Reply #97: Actually, it sounds like praying is a-ok. You just can't prostrate yourself all over the place... [View All]

[Honeycombe8]

and make a scene of it. But anyone can pray anywhere, at any time. A Christian can pray in Pakistan. You just can't SHOW it. Of course, what happens to an openly praying Christian in Pakistan might be very different from a misdemeanor charge levied by a policeman to a prostrated praying muslim in France.

But I get it. Not sure how I feel about it. There are millions of muslims in France in a much smaller country than the U.S. Something that a few people might do somewhere here could get to be a problem when there are lots of them.

But...why aren't they praying in mosques? Isn't that where their religion dictates them to pray? Or no?

I would find it a nuisance. Because anytime someone prostrates himself in a city, on the ground, they'll be in the way of some other citizen. Just like if there were a group of homeless people sleeping on sidewalks or in the small park where my office bldg coworkers sometimes eat lunch. They're free to SIT there in the seats provided, walk along the paths, stand and look around. But that takes up a lot of room for a group to prostrate themselves. Doesn't sound safe to me.

Sounds like France is taking a hard stance on its secularism. I am wondering if there's a concern there that the muslims are gradually trying to take over certain practices or parts of the country. Sounds like that might be it.