Here we go again. Muslims are hate-filled killing machines ready to take over the world. So far they’re at 1.6 billion and counting. They’ll surpass Christianity by the middle of the century. Just imagine, with so many of them, when they all decide to become suicide bombers, what chance have the rest of us got?

The West’s growing base of petrified Muslim haters had fuel poured onto their respective fires this week with a spate of press reports about a survey[i] conducted for a Channel 4 programme, “What Muslims really think”. It airs tonight in the UK.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph[ii] quoted Trevor Phillips, former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, as saying the report shows that Britain is in danger of becoming a nation within a nation. He said there was now a need for the abandonment of the failed policy of multiculturalism. And this latest report is the proof of the pudding.

Well, let’s look at that survey – the raw data that journalists rarely bother with – to see what the survey really showed.

Homophobes

What seems to have attracted the most press attention is that 52 percent of Muslims believe homosexuality should not be legal in Britain. That’s against a control group – representing the broader population – of which just 11% think homosexuality should be illegal.

It’s not a big surprise, surely. Many religious types of all persuasions are against homosexuality. Ask a group of devout Christians you’d probably find half of them think it should be banned. In fact a Pew Research Center survey from last year showed that 59% of US Catholics who attend Mass weekly believe homosexual behaviour is a sin[iii].

So, hardly news then. Devout Muslims are just as blinkered as other religious types in not liking gays.

Anti-semitic

The research also came up with some strong attitudes to Jews. A third of Muslims said Jewish people have too much power in Britain. 44% said they have too much power in the business world.

Mind you, the survey was phishing hard to get some sort of anti-Semitic reaction, with a string of questions asking respondents the extent to which they agree with these statements:

–          Jewish people have too much power in Britain

–          Jewish people have too much power over the government

–          Jewish people have too much power over the media

–          Jews are more loyal to Israel that to this country

–          Jews have too much power in the business world

–          Jews have too much power in international financial markets

–          Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust

–          Jews don’t care what happens to anyone but their own kind

–          Jews have too much control over global affairs

–          Jews think they are better than other people

–          Jews are responsible for most of the world’s wars

–          People hate Jews because of the way Jews behave

What’s with all the questions about Jews. Enough already!

Now, I am no expert, but to me this verges on leading questions. They might has well have asked, “C’mon, you hate Jews don’t you?”  Yet, despite this tirade of ‘say something bad about Jews’ questions, the responses were quite balanced. Probably more balanced than the responses from Jews is asked about Muslims. And the survey itself shows that one in five in the control group have a negative attitude towards Muslims. – a statistic hidden away from all but the most exploratory reporter.

Terror sympathisers

Yes, our fears are being realised. They are ready to blow us all up. As the Daily Telegraph quotes, “One in 25 Muslims (four per cent) said they felt at least some sympathy with people who took part in suicide bombings, while a similar proportion said they had some sympathy with “people who commit terrorist actions as a form of political protest”.

But that doesn’t mean we can expect 4 percent of Muslims to be igniting themselves at your local shopping centre sometime.

In fact, the vast majority condemned suicide bombing. But for the small proportion who gave partially qualified support, let’s remember many came from more oppressive regimes than the Tory government – yes really – so such sympathies, whilst not excusable, can surely be understood. If the only way to kill Osama Bin Laden had been to blow yourself up next to him, is that acceptable?

Without any context, scenario or understanding of the respondent’s background, questions like this are as good as useless. And, of course, they will show a completely different response to someone who grew up in a nice house in Hampshire.

Phillips Is Wrong

Away from the divisive stuff – which is most of the survey – it actually paints a positive picture of Muslims in Britain. 86 percent said they felt strongly that they were part of Britain, which is actually more than the control group. 94 percent said they felt they were able to practise their religion freely in Britain. That’s the same as the control group, which is interesting because a third of them say they have no religion at all.

Doesn’t this point to a group that fits in with the broader UK population. Sure, some of their views might differ from others, but that goes for anyone who is into religion – any religion – in a big way.

Not much of a control group

The control group is there to show how the views of Muslims differ from the rest of the population. It’s a great way of being able to say, ‘see, they really are very different from the rest of us’. That’s what got Trevor Phillip’s knickers in a twist.

But, as I mentioned, one in five of them confess they do not have a favourable feeling towards Muslim people. So, when asked whether Muslim girls should have the right to wear a Niqab in school you can be guaranteed the control group will differ greatly. Intolerance, it seems, is all around us, in all persuasions.

Incidentally, only 64 percent of Muslims agreed that girls should have the right to wear a Niqab to school. Ani indication, perhaps, that any divide is more nuanced than Trevor Phillips would have you believe.

That’s a small take out from a survey that will do its damn best to spread more distrust and alienation on both camps. Sadly, there’s enough in them for a few headlines to drive more fear and loathing into the unthinking masses. Speaking of which, I’m off to see what the Daily Mail said about it.

[i] http://www.icmunlimited.com/media-centre/polls/icm-unlimited-survey-for-the-channel-4-programme-what-muslims-really-think

[ii] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/10/uk-muslim-ghettoes-warning/

[iii] http://www.pewforum.org/2015/09/02/u-s-catholics-open-to-non-traditional-families/