How German Catholics are struggling with rising right-wing extremism

National Catholic Reporter ^ | Oct. 4, 2024 | BY RENARDO SCHLEGELMILCH

[ConservativeMind]

Eighty years after World War II, right-wing politics are on the rise again in Europe.

Many in Germany are alarmed about the surge of the extremist Alternative for Germany party. Like other right-wing parties in Europe, they deny the effects of climate change and call for the deportation of people with foreign roots. The federal office for the protection of the German constitution has officially classified the party as a possible threat to democracy.

Yet in recent state elections, the party won about 30% of the votes. This is a tense situation for the whole country — even Catholic Church officials are abandoning their traditional nonpolitical stance to join in the fight against populism and extremism.

Usually, the German states of Thuringia and Saxony do not make international headlines but this changed on Sept. 1. In both regions, almost one-third of voters gave their vote to the Alternative for Germany party, known as AfD.

Established in 2013, the party has put its mark on society for the past decade. As in other European countries like Italy, France and Poland, right-wing politics in Germany has been on the rise since the beginning of Europe's refugee crisis in 2015. That year, more than a million people, mostly from Syria, fled to Germany. Back then, Christian conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Germany's borders. She assured the 80 million Germans that their country would be able to handle the new load, saying: "Wir schaffen das!" ("We can do it!")

Almost a decade later, the situation has gotten tense. Not only are some refugees struggling to integrate into German society, but a recent deadly Islamist-motivated knife attack in the city of Solingen has stirred anti-immigrant sentiment all over the country.

[fidelis]

From The National Catholic Distorter," otherwise known as "the Fishwrap," the most liberal Catholic rag on the planet for the last 50 years. Consider the source.

[BenLurkin]

[Fido969]

Christians in Europe face an immediate threat from radical Muslims assaulting them daily on the streets.

[chopperk]

Maybe kamala is following in Merkel’s footsteps of stupidity.

[PGR88]

What are you up to?

[Tell It Right]

Not only are some refugees struggling to integrate into German society...

Leftist speak for the Muslim rapefugees refusing to act like civilized people. And the leftists are blaming the civil people for it.

[Tell It Right]

Not only are some refugees struggling to integrate into German society...

Leftist speak for the Muslim rapefugees refusing to act like civilized people. And the leftists are blaming the civil people for it.

[PeterPrinciple]

Many prominent Catholics are members of the committee. They also warn against AfD. “We are convinced that the positions promoted by the AfD do not go in line with our principles,” Marc Frings, secretary general of the committee, said in a statement to NCR.

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and those principles are...........................

[PeterPrinciple]

The future will show if all of these statements and actions by Catholic officials will play a role for German voters. The rude awakening might come next fall, when the nationwide Bundestag elections will be looking for a new German government. Latest polls see AfD in second place, but with a volatile political climate in Germany, it’s almost impossible to make any predictions right now.

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This is like the French revolution. A revolution for what you don’t want. After that, there is more you don’t want.

Compare this to the American Revolution where a bunch of old white guys, looked at history and God and established clear goals.

[T.B. Yoits]

Compare this to the American Revolution where a bunch of old white guys, looked at history and God and established clear goals.

Do not let the enemy control the narrative, and don't let the gray wigs of the day mislead you. Other than Benjamin Franklin (70), the others at the time of the Declaration of Independence were young.

Betsy Ross, 24

Charles Cornwallis, 37

Commodore John Barry, 31

Ethan Allen, 38

Francis Marion, 44

Friedrich von Steuben, 45

James Madison, 25

James Monroe, 18

John Adams, 40

John Hancock, 39

John Jay, 30

John Paul Jones, 28

Marquis de Lafayette, 18

Nathan Hale, 21

Nathanael Greene, 33

Patrick Henry, 40

Paul Revere, 41

Tadeusz Kosciuszko, 30

Thomas Jefferson, 33

Thomas Paine, 39

https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/08/ages-of-revolution-how-old-1776/

[PeterPrinciple]

Thanks for your post and clarification.

I should have used “old white guys”.

[Albion Wilde]

What a lie. The Nazis were NOT “right-wing.”

What right-wing extremism is he talking about? People saying, “I don’t want to live under sharia law”—is that his problem?

[Moltke]

What a complete load of manure.

Just three examples:

Like other right-wing parties in Europe, they (...) call for the deportation of people with foreign roots.

Incorrect and debunked. This was put out there deliberately by some leftwing organization. The AfD wants to deport the illegal immigrants of the past decade, not pizza maker Guiseppe who came to Germany in 1960 or his children and grandchildren.

even Catholic Church officials are abandoning their traditional nonpolitical stance to join in the fight against populism and extremism.

Another lie. Bishops have been openly interfering in politics for decades.

but a recent deadly Islamist-motivated knife attack in the city of Solingen has stirred anti-immigrant sentiment all over the country.

One knife attack? How about over 5,000 EVERY year!?