Posted on 01/10/2007 3:12:50 PM PST by Mr. Silverback
After September 11, 2001, you may recall that many members of the press were going around asking plaintively, “Why do they hate us?” Some journalists seemed to imply that if we could just be a little nicer, a little more “tolerant,” the jihadists would opt for a group hug instead of terrorism.
I’m pretty sure those pundits and reporters would not have expected—or liked—the answer that Mark Steyn gives in his excellent new book, America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. As Steyn sees it, one major reason the Islamo-fascists hate us is not that our beliefs are inimical to theirs, but that more and more of us believe in nothing at all beyond self-indulgence. And they look down on us for this—but they are also learning how to use it to their advantage.
As Steyn points out, and as my colleague Roberto Rivera has written, an important factor in radical Islam’s spread is simply a matter of demographics. Native Europeans, addicted to an affluent and self-centered lifestyle, are not having babies, and radical Muslims are. But there’s more to it than that. Observing the rapid growth of radical Islam in Europe, Steyn writes, “If you’re a teenager in most European cities these days, you’ve a choice between two competing identities—a robust confident Islamic identity or a tentative post-nationalist cringingly apologetic European identity.”
Radical Islam is not luring Europeans away from a solid belief system; it’s providing many of them with the first real belief system they have ever had. It’s filling a void for people who have nothing else to believe in or hold on to.
Secularists in Europe—and in America as well—do not understand this. As Steyn writes, “One reason why the developed world has a difficult job grappling with the Islamist threat is that it doesn’t take religion seriously. It condescends to it.” That condescension makes secularists unable to see what’s going on right under their noses.
It’s similar to the situation that’s been going on in our prisons for years now, which I’ve talked about several times on “BreakPoint.” Prisoners all share one thing: a need for something to fill the emptiness in their lives. We have seen this in the thousands of prisons we work in. Radical Islamists know this, and they have made a point of targeting prisoners for conversion. Their brand of religion offers people that sense of belonging, of something worth living and dying for, that people need—the very thing that postmodern secular societies do not offer. And that’s a big part of what makes radical Islam so dangerous.
As Steyn put it in a recent interview for our “BreakPoint” website, “[Radical] Islam is a weak enemy, and its strength is determined by what it’s pushing against.” The problem is that Europe and, increasingly, America are putting up very little resistance. If Christians won’t stand up for our worldview, and secularists won’t stand up for anything, one day we may have no one but ourselves to blame for the triumph of radical Islam. The greatest offense against aggressive Islam is a strong, vibrant Christian faith, which, of course, comes right down to you and me.
Indeed. We are buggering, aborting and apostasizing ourselves out of existence. We need to be better than this, or we're headed for the 11th Century.
There are links to further information at the source document.
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Secular Humanism is EVIL and destructive. The Secular Progressives are like sheep being led to slaughter. Unfortunately, they will take some of us down with them.
BreakPoint/Chuck Colson Ping!
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bump
Well, don't expect help from the typical preening, used-car-saleman pitchman that most Christian preachers resemble today. They don't preach about sin, so as not to offend anyone, and they don't preach the Gospel of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, because that's too "exclusive." The weak-kneed fops that comprise the clergy of virtually every denomination, whose guiding belief is to get along with everyone and be liked, are largely to blame for the rampant Biblical ignorance of Christians today. The blind are leading the blind, and they will both fall into the ditch, as Jesus said.
Radical Islam is everything the left accuses Christianity of being, yet the left is not only willing to tolerate Islam but is willing to pander to it. The difference is that Islam is willing to actually act on its hate, where the left knows full well that there is no such threat from Christians; they only respect those whom they fear.
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Another bump for Colson - and Steyn!
Very well said. Not too long ago I asked a Minister if he was going to start speaking about the war we are in with the Muslims and he said he saw no need to do so. I thanked him and told him that is why I don't attend his church and it was his duty as a MINISTER to do that. He was not happy.
Good post. Now -- if only enough people started taking this whole issue seriously.
I agree 100%. So many have been afraid to talk about the disease for so long that the afflicted don't know they have it, so why should they want our cure?
A top couldn't have given me more spin.
"..so as not to offend anyone, and they don't preach the Gospel of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.."
These preachers have to eat, don't they? Champagne and caviar.
Bump for later reading!
It made sense right up to the end when it said Christian Faith needs to push back. Look, I'm very very perplexed by people who need religion. Death is exactly like the time before you were born. It's really not that compicated. But, if it makes you feel better, it makes you feel better. In any case, Christains can push back if they want and they probably should. More importantly, those who love the concept of freedom should push back and I am.
Any political force that denies the rights of women, men, terrorizes the non-believer, and saps a culture of creative energy needs to be confronted. Many years ago, Christianity did just that. In more modern times it's been the Nazi's, Communism, and now Radical Islam serving in the role of 'my way or your dead' sort of leadership. Actually, Islam is a pretty clever a poltical movement because of its claim that an attack on it is an attack on God does carry weight with many people.
In a way, its funny how people need to believe there is a god. On the other hand, people are so serious about it (today the seriousness is in the Middle east), they become violent, ruthless, and threatening.
The power in the belief that there is a power of God is absolutely mind numbing to me. I personaly believe in the power of golf.
This is exactly the reason that Saddam Hussein had no animosity toward Christians - he had nothing to fear from them. Compare this with what is happening now under the US installed Iraqi government who also has nothing to fear from Christians. Yet, Christians are now severly persecuted and most have fled already.
Saddam was a secularist but today's Iraqi government will not allow any other religion except for Islam. Shades of Saudi Arabia. Ah, but I forgot. The Saudis are our friends, right?
OK
This sheds some light on what we are up against:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,,00.html
The Left and much of Europe do believe in somethings. They believe America is always wrong. Israel is always wrong. Democracy is suspect. Criminals are only misunderstood, redistributionists in a hurry. Capitalism is bad. And Bush is the enemy. That's the lessons that many of the young will learn as they grow up and must confront a benighted but confident enemy.
No, what's going to be funny is watching you explain that statement to the Lord Jesus Christ when He's standing in judgment of you. Better start practicing waving your hands and saying "but but but but but but but" now!
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