Posted on 09/19/2015 3:38:45 PM PDT by annalex
Chancellor Angela Merkel
Question: A minute ago you were mentioning the responsibility we all have in terms of how we should all deal with all this refugee chaos. But one of our responsibilities is to protect our own citizens in Europe. And I am speaking especially about refugees from Syria and similar countries from where now even more people with an Islamic background come into our country. And I believe what the gentleman addressed earlier is legitimate that there is a great fear here in Europe because Islamization seems to proceed and grow stronger. So I’m asking you, how do you want to protect Europe, and in that regard, how do you propose to protect our own culture from this?
Merkel’s response:
Uh…I think first and foremost, that Islamism and Islamic terror are unfortunately a phenomenon operating predominantly in Syria and Libya and in northern Iraq, and to which, unfortunately, the European Union has contributed a myriad of fighters as well. And therefore we can’t just sit here and say this is a phenomenon that has nothing to do with us because those are people, sometimes very young people, who grew up in our countries and this is where we bear also a responsibility.
Secondly…uh…fear has never been a good advisor, neither in our personal lives nor in our society. Cultures and societies that are shaped by fear will, without a doubt, not get a grip on the future.
And third, of course, we have this debate that a lot of Muslims also have in which we debate whether Islam even belongs to Germany, or not. But I’m finding that when we have 4 million Muslims in this country, it’s really not debatable whether Muslims belong to Germany but Islam doesn’t, or whether Islam also belongs to Germany.
I see there are these worries, but I have to say that, we all have these chances and all these liberties to practice our own religion as well, insofar as we are practicing it and believe in it. So if I am lacking in something in that, I am not suggesting that someone who practices Islam is at fault for that.
We should have the courage as Christians to enter a dialogue then, and while we are talking about tradition, maybe please go to church every once in a while or become a tad more versed in the Bible and maybe be able to just explain a painting in the church or at least be able to explain what the meaning of Pentecost is. So there I just have to say that a lot of people’s knowledge about the Christian Occident leaves a lot to be desired. But then to come back and complain about how Muslims know more about the Quran than they do about the Bible, I find that very curious.
Maybe this debate will make us want to go back, and encourage us to gain more knowledge about our roots. So far I find this debate to be extremely defensively-minded. Sure one has to prepare against the terrorist danger, but let us all also not forget just how rich European history is of dramatic and gruesome conflict and war.
We should be really careful when we complain if somewhere else something bad is happening. Sure we have to stand up against that, but we have absolutely no ground to stand on to show haughty arrogance toward others, and I have to say that as the Chancellor of Germany.
With apologies to the blogger, my focus is on what the chancellor said rather than what opinions we might have about it. I think it is a remarkable answer, even though, given off the cuff, it may lack literary polish.
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I read that an Imam somewhere in Germany told his people that the Muslims will breed the European women and they will bear Muslim children and Europe would be Muslim in a short time.
For clarification purposes, do you think it is remarkable in a positive way or a negative way?
I think it is the wise answer. The West will not survive as a civilization unless it once again becomes the center of the Christian civilization. To think that a society of people without religious affiliation can produce anything of value, or even survive physically is silliness.
I am not defending Merkel’s decision to accept more refugees in Germany, even though in fairness to border states like Greece and Italy some decision like that had to be made. They can’t be a borderless union in good times but not in bad times. I am simply saying that the real battle is in the church pews, not in the border checkpoints.
I just looked up Angela Merkel to learn her age. She is 61. Hard to believe someone could reach that age and her level of accomplishment and be so clueless. Wow!
Surely, there will be a day when “to merkel” will become a verb that means “to foolishly sacrifice one’s people or one’s country to forces of destruction”.
First, there is nothing wrong with what she said here. Civilizations live when they are aware of the value of their culture. If you want a Christian Germany, go to church every once in a while, explain the Bible to a Muslim, etc.
Politically, it is not cluelessness either. The European Union project, set up from the beginning as a religiously-indifferent customs union now has to face the consequence of their secularism. The EU has two possibilities: dissolve, re-establish national currencies and national borders, and deal with refugees as nation states. Or restructure itself as a specifically and exclusively Christian union and deal with the refugee crisis accordingly. Neither decision is entirely hers to make, but if Germany is to remain the de-facto leader of EU, the second option is the one they should move towards.
That, hands down, has to be one of the most awesome pics on the internet.
Oh, I have no problem with her encouraging people to examine their religious heritage. That part was great.
My problem is with the statements that she made about how great it is to have the invaders in her country. That is where she is clueless. This will not end well.
Where did she say that?
She seems to be lamenting Western ignorance of the Western Civilization.
That’s putting it mildly.
Unless Christian Germany becomes aware of Christian cultural superiority and unless Christian Germans learn to convert Muslims rather than joining them in their Jihad, Germany will only have itself to blame if it becomes an islamic colony.
You are correct in that she did not say it here.
And, yes, I hope and pray that Europe returns to its religious traditions. Jesus is the Way, and Judeo-Christian values are at the heart of Western Civilization.
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