15 March 2006
WAKE UP ! Europe Forsakes Christianity for Islam?
Welcome to post-Christian Europe, a land filled with beautiful monuments to an ancient religion that few Europeans practice anymore or know much about
While Christianity is still very relevant in the United States, and is exploding in the developing world, Europe today has sunk below unbelief, and is now labeled "Christophobic" and "anti-religious."
While an American might look at a church building and think nice thoughts, that's rarely the case with a European, especially here in France, where religion is more likely to be associated with oppression, irrelevance, or simply the past.
In France, as in much of Europe, only five percent go to church on a weekly basis, and most of them are the elderly. Only 10 percent think religion is "very important." For all Europeans, that figure is only 21 percent.
“As an American in Europe, when you tell Europeans that you go to church on Sunday, they look at you like a museum piece--something strange,” said journalist Richard Miniter.
Near Brussels, at Christian Center, an Assemblies of God church, Belgian Pastor Paul Devos ministers to a culture in which Christianity is largely irrelevant.
“In the United States, people would more quickly turn toward at least Christ in general and Christianity, because it's still somewhat part of the culture in general. Here in Europe we have gone beyond that point, and we do not expect anything from religion apart from some very abstract hope that there is something after this life,” Devos said.
Among the clergy in the state churches, unbelief is extraordinarily high.
Baylor Sociologist Rodney Stark said, “It's easy to have a negative religious experience going to church in Europe. The one place unbelief is rampant is in the churches.”
The study "Fragmented Faith?" found that in Britain, one out of five Anglican pastors does not believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ. And only 60 percent believe in the virgin birth--that's a lower level of belief than among churchgoers.
“It's the churches they don't go to. And one of the reasons is [that] they don't go is the people running them don't care if they don't go,” Stark explained.
There have been reports recently that although church attendance in Europe is low, belief in God is actually very high, but belief in what sort of God? Judging from surveys, it's a new age faith with a large dose of moral relativism.
Vince Esterman, a Frenchman who grew up in Australia, has been a French pastor for almost 20 years, and has a dynamic street ministry in Paris. Although he has led a lot of Frenchmen to Christ, he doesn't talk much about revival. He speaks of a Europe that is still moving away from God.
“Europe that was the custodian of the gospel in the very early decades now is the continent that is rejecting the gospel and Christianity,” Esterman said. “And so we have seen France go into decline and with it, Europe generally.”
But instead of looking to faith for answers, the European media continue to mock America's high church attendance as weird. The British Economist Magazine wrote, "To Europeans, religion is the strangest and most disturbing feature about (America).”
Esterman said, “This last week in prime time television on one of the French national stations they had a program on God in America. And again it was Pentecostal Christians in the states, and they were ridiculed and treated as a simple minded naive people. But absolutely nothing can be said against Muslims of course because there's always retaliation.”
Stark wrote in the Victory of Reason that Europe owes everything--its culture, its freedom, its science, and its wealth--to Christianity. But European leaders today are defiant in their efforts to keep God and Christian faith out of public life.
A sociologist at the Sorbonne in Paris summed it up this way: "We are not going to sacrifice women's equality, democracy, and individual freedoms on the altar of a new religion,” said Patrick Weil, University of Paris-Sorbonne, Christian Science Monitor.
But some would say Europe has a new religion. Italy's Culture Minister Rocco Buttiglione, a devout Catholic, calls it "a nihilistic fundamentalism against truth." Stark calls it hedonism, and says it is why Europe is dying. No Western European country is having enough babies to replace its current population.
“The loss of faith in Europe is like an unseen black star that still has a tremendous gravitational pull,” Miniter said. “They don't understand why their culture is failing. They don't understand why divorce rates and suicide rates are so high. They don't understand why so few European women have more than one child, and why on most European streets, you see more dogs than children. This is the impact of the death of real Christian belief in Europe.”
One writer described Europe today as a majority of Christian atheists and a minority of Muslim fanatics--an exaggeration. But there is a spiritual void on the continent that Islam waits to fill. It was this void in the life of a Belgian woman, a former drug addict named Muriel DeGauque that caused her to convert to Islam, go to Iraq, and blow herself up trying to kill U.S. troops.
“I have been an eyewitness to France becoming increasingly Islamicized. There is no longer an ability to morally resist a strong culture like Islam coming into the country,” Esterman said.
