[Jpost] The Bertelsmann Foundation released a study on Thursday revealing that every second German feels threatened by Islam. Dr. Yasemin El-Menouar, an Islam expert with Bertelsmann, wrote "Overall, about half of the respondents perceive Islam as a threat. In East Germany, this proportion is even higher at 57% than in West Germany [50%]."
The new study surveyed 1,000 people. It was conducted by the foundation’s Religion Monitor department and the data was collected in the Spring of 2019. Only a third of those surveyed said Islam enriches German society. In contrast, a majority of Germans say Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism serve to enrich Germany.
El-Menouar suspects that the negative result for Islam is influenced by the perception that Islam is more of a political ideology and less of a religion. However,
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the study also noted that "Only a minority of citizens show a clearly anti-Islamic view and demand, for example, to prevent the immigration of Moslems."
According to El-Menouar, "Although our study shows a widespread skepticism of Islam, but that is not necessarily synonymous with hostility toward [Moslems]. Many people have reservations about Islam, but that does not lead to political demands or anti-democratic views."
| The demand, of course, would cause one to be chided as a racist neo-Nazi and be shunned by all right-thinking people, especially those among one’s friends and employers. But one does not welcome into one’s home those of whom one is afraid. Deutsche Welle adds: |