By Melanie Phillips

Gibson Square, London, 2006
ISBN 9781903933909

Having recently completed a Master of Theology paper on “Islam and the World,” I have been reminded again how many of those who hold to the faith of Islam desire to see it become the controlling force in the culture, beliefs and politics of the countries they live in.

Not surprisingly I have often heard the same view expressed regarding the Christian faith in evangelical circles, and have a degree of sympathy for this view.

Cocooned in our evangelical nests we may be so busy with our own agenda that we overlook that of the Islamists. Their agenda is equally, or possibly more fervently, held by a significant portion of the followers of the Islamic faith. We need to be aware of their strategies, and more importantly how segments of society having rejected their Christian roots are actively assisting the Islamists achieve their goal.

Melanie Phillips’ book Londinstan gives us an excellent case study of how this has worked out in Great Britain. Multiculturalism is the faith that has replaced Christianity among the populace, especially the elites. She shows how judges, teachers, and broadcasters have pandered to the Islamists in the name of multiculturalism.

As no other values trump multiculturalism in their minds, the Islamists have been supported in imposing their values on immigrant communities, and projecting them onto the rest of society in general. Although these values often contradict those of traditional British Judeo-Christian values of democracy, gender equality and liberty of expression, any criticism of the imposition of Islamist values is labeled “racist” and used as grounds to hound those who express such opinions out of local or national government or its agencies.

Worst of all is the way that the Church of England, having forsaken its Christian faith, is supporting, if not encouraging, this movement. The current Archbishop of Canterbury even argues for the acceptance of the administration of sharia law courts within British society. Israel is constantly portrayed as an aggressor and Muslims as victims.

These trends are at work in New Zealand society now. Schools that champion secularism whenever Christian values or practices are suggested are building Islamic prayer rooms on site so that students can practice their religion. We have had a Muslim parliamentarian suggesting that a prominent cross in Palmerston North should be removed lest it cause offence to Muslims.

We need to look at the British example and how it led in the end to the London tube bombings, and keep our government and public service to account.

– David McLeod-Jones,  MTh student at the Laidlaw/Carey Postgraduate School.