Posted October 07, 2017
https://www.apache.be/2016/08/10/veel-kerken-weinig-ideeen-en-geen-geld/?sh=003e10f0bae8cb899bffb-528576609
http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20151127_01992563
Pardon me for only having sources in Dutch, and only two that really give a proper overview of the situation.
Summarised;
the first is a longer treatise on local governments confiscating or buying over churches in many places in Belgium. since the church expects the state to pay for a lot of maintanance and upkeep and initiative with returns that have been plummeting the past decennia.
since these ill-frequented churches cost so much money to both the church itself, and the local governments, large initiatives have been taken to fully transfer church buildings from Papal to secular control, to be used for projects, secular or sacred music concerts, art galeries, meeting centers, and such other initiatives.
At higher levels (bishops and upwards) the church is very compliant since it's wasting lots of resources on empty benches everywhere in Belgium (and many other sane-itised European countries no doubt ;) ), but most resistance comes from the local remaining christian communities.
A large number of those projects is in the pipeline, and more will most likely follow.
Alas, the same initiative is sparing all mosques. I can't find any info on this new legislature pertaining to them anyways. and of course the protestants all pray from home around here (barring a few buildings acros the land).
In case of the protestants it's easy to see why such wouldn't crack down on them too hard, but I think someone high up is afraid of lighting the (short) fuses on our explosive friends who frequent the mosques.
Which brings us on to the second article;
While it never does dispute that large majorities of muslims living in our country (or having lived here for generations) are peaceful like the next agnostic christian (I notion I can certainly laud) and perfectly happy to pray from home - when they feel like it for once, it does clearly state that all major mosques in Belgium are owned largely by ill overseen extra-national turkish and Saudi initiatives, many of which are predominantly stuck in very base and literal interpretiations of mr. Mohameds essay on his outlook on life.
Ever since these sites are about the only moslim praying sites in the country and offer such a view so faithful to the original teachings, the government wants to crack down on them and reorganise their leadership to local standards, rather than those of saudi arabia or turkey. Such an initiative would involve uprooting the prayer houses connection to those distant lands (which shouldn't be to hard as half the imams from these places have already moved to syria), and transferring control to local more relaxed religious people.
Since every youth who wants to partake in organised islamic religion currently has to go through these places, expectencies are that mildering their aproach should reduce radicalisation.
As an antitheist I reserve the right to make any religion look bad, regardless of it's geographic or cultural point of origin.
http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20151127_01992563
Pardon me for only having sources in Dutch, and only two that really give a proper overview of the situation.
Summarised;
the first is a longer treatise on local governments confiscating or buying over churches in many places in Belgium. since the church expects the state to pay for a lot of maintanance and upkeep and initiative with returns that have been plummeting the past decennia.
since these ill-frequented churches cost so much money to both the church itself, and the local governments, large initiatives have been taken to fully transfer church buildings from Papal to secular control, to be used for projects, secular or sacred music concerts, art galeries, meeting centers, and such other initiatives.
At higher levels (bishops and upwards) the church is very compliant since it's wasting lots of resources on empty benches everywhere in Belgium (and many other sane-itised European countries no doubt ;) ), but most resistance comes from the local remaining christian communities.
A large number of those projects is in the pipeline, and more will most likely follow.
Alas, the same initiative is sparing all mosques. I can't find any info on this new legislature pertaining to them anyways. and of course the protestants all pray from home around here (barring a few buildings acros the land).
In case of the protestants it's easy to see why such wouldn't crack down on them too hard, but I think someone high up is afraid of lighting the (short) fuses on our explosive friends who frequent the mosques.
Which brings us on to the second article;
While it never does dispute that large majorities of muslims living in our country (or having lived here for generations) are peaceful like the next agnostic christian (I notion I can certainly laud) and perfectly happy to pray from home - when they feel like it for once, it does clearly state that all major mosques in Belgium are owned largely by ill overseen extra-national turkish and Saudi initiatives, many of which are predominantly stuck in very base and literal interpretiations of mr. Mohameds essay on his outlook on life.
Ever since these sites are about the only moslim praying sites in the country and offer such a view so faithful to the original teachings, the government wants to crack down on them and reorganise their leadership to local standards, rather than those of saudi arabia or turkey. Such an initiative would involve uprooting the prayer houses connection to those distant lands (which shouldn't be to hard as half the imams from these places have already moved to syria), and transferring control to local more relaxed religious people.
Since every youth who wants to partake in organised islamic religion currently has to go through these places, expectencies are that mildering their aproach should reduce radicalisation.
As an antitheist I reserve the right to make any religion look bad, regardless of it's geographic or cultural point of origin.
