Stop using religion as a crutch

Re Tenants’ religious rights violated by landlord, May 4 As a practicing Muslim and a former landlord (thankfully so), I have seen many creative ways tenants use to frustrate the landlord.

But using religion as an excuse brings disrepute to the very religion one professes to hold high. Muslim prayers are no more than 20 minutes long and prayer space is a prayer mat. No landlord enters an apartment without giving 24 hours notice, or enters the unit without a loud hello or other greeting.

The tenant could easily have said wait a minute, or put a sign at the door while praying. Similarly, he could designate a room or a corner as prayer space. Most landlords remove their shoes and, even if entry is made with inside shoes, no religious violation has taken place.

If religion is used as a crutch to cry foul every time, there will be pushback.

I am also surprised by the $12,000 fine levied by the Human Rights Tribunal. A landlord is lucky to make $100 per month on a unit after paying condo fees, real estate and other taxes. This fine would place the landlord in the red for many years. I am glad I am out of the landlord game.

Shah Nawaz Husain, Brampton

Re Science’s ‘dorkiest’ defender, May 4

The accommodation we must endure for religion in this age of enlightenment is beyond all reason and common sense.

The article about Bill Nye and his work to help people understand facts relating to the universe, along with the article about troubles a landlord had with tenants over religious accommodation, are chilling.

Our charter needs to be changed to take a more realistic view of this archaic practice. I believe it should start with the banning of all religious accommodation in our schools and more emphasis on scientific facts and knowledge.

William M. Pomeroy, Norval, Ont.