In my own mind, this case tells me that Germans demand ideological committment to the liberal democratic basic order over personal beliefs as a condition for naturalization. The fact that the ICG still exists in Germany indicates that, once they are citizens, those personal beliefs are protected under the basic law.
Sort of how the U.S. deals with (dealt with?) communism as an existential threat. I see parallels, at least. Paradox of tolerance and such.
~Max
He should have clicked his heels together and bowed from his waist, Prussian officer-style.
Followed by a Bellamy salute.
Communism is not a religion. Also, as I mentioned above, I seriously doubt had he been Christian (or even Jewish), he would have been quizzed about the Biblical commandments to stone certain people and to commit genocide.
Toeing the line and doing whatever they say has a bad history in Germany. Cite: see Nuremberg trials. Also, mandatory handshake in the midst of a global pandemic? WTF
Upon review, this was wrong. The court asked him the questions in 2019 after he had been rejected in 2016, after he had filed the lawsuit. In the opinion of the court, by failing to disown specific political positions associated with the Islamic religion, he was purposely being evasive and even espoused partly unconstitutional views. Paragraphs 56-65.
~Max
Germans declaring certain religious views … um, verboten?
Guess somebody didn’t really understand a certain period in world history did they?
Is this requirement settled law in Germany, that the applicant could have known about before beginning the citizenship process? Or was it just sprung upon him at the end as some detail of pageantry?
It’s not the Germans dying on this hill. They didn’t ask him to become a citizen. He’s the one who’s not getting what he wants.
There was some hubbub in France a few years back about a halal grocery refusing to sell pork. So it’s not that odd an example.
This happened in 2015. And as many have pointed out, it’s not about the handshake (or its refusal), but what it represents.
This shines an entirely new light on the circumstances under which he was denied citizenship. Now my thinking is that he was given every opportunity to be in compliance with German social norms and principles. He chose his own to prove a point, knowingly. He can fuck off to whichever country will accept him and his fundamentalist bullshit.
Yeah, I’m not feeling a huge amount of sympathy for him to be honest. The fact that his apparent misogyny comes from a religious background is neither here nor there. It is no more relevant than if he had racist views which spring from a deeply held political position or even just from a personal preference.
He is free to have whatever views he likes but the country offering citizenship also have the right to decide if such views (or any views) are a net benefit to the country itself and whether he would be a good fit. Especially if the views manifest in actual behaviours and impact on other citizens.
Misogyny from anyone, of any religion, should not be tolerated. I’m glad they didn’t grant him citizenship.
I look forward to having my first kosher cheeseburger the next time I visit France.
I leaned German until I read this. He’s required to give an explicit rejection of the text in order to become German? That indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of Islam.
Islam is mostly a religion of orthopraxis, not orthodoxy. There are the pillars, everything else is negotiable. Except that ‘what he does’ includes explicit rejection of the text. That’s the one thing he can’t compromise on. He can’t say that the text is wrong, only that in Germany, he’ll have to act like a German.
I’d suggest that the Germans are well versed in what happens when someone has a view that certain groups should be somehow thought of, or treated as “lesser” or “other”.
Again, whether that is religiously, politically or personally motivated seems irrelevant when it comes to an immigration application.
literally fundamentalism
The German courts seem to take the position that Islamic fundamentalism contradicts their liberal democratic basic order. German law requires an oath of commitment to the liberal democratic basic order as a prerequisite for naturalization. Given the premises, it makes sense for Germany to require a disavowal of those specific Islamic fundamental tenets before granting citizenship.
~Max
In essence you’d just banned all practicing Muslims from Germany. One of the tenets of Islam is that the Koran is literally dictated by God.
Do you think Germany should deny citizenship to ultra-Orthodox Jews, who also will not shake hands with someone of the opposite sex?
That would look pretty bad in light of Germany’s history – would you make an exception in that case?