Neoconservative-BNP-Islamophobia Axis?

[Cain]

It would be irresponsible not to speculate, especially considering that Robert Spencer (of Jihad Watch), Douglas Murray (the self-described Neoconservative who runs The Centre for Social Cohesion, a British think tank), representatives of the English Defence League (who are widely believed to be a BNP front organization) and the Christian Action Network (an Islamophobic, homophobic American religious organization) all had lunch in George's Restaurant in East London this August.

http://www.spinwatch.org/-articles-by-category-mainmenu-8/317-islamophobia/5318-the-neocons-the-bnp-and-the-islamophobia-network for more

[Jenne]

So has religion "re-sprung" in Europe, more specifically the UK, or is this just a hobby-horse being ridden in on for the sake of The Cause^TM?  I've heard nothing but "we don't use religion like YOU do" from across the Atlantic, but it seems to me that, yes, yes they do.  They're not as above-board about it, maybe they're sneaking around with it a bit more...but damn if the stink don't smell from the same outhouse.

[Cain]

No, religion hardly ever comes into it.  Much more focus is placed on "their" religion than ours, though naturally the "Christian culture" of the UK will get a mention now and again.  The EDL draws from the far-right, and while some of those are Christians, though of a more fundamentalist or evangelical bent, most are not.  They will draw upon religious support from abroad, of course, not to mention at home, but the EDL is essentially a fascist organization, which means loyalty to the party and ethnic in-group first.  The Neocons mostly care for religion only in a cultural sense, as being part of a shared identity, and for using it as part of the "noble lies" needed to motivate the masses and stem off relativism/nihilism.

The claims from the EDL, or their friends at Stop the Islamification of Europe, is the usual "Islam is incompatible with western values, Islam is a fascist religion, Islam equals terrorism, if we don't stop the Muslims now we will end up under sharia law."  So in that sense, it is about religion...but it is very rarely contrasted with Christianity, instead using the language of liberal democracy in hope of gaining more support.

[Jenne]

Ok, so it's almost like a WASH over the whole "God" thing but instead a deeper-rooted problem of "these are the values" with historical religious significance but very secular implementation and distribution.  Got it.