One by one, Scandinavian nations are willingly forfeiting their freedoms to Islamic thuggery.

Though the reason behind their capitulation has not yet reached America, it may well do so soon.

According to a Swedish language report,

Practitioners of Islam differ from those of other religions in that they do not respect democratic freedoms and rights, and in many cases they do not hesitate to resort to violence and terror when they feel violated in their faith. The government has investigated and is now considering introducing Muslim blasphemy laws citing that this is required to ‘guarantee the security of the kingdom.’

Although amending Sweden’s constitution is difficult, the report says the government will instead try to “extend the public order law so that the police will be able to stop Koran burnings with reference to the security of the kingdom.”

Under this new adjustment, burning or desecrating the Koran will no longer be protected as a form of free expression — the way doing anything to the Bible is — but rather one that directly jeopardizes the security of Sweden (by those whom the government has brought in by the millions, and who do not respect Swedish law).

Similarly, according to the report, “police should be able to reject an application for a demonstration permit citing that there is a ‘tangible danger’ that reactions from Muslims in Sweden or abroad could threaten Sweden’s security.”

If, as seems very likely, these new legal adjustments take place, Sweden will have signaled to its millions of Muslims that terrorism, violence, and threats do work.

Deliberately Obfuscating the Issue

Swedish capitulation to Islam is in lockstep with its big Scandinavian brother, Denmark. As Al Jazeera gleefully reported back in 2023,

Denmark’s parliament has passed a bill that makes it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places… The bill, which prohibits ‘inappropriate treatment of writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community,’ was passed with 94 votes in favor and 77 opposed… In practical terms, it will be forbidden to burn, tear or otherwise defile holy texts publicly or in videos intended to be disseminated widely. Those who break the law risk a fine or up to two years in prison… The purpose of the law is to counter ‘the systematic mockery’ that, among other things, has contributed to intensifying the threat of [Islamic] terrorism in Denmark, the Ministry of Justice said.

It is interesting to note that the Danish bill (which is serving as the model for Sweden) does not single out Islam or the Koran by name, but rather seeks to protect from desecration “writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community.” By employing such generic wording that applies to and presumably protects every religious text and community — though everyone knows the law exists exclusively to protect the Muhammadan creed — the Scandinavians appear to have taken a play from the Islamic gamebook.

As it happens, the blasphemy laws of many Muslim nations do not officially protect Islam alone but extend to other religions. Egypt, for example, criminalizes the mockery of “heavenly” religions — namely Islam, Christianity, and Judaism — though the law is used almost exclusively to protect Islam. Muslim nations, and now Denmark and Sweden, pretend to protect all religions in order to appear neutral, not favoring this or that faith. Muslim nations also do it for their image: It’s better to appear to be interested in protecting the sanctity of all religions rather than as rabid fanatics who cannot tolerate criticism.

The Price of Appeasement

More importantly, in adopting what amounts to a “blasphemy” law, these Scandinavian nations are effectively declaring that they are not nations of principles, but rather ones willing to compromise their ethos to appease thugs. Remember, both of these nations once led the way in zealously defending free speech and expression. No more; now Scandinavian law is being dictated by non-Scandinavians.

What other native principles will need to be left by the wayside for the conquerors of Europe? As Inger Stojberg, leader of the anti-immigration Denmark Democrats party said in response to the “shariaizing” of Danish law: “History will judge us harshly for this and with good reason… What it all comes down to is whether a restriction on freedom of speech is determined by us or whether it is dictated from the outside [meaning the Muslim world and its globalist abettors].”

Supporters of these blasphemy laws insist that they have been promulgated for Scandinavia’s protection. Due to the burning of Korans in Denmark and Sweden, violence in and threats to Nordic nations have increased. Not only does this position ignore why Europeans are burning the Koran in the first place (because they abhor its violent teachings) and why Muslims are reacting with terrorism (because they uphold its violent teachings), but it is a fact that if the shoe was on the other foot, Scandinavia would not in any way, shape, or form capitulate its principles in the name of appeasement.

A Look Ahead

Imagine for a moment if an atheist or satanist burned a Bible in Denmark or Sweden (as many have), and throngs of Christians responded with violence and terrorism. Would Denmark and Sweden respond by banning the burning of the Bible, or would they pontificate about the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression, grandstand about how no religion can be singled out for preferential treatment, express zero tolerance, and arrest every last protesting or rioting Christian?

Some will say Christians do not react this way … but what if they did? Would Denmark and Sweden respond with appeasement or force? The answer should be as clear as day.

In retrospect, rather than ban the burning of the Koran, it seems that Scandinavia might have served itself better had it banned the Koran altogether.

What about America? Can the same types of bans come here?

It depends entirely on numbers: If and when America comes to host as many Muslims as Sweden and Denmark — meaning if and when Muslims are able to terrorize and intimidate Americans on a similar scale — U.S. politicians are very likely to adopt such sharia compliant bans, as they are every bit the unprincipled cowards on our shores that they are in Europe.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.