"faith does lay proselytising injunctions on the faithful"
Don't all faiths in or form or another?
I was to be married once, before I left home.
The father of the girl I was planning to marry insisted that I convert to Catholicism, and when that was a non starter, I had to sign to say we would have any children of the union brought up as Catholics - over the wall before you could say "Don't eat meat on Friday"
There are around 300,000 Hasidic Jews in Britain - ten percent of them are orthodox, around 20,000 live in North London - a threat to the British way of life - don't think so - do you?
"Ask any of the faithful who take these injunctions seriously"
I have - the ones I discussed religion with were far more tolerant of other and non-believers than most 'Christians' who "take their injunctions seriously" than I've met, and a damn sight easier to talk to.
"And this fills one with apprehension, as if one were living over a volcano."
It may leave you feeling that Mike - but I suggest that this is more to do with your prejudices than it has reality.
As I get a little tired pointing out, Muslim communities in Britain are noted for their unobtrusiveness, law-abiding nature and their efforts to meld into the community (if they were allowed to).
Thankfully, we have not yet entered into Tom Cruise's 'Minority report' of detaining potential criminals before they commit their crimes.
"Do you realize you are completely off topic?"
Sorry Mick - of course we are - I said it wasn't goint to happen and it has - but it's quite civilised for a change, and I hope it's not boring, but maybe it is.
Let's give it a rest and pick up some other time Mike
Jim Carroll