims are white) and Islam (despite its overt misogyny).
andra says
For many “feminists” feminism is only a tool to install the one-world-future. These globalists have misused feminism as well as many other ideas which were true and good in their roots. But – as with the Greenies for example – the influencial feminists have decided to give up feminism in order to keep in power, so as the greenies forget about the treatment of animals and applaud to halal meat in order to keep in power.
gravenimage says
I believe in equall rights for women, and i oppose Muslim violence against women.
But it is grim;y true that all too many self-described feminists are silent.
gravenimage says
Good point, PRCS.
nicu says
They are Merkels darlings : untouchable ! Never forget : http://crimescenedb.com/new-years-eve-sexual-assaults-in-germany/
Let’s see what will happen in the US when they open the borders for them !
andra says
I am very much afraid that the US will end up like Canada and take Europe over faster that any of us is able to imagine.
nicu says
They caught a group hidden ina basement – 20 people had their hair cut : they will have to pay a fee as punishment – Turkish weddings with 100 people or more never get harmed .
Brenda says
Does not make sense. They are trying to justify anti-Christian persecution. How many giant cathedrals are there in Germany?
ElderlyZionist says
Mosque worshippers are face-to-butt, not face-to-face, so there’s less chance of transmitting disease. Well, less chance of transmitting COVID.
saturnine says
If the situation was reversed, Christian clergy would be eagerly opening their churches on Fridays for Muslims — and proactively covering any statuary to avoid “offence”.
We can expect the Muslim community to soon announce the opening of their spacious mosques to Christians for Sunday worship, In the spirit of interfaith cooperation, natch.
gravenimage says
+1
R. B. says
“This is unlikely on its face, as many, if not most, churches in Germany were built in the days when there were large numbers of Christians in the country, and so they tend to have lots of space.”
The middle part of this sentence is baffling to me. There are 60 million people in Germany who identify as Christian, does that sound small to you?
andra says
You are right. But the government rather pefers describing Germany as multi-religious, such as France calls itself post-christian.
gravenimage says
Germany: 200 Muslims allowed to pray in mosque but only 70 Christians in church
……………
Utter madness–and no equality before the law.
Jayell says
Look at it this way. If they cram themselves together like this despite the warnings, then they’re more likely to pick up the Dreaded Virus, which the statistics suggest is more or less what’s happened here in the UK. Then, of course, they can start claiming that they’re more at risk because of islamophobia’ or institutional racism’ or whatever else they can dream up. Unfortunately, it is this community that has been identified as one of the chief causes of the UK finding itself near the top of the international fatality league. What’s the situation in the USA?
gravenimage says
Jayell, from what I understand the rules are the same for churches and mosques–although those rules vary by state and region (depending on how bad local contagion rates are). But I would not of course be surprised to hear about double standards in enforcement.
Layomo says
Muslims always have their ways anywhere in the world with strong support of governments.
Malcolm Jackson says
Cram as many Muslims as possible in to the mosques.
anonymous says
“This is unlikely on its face, as many, if not most, churches in Germany were built in the days when there were large numbers of Christians in the country, and so they tend to have lots of space.”
The above is a rather curious statement. Having countless churches in Germany I can attest that a large number of (old) church buildings are not very large.
Indeed, a quick Google image search of “Holy Cross Church Röthenbach” shows that the sanctuary of that church is not that big. The mosque in question does seem to have a rather large prayer area.
While the pandering to Islam is very real, inaccuracies in reporting only provide the panderers with fodder to bolster their claims.
gravenimage says
Yes–there are churches of all sizes in Germany, from the very tiny to huge cathedrals.
Proud Islamophobe says
Better them than us.
gravenimage says
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is happening outside of Germany, as well.
peter says
In a wayi it is good ! Those muslims are not likely to go to any church !