Stark said, “Europe is going to get more religious than it is either because of a revival of Christianity or because they go Muslim…you can't sit there with no babies for ever.”
And because belief impacts everything from culture, to economics, to the war on terror, religious America and anti-religious Europe are likely to drift farther apart unless Europe returns to God
By Dale Hurd
CBN News Sr. Reporter
01:20 Posted in EUROPE | Permalink | Comments (17) | 
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Author of this article associates Europe only with western european countries, especially France. While all that he wrote about "old Europe" (it's the term used here, in new EU countries like Poland and Slovakia) is true, saying that majority of people in Poland or Latvia are atheists, that church attendance is declining and so on would be a MAJOR EXAGERATION. The situation in Western Europe is so bad because of policy of multiculturalism and streched to the limits tolerance (even for barbarity). France is paying for her romance with "Grand Oriente" Lodge (Fremasonary) with politicians and influetial people. "Grand Oriente" is a force that was behind Revolution in France and is constantly (for houndreds of years) attacking Christianity and Church undermining it's position. Say "thanks" to Grand Oriente which is also a force behind today's European Commision (a goverment of EU) - no wonder why in countries, that have long been in EU Chritianity is dying...
There's a slim hope for rest of the Europe - in Poland position of Catholic Church is extremely strong, Bible believing Churches are also in good shape, Islam is virtually unseen. Central and Eastern Europe are the strongholds of Christianity.
Posted by: Slavomir | 08 March 2006
True Slavomir!!
Central and Eastern Europe are the countries that America should have VERY VERY close ties. These countries are the ones that should lead France, Germany, Switzerland and atheist countries of the like back towards Christianity.
It's sad what's happening in some of these Western European countires. These same countries were the ones who defended Christianity till the death and now they are dying to get rid of Christianity...
Posted by: Egypeter | 08 March 2006
Its interesting, I think every civilization on earth has its times, when it is dominant. And i think, the time has come for the WEST in general to decline, but, we all must stand up together to defeat oppressions undertaken by Islamic countries, towards Christians
Posted by: David | 08 March 2006
Yes indeed its very interesting how people not just in Europe but in fact the whole of the world are forsaking polytheism and other twists to the word of God (the most high) and turning to Islam the final revelation and the original and uncorrupted massage of all the previous prophets from the time of Adam to the last prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all). People want a meaning to their life not just blind faith that tells you about heaven, and God being a man without rationally convincing one of such innovations. Islam is plain simple telling you the truth about God and your ultimate goal with a guide line to help you get their and achieve get their. Also the small number of attacks carried out against Christians by some silly arrogant fools supposedly in the name of Islam is literally a drop in the ocean when compared to the number of attacks and the murdering of millions of innocent Muslims all over the world instigated by the Christian world furthering its colonist aspiration all for a bit of luxury in their own land. Yes Islam has the most glories history of any nation and religion and the chaos that you see today in the Muslim world is nothing but a reaction to the corrupt dictators and murders that run Islamic lands supported by the Christian world to exploit and murder. It’s all a result of the lack of Islam that is propagated in the world. From the moment that Muslims left Islam and followed corrupt western concepts in hope material gains that is when they started to decline.
But from the day they followed Islam truly that is when they started to progress to become the best of creation. Indeed the opposite for Christianity. Look back at history if you don’t believe me. Europe has had enough of all these ideologies that say one thing and to another. They want meaning to their lives. They want Islam.
Posted by: Azad mahmod salahadin | 09 March 2006
"Islam is plain simple telling you the truth about God and your ultimate goal with a guide line to help you get their and achieve get their."
Wait. What is the truth in Islam again: Can you remind me. Is this the truth of God????
"...fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them..." (Qur’an 9:5)
"...fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere...." (Qur'an 8:39).
“Allah’s Apostle said, ‘I have been made victorious with terror....’” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220).
"Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not" (Qur'an 2:216)
“A single endeavor of fighting in Allah’s Cause is better than the world and whatever is in it” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 50)
"Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home)...But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward..." (Qur'an 4:95).
THIS IS NOT MY GOD!
And this is not YOUR god either...because he does not exisit this god is a figment of Mohammad's epileptic imagination, dear friend.
Posted by: The Truth | 09 March 2006
The problem with most muslims is that, while they believe in their "prophet", they do not know NOTHING about his cruel deeds, sinister life and unholy teachings.
