Which side is making the greater, and potentially more dangerous, concession?
“To receive 100,000 kroner from the state, Islam Net must accept that women and men can sit together,” from NRK, October 28:
“We are aware that the the organisation preaches a conservative version of Islam. We nevertheless think it is right to support this organization because they are known as opponents of forced marriage,” says section leader Morten Tjessem to NRK.no.
But the money comes with requirements that men and women will be allowed to sit next to each other.
The reason is that Islam Net previously arranged meetings at Oslo University College, where men and women used separate entrances....
The Islam researcher and former head of the Norwegian Humanist Association Lars Gule disagrees. Also, Gule attended meetings with Islam Net, and he has a different opinion.
According to Gule, Islam Net has an undemocratic, misogynist organizational structure with extreme goals and values.
“Islam Net is a salafist organization. They are not jihadists who advocate violence, but they believe that equality, democracy, and equality of Muslims and non-Muslims is contrary to God’s will,” the researcher claims.