Why does the EU have to be a christian club? Does not Europe contain many broad and diverse countries?  Wouldn't it be could for the EU  to have a moderate country such as Turkey in it?\n\nWhy is EU and Muslim seen as exclusive. There are already many muslims living in the EU.\n\nI am Muslim.. But I am also British and a EU citizen,\nWhy is it that some believe that these identities are not compatible
208541
Turkey first applied to join the European Community, the pre-cursor of the European Union, in April, 1987.  In 1999, Turkey was recognized as a candidate for EU membership and formal accession negotiations began in October of last year.  The question of Turkish membership is at the heart of most  Turkey’s chances of entering the EU any time soon went way down in June with the failure of the two referenda about ratifying the EU constitution in the Netherlands and France, partly on issues of worry about enlargement and Europe becoming too broad and not deep enough. Certainly, Turkey is a secular state, but it’s a secular state with a very large Muslim population and the fact that France and other European countries are struggling with their own internal immigrant and Muslim populations means that Turkey’s chances to enter the EU have declined.\n\nI see Turkey with full European Union membership as an economic and political asset rather than liability. The EU should have taken in Turkey in years ago and its beneficial impact to the union could have also affected the growth of entire world economies.
578156
sorry 40yearold virgin, but there are parties in the European parliament, just as in any parliament, but these are much more varied than in national parliaments as there are representatives from all the countries. They are usually grouped together as right, left, centre, green etc so, for example, all the rightwing leaning party members form the various countries form a group to get their agenda through. There is no one dominant party, unlike in national parliaments. The EU is really run by a cabinet on ministers who make most of the decisions, the parliament has much less of a say.
559573
Just wanted to point out in response to Milo . . . there's big difference between the ideas of the UK countries, which do have a formal political relationship and unity, sharing a football team, and the idea of African nations which have no such relationship sharing one.\n\nI don't know the answer to the question (aside from what I'm sure is intense rivalry among the UK countries) but I think Africa is a bad comparison.
377540
Turkey is a secular country with a Muslim population, and during the conversion Turks have adapted further into European ways, leaving behind their old Arabic culture. Joining the EU may be a step too far. European values, where becoming increasingly common are detaching Turkey from its past. Focus on the moral and religious differences between the east and west. Also bear in mind the changes Turkey has already had to make to be considered for EU status. Execution has been outlawed after centuries and human rights issues have had to be readdressed. Basically their government are now bowing to a higher power, and what government would like that?
242158
Peter.... Do you actually know what you are talking about..or have you been reading the stormfront website for too long??\n\nFirstly what do you mean by their own kind??? \n\nI suppose you mean that the EU is Christian and so is Serbia...\n\nWell I'm from the EU and I'm Muslim. There are millions more of us who happily live in the EU and contribute  alot , and are as much a part of EU society as any one else.\n\nAlso Serbia is not wholly Christian.\nSerbia has a Muslim population of about 1 million people.\nAnd Islam is an official religion just like Judaism and Christianity\n\nThis is not the middle ages. We have no need for crusades!\n\n\nSecondly ...what do you mean  by brave Milosevic, and hero Mladic...\n\nMilosevic is REALLY unpopular in Serbia..There was even an uprising to get rid of him. If he returned from the dead and reclaimed power I think the whole of Serbia would die from a collective heart attack!!  Only the insane want him back..\nNobody thinks he is brave...He is a coward who sacificed the whole Serbian Nation (and many others) so he could keep in power.\nMladic is not a hero but a war criminal...There is no over way to describe the massacre of 5000 men at Srebenice as anything but a war crime.\n\nThe war crimes tribunal in the Hague is trying it's best not to be biased. Albanians , Croats, Bosnians, and Serbs have all been tried there (maybe Nato should aswell but that is the way of history)\n\nThe EU did not bomb Serbia it was NATO (I don't agree with that but they had little option faced with that big idiot Milosevic...and alot of Serbs are coming to terms with that now...and moving on)\n\n\nYes Serbia should be in the EU, and it will.\n The same pressure to hand over war criminals is been put on Serbia as was Croatia. \nBTW Most Serbs know that people in the Government know where Mladic is...And most will be happy when his like have gone.\n\nPlease don't think Serbs are your kind...there are mostly very reasonable people and want to forget about the terrible wars of the past as does everyone from that region.
364772
It is more about the US than Europe, Japan and the more advanced Asian societies are equally secular and atheistic.\n\nIn Europe I guess it took the horrors of two World Wars fought on its soil to finally convince some that the idea of a loving god was a fairly sick joke, I wouldn't recommend that way of going about things.\n\nFirst thing would be to get religion out of politics, make references to god in a politicians speech a sackable offence. Unfortunately Europe's politicians seem to be becoming more like those in the US which is a very worrying development.