Oridinary muslim know only what imam told him/her in mosque during friday prayers. If he/she reads Quran, he/she don't understand it (because what Quran lacks is CONTEXT and sanity). Without tafseer (commentary) and thorough studies of hadith collections understanding Quran is IMPOSSIBLE. And if muslims studied all islamic sources, most of them would leave Islam - barbaric, hateful doctrine of domination.
Mr. Salahadin please respond to my question - isn't it true, that Muhammad:
-married a 6 year old Aisha and sex with her while she was still playing with her dolls (at age of 9)
-raped women ("right hand booty") after slaining their male relatives and housbands (he also granted permision to his companions to do the same) during his raids on cities
-killed by decapitating at least two tied Jews, who surrendered to the Muhammad forces, while his (Muhammad's) companions did the same to ~898 of them (Jews)
-ordered killing of 120 year old man and mother of five children, because they disagreed with him (or riduculed him, if you wish)
-ordered to stone woman caught on act of adultery, while he had at least 13 wives (actually it could be 13 to 22 wives) and many sex slaves (women raped after countless raids on cities and caravans). I tell you - rape is far worse deed than adultery, while it's still an adultery in some way (at least for the person who is commiting such a thing)
and so on...
Face it - Muhammad was a MONSTER. He was a criminal, and today he would have been placed in jail for life sentence (if he would be lucky). He made a religion of domination, hate, fear, cruelty and fairy tales!
In contrast to Jesus Christ (Jahshua the Messiah) teachings Muhammad taught:
- kill pagans
- hate thy enemies, curse them, respect only muslim brothers (from Umma)
- spread Islam using any means, do not restrain from violance, terror, lies and deception, if you're fighting in the name of allah
-wage war in the name of islam (jihad)
-fight until there's no other religion than islam, and no other deity than allah
and so on
Jesus taught:
-Love thy God (JHWH) and thy brothers
-Love thy enemies, bless them, pray for them
-Do not resist evil doers, leave them for the judgement of God
and many more sound teachings...
Posted by: Slavomir | 09 March 2006
To administrator of this site - could you put it on main page?:
http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/GrantSwank60309.htm
Posted by: Slavomir | 09 March 2006
Slavomir - You are a wise and learned individual!
No muslim can answer your questions.
There is no denying the deeds that mohamad commited. He killed, raped, stole, imprisoned, and enslaved people...PERIOD.
And on top of all that he was a PEDOPHILE!!!!
Thank God that you know the truth.
God bless you friend and peace.
Posted by: The Truth | 09 March 2006
we must revive Christianity in Europe. otherwise we will fail.
the islamic threat is going to be the reason for europeans to recommit themselves to Christianity.
dont forget: WE have God on our side !!!
Posted by: daniel | 10 March 2006
HI IM A CHRISTIAN CONVERT I WAS A MUSLIM BUT CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. MY LIFE IS WITH JESUS CHRIST NOW, GOD IS THE JUDGE MY FRIENDS- EUROPE IS LOOSING ITS FAITH IN GOD THIS IS A BAD SIGN THEY MUST START OPENING THEIR BIBLES AND TALKING TO GOD ALMIGHTY AGAIN BECAUSE SATAN WANTS TO DECEIVE THE WORLD THIS IS THE END TIMES. DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS GREAT
AMEN
MUMMOOD
Posted by: MUMMOOD | 13 March 2006
THE TRAGEDY OF THE UNITED STATES' LETHARGY
Why is anyone surprised that Islam is attracting more young people than Christianity? Thanks to the slant of our liberal media, Islam is portrayed as a clean religion that inspires passion & devotion among its followers. Young people want passion for a cause ... they crave it! What has Christianity in the West provided as an alternative? A whole lot of hypocrisy! We see the "name it & claim it" false ministers on TV, flashing their blinding diamond rings, bragging about their Rolls-Royces, and encouraging their poverty-stricken congregation that they, too, can have all this material wealth if they would only "sow a sacrificial seed in their ministry". This practice is no different than Wiccan rituals -- using GOD as part of a mysterious magical formula to get rich! Then, if the young people do go to church, they are turned off by the hypocrisy they see, the back-biting, the gossip, etc. We all know nobody is perfect, but where do they see the PASSION FOR JESUS CHRIST??? Jesus, Himself, sadly asked the rhetorical question as to whether or not He would even find faith on the earth upon His return. He will, via His Holy Spirit, give us that fire to let Him live through us. However, for years, the United States sat back & did nothing as prayer was removed from the schools, Christian symbols from our state seals, & now our students can't even bring Bibles to school or mention our dear Lord's Name in public schools (however, Islam is being welcomed into our California schools with open arms). WAKE UP! We've allowed secular humanism to destroy the Christian fabric that built this nation & now Islam is swooping in (from within as well as from without).
