Is Islam 'Spawned in Hell'?

Controversy has surrounded a Belfast preacher’s comments that Islam ‘is a doctrine spawned in hell’.  Northern Ireland’s First Minister appeared to support him, then apologised to Northern Ireland’s Muslim community for ‘any offence caused’. Moral outrage has been bounced around like a beach-ball by social commentators, politicians, church leaders and the press. The preacher is under hate-crime investigation by the police.

While I disagree both with the comments expressed and their proclamation during a service of worship, it is crucially important that we think through our reaction to this incident. In the United Kingdom and most of the rest of Europe the right to criticise or to disparage any system of thought is upheld.  The relevant piece of legislation states:

‘Nothing….. prohibits or restricts discussion, criticism or expressions of antipathy, dislike, ridicule, insult or abuse of particular religions or the beliefs or practices of their adherents, or of any other belief system or the beliefs or practices of its adherents, or proselytising or urging adherents of a different religion or belief system to cease practising their religion or belief system’.

What is not permissible in law is to attack people who adhere to a particular religious, political or philosophical viewpoint.  Again, the relevant laws state:

‘A person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, he— (a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting, thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress’.

‘A person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if— (a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or (b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby’.

The balance is carefully set and ought to be maintained with equal care: people are protected; religions and philosophies are not.

The Belfast preacher, also spoke in unacceptable terms of Muslims not being trustworthy and of there being Muslim ‘cells’ (similar to IRA cells) throughout Great Britain, equating Muslims with extreme Islamists. For these comments he is, rightly, under police investigation.

Is Islam ‘spawned in hell? I do not believe so, but preachers are entitled to say so if that is what they think. Are Muslims untrustworthy? No more and no less than any other group of people. Are they terrorists?  This is a preposterous and dangerous thing to say and to encourage people to embrace this thought deserves censure.  Paradoxically, however, some of those censuring the Belfast preacher have come dangerously close to engaging in hate-speech themselves; genuine tolerance, it seems, doesn’t come easily…..