Third of Britons believe ‘fundamental clash’ between Islam and ‘British values’ - poll
MORE than one third of UK people believe there is a “fundamental clash” between Islam and “British values”, a poll has found.
The survey showed Britons are more tolerant of Islam than people in France and Germany, where almost half of people said they believe their country’s values conflict with Islam. According to the poll, 38 percent of British people think Islam is at odds with British values. Almost one in two French and Germans polled said they would “mind a lot” or “mind a little” if one of their close relatives were to marry a Muslim.
More than a quarter of British people polled, at 28 percent, said they would feel uncomfortable if a close relative married a Muslim.
In France, 17 percent, and Germany, 26 percent, said they did not even know a Muslim while just over a quarter in each country said they were familiar with the basic teachings of Islam.
In Britain, the poll indicated that nearly a third of people are “very familiar” or “fairly familiar” with the teachings of Islam and 60 percent of people personally know a Muslim while 27 percent said they do not.
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Almost half of Americans said they personally knew a Muslim but just 17 percent thought Islam was “generally compatible” with values of US society.
Despite Britain being more accepting of Islam, just 13 percent said they viewed the religion favourably, higher than the 10 percent of French people and just eight percent of Germans but lower than the 15 percent of Americans.
About half of French and Germans said they view Islam unfavourably while less than a quarter of British people, 22 percent, said they see the faith in a “fairly” or “very” unfavourable light.
Conversely, Christianity was seen as favourable by just 12 percent of people in ultra-strict Saudi Arabia.
More than half of Saudi Arabians, 57 percent, said they would mind if a close relative married a Christian.
YouGov’s Joel Rogers de Waal said the poll, proves people in Western countries still believe there is a clash in values of their country and the Islamic faith.
Mr de Waal said: “Substantial portions of Western respondents in the survey perceived a clash between Islam and the values of society in their country.”
The pollster added Islam ranks lower than other world religions in people’s acceptance and impressions.
Mr de Waal said: “General impressions of Islam were comparatively less favourable than that of other world religions among significant numbers of Western respondents.
“For instance, all four Western samples had a discernibly higher number of respondents who felt unfavourable to Islam, compared with other religions.”
YouGov polled more than 1,000 people in each country between December 31, 2018 and January 8, 2019.