“Nothing to see here, Turkey ain't coming in anytime soon. Whatever the US wants”

“nothing to see here, Turkey ain't coming in anytime soon. No matter what the US wants”

“Encyclopedia Britannica,

The Almohads assumed the title of caliph, introduced a series of severe religious measures, and sought to strengthen their states through religious unification¿i.e., by compelling the Jews and Christians to either convert to Islam or emigrate.”

“CONVERT OR LEAVE

In time, Moshe returned to his father's home in Cordova and, for a number of years, continued to study with him there. However, when Moshe was only 13, a group of fanatic Moslems, the Almohades, captured North Africa and penetrated Spain. Wherever the Almohades seized power, they gave the Jews an ultimatum: either convert to Islam or leave your native cities.

When the Almohades overran Cordova, they destroyed all of its synagogues and yeshivos. As a result, thousands of Cordova's Jews left the city and became nomads. A few, though, remained behind, converting on the surface, while continuing to secretly observe the mitzvos.”

“Janissaries,

(New Soldier, or Troop), member of an elite corps in the standing army of the Ottoman Empire from the late 14th century to 1826. Highly respected for their military prowess in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Janissaries became a powerful political force within the Ottoman state. The Janissary corps was originally staffed by Christian youths from the Balkan provinces who were converted to Isl¿m on being drafted into the Ottoman service. Subject to strict rules, including celibacy, they were organized into three unequal divisions (cemaat, bölükhalk¿, segban) ...

Just giving an insight against the sanitised version of Islam.
The Janissaries were taken from their Christian families at age between 8 and 20 years of age.
I think Muslims were still in Spain when the Janissaries were first used.”

“"after the period of culture Jews and Christians were given the option convert to Islam or leave Spain."

Other way around! When the Catholic Kings conquered Granada in 1492, Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity or be expelled from Spain. Jews were expelled the same way in a separate, but related, move to establish "limpezia di sangre" - purity of the blood.

"There were two sets of peoples who were taken by Muslims, one set were converted to Islam and trained as soldiers to fight for the Islamic empire the others were slave soldiers many of whom benefited by converting to Islam, one set were called Janissaries the others were called Mameluke's"

Woah Nelly, we've just jumped the length of the Mediterranean here. Janissaries were the elite soldiers of the Ottoman Sultan (who ruled modern day Turkey). You're right with Mamluks though - Muslim convert soldiers of slave origin, who became a powerful caste in Ottoman society.”

“I think you have fallen for the sanitised version of Islam.
Muslims were in Spain for about 700 years of which less than 150 years could be described as the height of culture most of the period was marked with civil wars and after the period of culture Jews and Christians were given the option convert to Islam or leave Spain.
There were two sets of peoples who were taken by Muslims, one set were converted to Islam and trained as soldiers to fight for the Islamic empire the others were slave soldiers many of whom benefited by converting to Islam, one set were called Janissaries the others were called Mameluke's (?)

What people fail to understand is that Islam is a whole way of life, it is religious, judicial and political.
Islam is alien to secularism and secularism is alien to Islam. Until Islam drops its judicial and political aspects there will always be, just as there has always been conflict between Islam and non-Muslims.”

“@Ted
As yet no. There are of course substantial and centuries old Islamic minorities to be found in the former Ottoman Empire region (Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, & Albania). There are also substantial minorities in France, Italy & Spain as would be expected as they are on the Med. Southern Spain was of course the seat for the height of Islamic Influence & Culture in Continental Europe (just visit the Alhambra or the Mezquita), but they and the long established Jewish communities were expelled and ruthlessly suppresed by Ferdinand & Isabella - who incidentally also removed all popular sanitation and clean water supplies in Granada as cleanliness was seen to be an Islamic import!
So Islamic influence in Continental Europe is centuries old, dating from the Great Caliphate, which at its largest extent almost reached Vienna in Austria, and much of Southern Spain.
There were also trading posts from Roman times - King Offa of Mercia issued gold coinage in the 7th C with Islamic insciptions from the Koran.
David Cameron's vision, however, goes far further than mine and possible many other active supporters of the EU. The Conservative EU Election Manifesto (which Roger Helmer & Emma McClarken were elected on) calls for the EU to spread both South & East - taking in The Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, the rest of the Balkans and Turkey - Thus the Conservatives see an EU that is well establsihed in the Islamic States that border the existing 27-member state.
I personally support this view, and even see teh EU as a means to end the Israli-Palestinian conflict, as trade and economic links brings peace and rewards. However these states have a lot do before they could be considered for entry.”

“____ :-) ;-) ____

It's already the case that some 50% of Muslims in the UK were not born here, just imagine what it might be like if Turkey join the EU !!”

“"Are there any Islamic countries already in the EU?"
yes Great Britain”