Saturday, April 14, 2007

Meeting the Islamic challenge in Europe

The dilemma in today's Europe between tolerance and the preservation of identify needs to be resolved in terms of a Christian revival in Europe that is marked by both tolerance toward Islam and a firm grip on its own philosophical foundations.

A number of readers of World Peace Herald suggested in their comments to the article that the problem was Europeans' tolerance in the face of intolerance. The apparent implication is that tolerance should be reserved for the tolerant.

In other words: "Do unto others as they do unto you." (Wait, was that what Jesus taught?)

Europe's problem is not too much tolerance. Europe's problem is that it has created for itself a spiritual vacuum that lies vulnerable to a religion, such as Islam, that has a strong belief system and followers who are committed to the traditional Islamic way of life.

De Borchgrave says Islamic fundamentalists are finding "willing partners among leftist radicals who never got over the end of the Cold War." This is not surprising, since leftist radicals have rejected the traditional Judeo-Christian tradition of Europe. They put their faith in Communism, but that, too, has failed them. They would be natural partners for Muslims looking to transplant their way of life in a new continent.

Requiring that immigrants adopt the culture of their new homeland is not likely to work. Why should they adopt a secular and materialistic system in favor what they feel is a much stronger spiritual system.

For Europe, there is only one answer, and that is to find its way back to its Christian roots. This will not make it more intolerant of Islam. Instead, it will give it a foundation on which to absorb Muslims through a natural process of voluntary assimilation.

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