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November 20, 2009
Cornerstone laid for controversial Cologne mosque
Published: 7 Nov 09 13:56 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091107-23099.html
The symbolic first stone was laid for one of Europe’s largest mosques at ceremony in Cologne on Saturday after years of controversy dividing the city’s residents.
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“We’re not just laying a cornerstone for a mosque and community centre,” said Ditb spokeswoman Ayse Aydin according to public broadcaster WDR, “We’re also laying here a cornerstone for our common future.”
The debate over the mosque’s construction has come to symbolise the conflict between Europe’s growing Muslim population and those who believe Muslim immigration to the continent should be curtailed. Plans for the mosque have drawn protesters from around Germany and Europe, including right-wing extremists. One such planned rally was canceled by police for fears of violent protests.
To avoid inflaming public sentiment against the project, Ditib agreed to not broadcast the call to prayer to the neighbourhood from the minarets and to keep the building’s height the same as nearby structures.
When completed in two years, the mosque will hold between 2,000 to 4,000 worshipers and replace a series of ad-hoc places of worship that have developed around the city as Cologne’s Muslim population grew.
At the event, Cologne’s former mayor Fritz Schramma described the mosque’s architecture as “a symbol of an opening blossom, that invites you to peek inside.”
DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
being built. Piper1's list is not exactly of free societies and even if the "Christian Church" says that it just want's to help the poor they don't want to know.
Cologne is not the Vatican (wrt building a church in Mekkah for example), and the oldest church in the history is built in Syria. There are famous churches spreading all around the Arabic world (where Christianity came from).
I am all in all against building public and collective worship monuments anyhow, which are nothing but brain washing centers and out-of-community gangs (specially mosques).
But one should be careful in remembering that in a free democratic society one should allow for personal freedom while keeping respect with the constitution and law.
@LAURA EX-MUS, building a mosque will still not allow muslim men to break the law (beating their wives, raping them, inheritance laws...) except unfortunately if the women themselves accept this. So as long as Muslim women don't rise up and fight for their rights and independence, they will always be suppressed. They should take advantage of being in a free strong society where they can get help if they ask for it.
I think that it looks cool and refreshing but that's just my personal opinion and others may disagree.If anyone objects to what is done or preached in the mosque, then they should be campaigning against that activity and not against the building.
LAURA EX-MUS, there are aspects of almost every religion that are hostile to women. For example women are far less free to divorce in Judaism than in Islam, and what are the odds of the next Pope being a woman? That does not excuse everything that is preached in Islam, just that every other religion should face the same scrutiny.
Anyway, I think it looks cool!
Just for your information, I have grown up even listening to the bells of churches ringing right in the cities of Pakistan. Its not forbidden there for churches to keep the sound of bells inside as its here for mosques.... :) Even being muslim nobody from my surroundings objected that.
@Laura-Exmus: I simply would like to say you also might be a bit less informed about the topic. Did you read Quran complete and urself? Did you ever read how Prophet Mohammed lived and acted?.