326452
To Wazzo2005: Muslim is not a race, it's a religion.  Before you lash out and call people names you should probably understand what you are talking about.\n\nI don't think that this is just a European-Muslim issue but rather a bigger issue around the world.  If any group migrates to a new country they need to show that country respect by assimilating and following their laws.  To do anything less is disrespectful and will breed resentment and eventually hate.  We see this here in America with the illegal Mexicans coming in and refusing to assimilate and follow the laws.\n\nI believe that a lot of this comes from jealousy.  It's not fair that one country is prosperous while another is in utter poverty but life isn't fair.  You reap what you sow.  Many Muslim countries (as well as Mexico) are so corrupt and inept and the people are forced to live in poverty.  With the big media they can see what they don't have and this breeds jealousy.  \n\nInstead of being thankful to their host country for sharing in their riches many falsely believe that their host country caused their pain and suffering back home and they want to take this away from them.  \n\nI believe that America will overcome this but I am skeptical of Europe.  Overall Europe is very liberal and willing to allow this to continue until blows up.  I hope for your sake that this doesn't happen.
623871
The whole of Islam is full of controversy and division.  They are a divided camp with the western ones saying the middle eastern ones are not muslims and vice versa.  The violent verses stand in their koran and they try to say they mean something else when they clearly say what they say.  40% of UK muslims want the UK to convert to shari law.  Their whole situation would never have developed the civilization of europe or the usa as they are.  We would be living in mud huts under shari law, but they don't see it that way.
340111
Poland is a country... Muslims is a religion... I bet you saw other people as well tho... Even i've been there and i'm neither! Not even english! London is a big city with people from everywhere! Just accept it!
552935
when one of the burning questions in the news nationwide is "should muslim women wear a veil or not?" then i think the national identity of the UK has already disappeared, there are much more important issues to be discussed than this, and to deflect the awareness of the country away from the important things that face them in their everyday life, ie crime,unemployment,poverty etc. I feel we are having our media manipulated in order to garner sympathy for a cause that does not need it, that cause being the advancement of Islam, which is one of the largest religions in the world, and you know what really pees me off? the muslims say they're being trampled by this government, when if it wasn't for the english people taking them in from their troubled countries, they would probably be dead now.
461556
good question:\n\nI understand that many muslims believe that once a land is occupied by muslims it is forever muslim land.   Some of them have already voiced claim\non southern spain. \n\nThis is unacceptable.\n\nTHere will ultimately be a \nJIHAD  against those who say JIHAD !!!
250483
I strongly doubt there will ever be a United States of Europe. First, consider the language barrier, different government styles (parliamentary, monarchy etc), different international associations and military traditions. Secondly, the recent enlargement is likely to have a domino effect of making agreement among member states increasingly difficult, leading to indecision and political stagnation. Last but not least, the continuing debate about allowing Turkey to join the EU will undoubtedly be the demise of this intergovernmental institution.
206106
If you want to follow the path of France you can capitualte and "hope" that the moderates in Islam will become tolerant of anyone that does not believe their way;\n\nOr you can follow the path of the conservative leadership in the USA which will use weapons, money, and power to impose a western type democracy in Islamic countries in hopes that moderates will prevail there?\n\nEither way its a tough road.  As to the capitulation; I'm quite certain the majority of both Islam and Christianity or the West would gladly tolerate each other.  I know there are some Christians that seem to "hate" those outside their religon, but it seems as those only those in radical Islam are violent and unwilling to tolerate anything but their way.\n\nSadly; I think until we defeat an intolerate, hate filled, extremist Islam there will be no peace in the world.  Hopefully moderate Islamist will defeat them from within.
302073
ok... so what was the muslim doing in st. petersburg?\n\n(SAINT PETER is christian)\n\narent there muslemic cities or countries?\n\nDo your care about christians being murdered for thier believes in Sudan?\n\nWhats your point?
525911
I thought everybody already knew that religion, or the fanatical, misguided practice of it, was the source of violence in the Middle East.  And why do we keep electing religious whackos in this country????  Because a majority of the voting population cast ballots based on their religious beliefs.  So, is this country run by the Christian Church?  It sure feels that way to me.  I am a Republican, but am feeling shut out by the Christian fanaticism.
340999
I agree with you. But polls show that 2 out of 3 English people want England and the UK in a politically united Europe a European Union. It may be worth your while to consider supporting a withdrawal from the worst aspects of the treaty of Rome and consider closer links with the English speaking world, a English Speaking Union
580148
Good questions!\n\nHowever, the same argument could be posed by the SAME people who have the different religious ideogy that you oppose. For example a muslim living in America and paying taxes could be thinking "why do my tax dollars have to support christian-related issues".\n\nI guess the answer lies in the politcal system, join it and try to get enough support to change what you don't like about it - of course no change is possible without a majority of people willing to vote for your point of view.\n\nthanks