For example, how many people know the history of the country they call Palestine? Most people don't know the true history behind the Israelite-Palestinian war, but it goes something like this: after Jesus was crucified in 31 AD, the temple of the Jews was completed in the year 63. Three years later, the Jews decided to revolt against the Roman empire (revolts against the Romans were not an uncommon activity, even if unwise). Titus came in and demolished Jerusalem in April of A.D. 70 during the Passover. He accomplished this by trapping tens of thousands of Jews behind Jerusalem's walls, blocking off all escape routes & tunnels and brutally starving them in a horrific famine (driving the Jews to barbaric acts that I will not describe here). By the time Titus had effectively starved them & burned down Jerusalem, the historian Josephus stated that about 1.1 million Israelites were dead & 97,000 were taken away as prisoners (most of whom were fed to the lions in those glorious acts of humanity indulged within the Coloseum structure).
However, another doomed revolt against Rome -- led by Bar Kochba -- took place in A.D. 132. When the Roman emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem, he decided to rename the city Aelia Capitolina and rename the country itself as PALESTINE (his way of mocking the Jews by renaming their country after their old nemesis ... the PHILISTINES. He then banned the Jews from Jerusalem.
So, as we can see, a long history of enmity existed between the Israelites (to whom GOD had given the Promised Land of Canaan) & the invading Romans (who, much like the Muslims, acquired their position by barbaric acts of invasion & helping themselves). The land over which the Palestinians are screaming, "Occupation!" has always belonged to the Jews -- it would have been theirs this very day if they hadn't disobeyed GOD & continued to revolt. "Palestine" comes from "Philistine," and Hadrian renamed Israel as Palestine just to mock the Jews.
May GOD bless you all!
KimEllen (Make A Difference Ministries)
Posted by: Make A Difference Ministries | 13 March 2006
KimEllen, Thanks for informing us about the briefly mentioned history of Jerusalem/Palestine. Why is California so receptive to Islam in public shcools? Where can one find out more about this issue?
Posted by: christopher | 14 March 2006
I'll add something to what Kim Ellen said about "Palestine":
Did you know, that Arabs (today calling themselves Palestinians) had stettled in Israel and "Palestine" about ~100-120 years ago?
Did you know, that before that, there were very few inhabitants in the land of Israel. There were mostly poor Jews and various other peoples scattered around the land.
Did you know, that there's no record in history of ANY palestinian king, prince, prophet living in the lands of today's Israel and Palestine (not hard to guess, if you take into account what I wrote above)?
World MUST know truth.
Posted by: Slavomir | 14 March 2006
The founder of Islam didnot marry than 5 year old girl. She was at least 16 year old when he married her. I than a Christian that convert to Islam.
Than 90 plus old Islamist Scholar said the Last Prophet married than 5 year old girl, there is proof that he was very senile (mind like achild,nobody home in the head) when he said that. There is no historate proof that the Prophet married than 5 year old girl. Not even his eorst enemies said that about him.
Posted by: CharlesBHoff | 15 March 2006
You're deceiving yourself. Read islamic sources first and do not believe what imams and apologetics of Islam say to whitewash their pedophile "prophet":
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/ayesha.htm
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/ayesha_age.htm
Posted by: Slavomir | 15 March 2006
{In Response To Charles B. Hoff}
AYISHA: THE CHILD BRIDE OF MUHAMMAD
From INSIDE ISLAM by Reza F. Safa
"At the end of the year 620, Muhammad suffered the losses of this wife, Khadijeh, and his uncle Abu Talib. A few months after the death of Khadijeh, Muhammad married the widow of one of the believers. He also married Ayisha, the seven year-old daughter of his friend Abu Bakr" (Inside Islam by Reza F. Safa). This author was formerly a radical Shiite Muslim who converted to Christianity and shared his deeply intense inner personal conflicts with Islam & the painful decision to convert out of the religion in which he had once loved passionately. This is a fairly young man who is well-educated and definitely not "senile". I recommend his book highly to anyone who wants to understand the inner experiences & mindset of a Middle Eastern man. Our cultures are so radically different that we are unable to understand one another.
Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 62:
Wedlock, Marriage (Nikaah)
Volume 7, Book 62, Number 65:
Narrated 'Aisha:
that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old. Hisham said: I have been informed that 'Aisha remained with the Prophet for nine years (i.e. till his death)." what you know of the Quran (by heart)'
TRUE HISTORY OF ISLAM
http://www.bibleprobe.com/muhammad.htm
Aisha (only 6 when married) believed whatever Muhammad told her about his divine inspiration. Muhammad claimed that he used to get revelations from Allah only when he slept with Aisha. Why is it that Gabriel did not bother to visit him when Muhammad spent nights with other wives in his harem?
Reference: ahadith from Sahih Bukhari: "Muhammad used to get divine inspiration only in Aisha's bed"...3.47.755
Aisha did not see Gabriel while Muhammad introduced Gabriel to her…4.54.440
Volume 4, Book 54, Number 440:
Narrated Abu Salama:
'Aisha said that the Prophet said to her "O 'Aisha' This is Gabriel and he sends his (greetings) salutations to you." 'Aisha said, "Salutations (Greetings) to him, and Allah's Mercy and Blessings be on him," and addressing the Prophet she said, "You see what I don't see."
There are numerous other references through the Google search engine -- because I have to take care of my sick husband & get ourselves to bed, this is all I can "cut & paste" for your convenience at this point in time. But there are other sources such as "THE MATHNAWI OF MAULANA JALALU-'D-DIN MUHAMMAD RUMI," as well as books written by former Muslims whose internal conflicts over such matters made it impossible for them to go on proclaiming the moral virtues of Muhammad.
I realize the horrible conditions that existed for women & young girls back in those ancient centuries ... it was not unusual for child brides to be married off because that was their only worth, as far as society was concerned. But it disturbs me when people insist that Muhammad never had this child bride when her name & comments are splashed all across Middle Eastern history! Many Muslims have a very hard time dealing with some of these details (as well as with their own uncertainty whether Allah will ever accept them into Paradise or make them topple off that bridge into the levels of unspeakable horrors that await the "evil-doers"). However, trying to ignore it or deny it doesn't change the truth about the matters that are undeniably true, & the Muslims who have chosen to leave Islam have had to undertake the courageous battle of facing these internal conflicts head-on and seek the real & personal one-on-one relationship with GOD (Who loves all of His children & tries to draw them to Himself through the Call of the Holy Spirit on our hearts & consciences) through Jesus Christ. We were created to long for a real bond with our Creator & Heavenly Father and that, in a nutshell, is the only purpose of religion in the individual person's life. We can't earn our way to Heaven through our good deeds, helping the poor, and definitely not through jihad that takes the lives of GOD'S other children! Islam is a religion of works -- of trying to earn one's way into Paradise & secretly fearing that Allah just might decide to push the button of the trap door on that bridge as you're crossing it! Because of Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed entrance into Paradise with our Heavenly Father, and the good works flow out of the Presence of the Holy Spirit working through us -- filling us with love, gratitude, and the earnest desire to become instruments of GOD'S Blessing in the lives of others who are as lost as we once were. It is my prayer that all Muslims have the courage to choose the personal & real loving Presence of our Lord over the distant Allah who inspires mostly terror. After all, the basic framework of Islam is seeking a close bond with GOD, Himself ... and I pray that all Muslims find Who they are truly seeking.
May GOD Bless You All In The Name Of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
KimEllen
MAKE A DIFFERENCE MINISTRIES
Posted by: MAKE A DIFFERENCE MINISTRIES | 16 March 2006
Slavomir is 100%right! Copy and save his first comment. Keep reading it. Pass it on to people. It's happening today. All around us. They use God and religion to eliminate Christianity from Europe! I repeat: the plan is to de-christianise Europe after 2000 years. They are doing an excellent job, thanks to corrupt politicians who worship...the Architect, instead of God!!! Thanks Slavomir.
Posted by: enzo | 19 March 2006
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