UK - Christianity declining, Atheism rising, but so is Islam...

[pocaracas]

The same prohibition applies to men.

Indeed it does and for much the same reasons. However bringing that up at this point of the conversation is a little distracting.
Do you hold a position on the French Gov's decision to 'ban the burkha'? Is it based on a general position you hold regarding gender bias in apparel?

As far as I'm aware, the French government didn't ban the Burkha in particular. It banned all forms of full body coverings that prevent facial recognition.

The same applies to wearing a helmet... you can wear it while riding the bike, in fact, you must wear it for your own safety... but when not riding the bike, it is forbidden, you must remove it. And yet, I don't see anyone batting an eye over this prohibition... if I want to wear a helmet in the office, why shouldn't I be able to? Or wear a helmet in a bank. or wear a helmet in a grocery shop... Why can't I?

My religion of Saint Poca demands that I wear a helmet every waking minute of my life! Why can't I wear it in most developed countries in the world?
[disclaimer] The religion of saint Poca is now admitting new members - we promise a headache-free life at the expense of wearing a helmet all day long. You may only remove the helmet for washing and sleeping.

[Ben Davis]

As far as I'm aware, the French government didn't ban the Burkha in particular. It banned all forms of full body coverings that prevent facial recognition.

Indeed, and that's even worse! But to focus for a moment, the original draft of the legislation was aimed at niqab, burkha and hijab, specifically. The rewording, to get the bill passed, occurred once proposers realised that it would fall at the International Court of Human Rights and it uses a legal loophole for a misguided purpose. Let's not be under any pretense here, the original target was 'muslims' and however noble the intentions, it's an instruction to muslim women on what they can wear.

The same applies to wearing a helmet... you can wear it while riding the bike, in fact, you must wear it for your own safety... but when not riding the bike, it is forbidden, you must remove it. And yet, I don't see anyone batting an eye over this prohibition... if I want to wear a helmet in the office, why shouldn't I be able to? Or wear a helmet in a bank. or wear a helmet in a grocery shop... Why can't I?

Okay, on to the broader point: there are circumstances where security concerns require that facial recognition is required, that I recognise and I applaud efforts to protect people from harm, when protection is warranted. 'Just being out and about in the general public' is not one of those circumstances. I can think of many occasions where I've been glad of full facial coverings (e.g. hoods, scarves, balaclavas) for safety and comfort reasons; I can think of many more, that other people may want to wear such clothing. None of them are harmful or lead to harmful consequences thus it's an infringement of human rights to impose legislation on such garments in those circumstances. Knowing that the legislation was created with muslims as targets, the fact that all French citizens are negatively impacted by it does no good to the arguments in favour of it. For example, one has the right to protect one's identity (i.e. wear facial coverings) when exercising one's right to peaceful protest; but not in France! The legislation is wrong and based on an erroneous & manufactured fear of 'muslims'; it should be overturned by the UN and the proposers held accountable in front of a ICHR tribunal.

My religion of Saint Poca demands that I wear a helmet every waking minute of my life! Why can't I wear it in most developed countries in the world?
[disclaimer] The religion of saint Poca is now admitting new members - we promise a headache-free life at the expense of wearing a helmet all day long. You may only remove the helmet for washing and sleeping.

You can, in most of the world, most of the time. But not in France! Plus, if the helmets could actually be demonstrated to prevent headaches, you'd have a decent argument, just like 'keeping the rain out of your face' is a decent reason to wear a hood or face-scarf, in spite of what French legislation says.

[pocaracas]

Well, it seems there are other countries where people are forbidden to cover their faces, although it seems it's mostly for participants in demonstrations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-mask_laws

[church of saint Poca]
Of course helmets prevent headaches! Nothing can bang your head while wearing them, thus preventing any and all pain. DUH!

[Ben Davis]

Well, it seems there are other countries where people are forbidden to cover their faces, although it seems it's mostly for participants in demonstrations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-mask_laws

Yes. It's worrying, isn't it. How many of our civil rights are we coerced in to sacrificing, in the name of security...

[church of saint Poca]
Of course helmets prevent headaches! Nothing can bang your head while wearing them, thus preventing any and all pain. DUH!

Then I'm in! Since I live in the UK, it's not a problem for me, unless I'm taking part in an unlawful assembly.

[robvalue]

It certainly is declining. The only cross I've seen in years is the one I put on my election slip.

[pocaracas]

Well, it seems there are other countries where people are forbidden to cover their faces, although it seems it's mostly for participants in demonstrations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-mask_laws

Yes. It's worrying, isn't it. How many of our civil rights are we coerced in to sacrificing, in the name of security...

I'm reading the book Infidel by Ayaan Arsi Ali and, with it, I learned that some women are taught, actually indoctrinated, that they must cover themselves and show as little skin as possible. They must be as unprovocative as possible, so men don't turn into savage beasts that will ravage them and kill them, or something... also, Allah cannot see female skin, or else they will go to hell and become prostitutes of hell beasts... or something.
Anyway, all this to say that the desire to wear that tent is drilled into them and many abide by it. It's a religious and a cultural phenomenon.

When these people move to a country where no such culture exists, it either becomes paradoxical in their minds, as clearly men do not turn into savage beasts when they see female skin (why wear the tent, then? family pressure)... or they close themselves indoors and become even more entrenched in their own culture thus not contributing to society, but breeding animosity with the neighbors and possibly a generation of misfits (their children).

This sort of law either empowers women or exacerbates the second option... We'll see, in time, what happens in France.
If the experiment succeeds, other countries may start adopting such policies. Make it known to the countries where this mentality comes from that it is backwards and should remain in the dark-ages where it belongs.

I'm telling you one thing: I do not want a muslim to ever become prime-minister in my country.
Call it islamophobia, call it whatever you will... but the day that happens, a european government will change and start tending to a theocracy.

[church of saint Poca]
Of course helmets prevent headaches! Nothing can bang your head while wearing them, thus preventing any and all pain. DUH!

Then I'm in! Since I live in the UK, it's not a problem for me, unless I'm taking part in an unlawful assembly.

Yoohooo!
We've got one!!
Ahem, I mean, Welcome to the church, brother!
Never forget your helmet.
Saint Poca will be displeased, if you do.... and you will have a headache!
Headaches are saint Poca's way of telling you he is displeased.