When Bells Toll. When Minarets Rise.

There’s the case of a referendum held in Switzerland recently banning the construction of new minarets in mosques from where Koranic chants are recited to call Muslims to prayer.  It passed by a decisive margin of six to four. This development raised ire among many worldwide, some calling for a similar ban on church bells.  An American columnist argues that the Swiss have no ill intent; they just want Islamic extremism nipped in the bud. ^[1]

As grotesquely unfair as a referendum to ban minarets may have been to hundreds of thousands of ordinary, well-integrated Muslims, I have no doubt that the Swiss voted in favor primarily because they don't have much Islamic extremism—and they don't want any.

Then there’s the Brooklyn man who barely a month ago also made—interestingly, only local—headlines following his protests on church bells ringing.  All he could do however was to put up signs in his front yard to demand that the parish turn down the recorded bell sounds that occur every hour of the day.  In this case, it is already law. ^[2]

Bells and organs at places of worship are exempt from the city's noise code - even electronic bells like the ones at St. Thomas….

Meanwhile, there’s this Malaysian writer boasting of her country’s religious diversity—though predominantly Muslim.  Citing verses from the Koran, she goes in length about the need for religious tolerance.  From her article though, I gather there is no law in her country against the construction of religious icons, nor ordinances limiting noise disturbance. ^[3]

Down where I live is a Hindu temple and across the road is a mosque, and there is always something going on, but I manage to sleep. You try staying in Bali, the temples are always chiming. I once frightened myself silly wondering why the Balinese temple next door kept having prayers at night, but you know what? The moral of the story is this: you learn to adjust. Or put a pillow over your head and go back to sleep.

^[1] Anne Applebaum, “In Switzerland, towers of fear”, The Washington Post, Dec. 8, 2009
^[2] Mike McLaughlin, “Marine Park man hangs signs in front yard to protest tolling of church bells at St. Thomas Aquinas”, NY Daily News, Nov. 20, 2009
^[3] Dina Zaman, “The sounds of faith”, The Malaysian Insider, Dec. 10, 2009