Op-Ed: Catholic France, Adieu; Welcome, Islam

Arutz Sheva - Israel National News ^ | January 30, 2014 | Giulio Meotti

[Ravnagora]

Minarets instead of church towers, muezzins instead of churchbells. A different France.

The secular and libertarian magazine Causeur asks: “Is this the end of the bell towers of France?”.

Until last week, the church bells of Boissettes, a town of five hundred inhabitants in the district of the Seine, were ringing every half hour. Then, the Administrative Court of Paris has stopped the bells, as an alleged violation of the 1905 law on the separation of church and state.

The story seems a perfect epitaph to an essay that appeared ten years ago by Danièle Hervieu -Léger, “Catholicisme, la fin d’un monde”. The French sociologist used a term, “Exculturation”, which doesn’t depict a battle still open, but a game over. For French Catholicism.

France ceased to be "la lumiere du monde", a light unto the world, a long time ago. But it is also no more the “fille de Aînée l’Eglise”, the eldest and favorite daughter of the Church, as it once was defined. Catholic France is mortally dying, caught between two fires: state secularism and Islam.

Commenting on the case of Boissettes, the famous writer Renaud Camus was clear: “Secularism is the Trojan horse of the Muslim conquest”. The most prominent Muslim leader in France, Dalil Boubakeur, hypothesized that the number of mosques France will double to 4,000 to meet the demands.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has closed more than 60 sacred buildings, many of which are destined to become mosques.

[Ravnagora]

[Rummyfan]

The sun is setting on many nations of The West, and it is going to be a long night indeed in many of them.

[Steve_Seattle]

It's an old Biblical theme - abandon the one God, and you eventually lose your freedom. It is interesting how one writer described secularism as "the Trojan Horse of Islam." The interplay between secularists and Muslims intrigues me. Secularists actually seem to think they can outsmart Muslims and use Muslims in the war against Christianity, but I think Muslims will have the last laugh.

I notice that Muslims are usually absent from public debates about gay marriage and abortion, as if they are willing to let Christians take the heat. I think the reason is that when Christians lose these debates, they appear weak and demoralized, like a losing army in retreat. Meanwhile, Muslims quietly gather strength and numbers, waiting for their day, the day when their numbers will allow them to enforce their demands.

I think secularists secretly admire the Muslim willingness to use force in pursuit of their goals. Perhaps secularists feel their own emptiness and secretly want to be forced into a religious view by the strong man, the Muslim, not the weak Christian.

[Ravnagora]

Powerful commentary there, “Steve_Seattle”. Thank you for sharing these important insights.

*****

[brooklyn dave]

how many catholics are left in france? 100,00? I know I am being a smart ass.

[Nowhere Man]

I think secularists secretly admire the Muslim willingness to use force in pursuit of their goals. Perhaps secularists feel their own emptiness and secretly want to be forced into a religious view by the strong man, the Muslim, not the weak Christian.

I keep thinking about Osama Bin Laden's speech about the "strong horse, weak horse and dead horse." IIRC, he said that many will gather to the "strong horse," so maybe that is the idea through all of this. Right now, we in the West are being the "weak horse" and if we keep this up, we will be the "dead horse."

[elcid1970]

“The interplay between secularists and Muslims intrigues me. Secularists actually seem to think they can outsmart Muslims and use Muslims in the war against Christianity...”

The two indeed have a common foe in Christ Jesus.

They are foretold in Scripture as Gog & Magog. Following their final assault at Armageddon they will provide the vultures’ feast as also foretold.

[cloudmountain]

The ravages consequences of colonialism.
The USA didn't colonize the way Europe did.
But, then Europe didn't a corner "on the colonization market." Most countries in that mode just conquered. The ravages of conquest were never good. Genghis Khan comes to mind as THE quintessential conqueror. HE was particularly vicious.

After he conquered, burned, pillaged, raped and looted, he would leave his burning conquest to suffer.
THEN some days later Khan would RETURN to that conquered village and REconquer them, KNOWING that many of them had hidden their wealth and young women from The Horde. His punishments for that were legendary.
The conquerors always ending up WRITING the histories so we don't often get the truth until much, much later. He didn't leave anyone to write about him as he all but OBLITERATED Asia's population and changed Asia for CENTURIES with what he did. He EMPTIED Asia for a long time.

His son was a nothing but Kubla Khan was like his grandfather. But, that is ANCIENT history and those folks are gone.

We Americans had a good deal because we so FAR away from Europe that controlling the "colonies" was almost impossible to do and maintain. God DID really bless America.

I try to show that gratitude to our good Lord every day in many ways.

[cloudmountain]

The two indeed have a common foe in Christ Jesus.

My husband and I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years. We lived on the VERY nice ARAMCO camp and didn't much to into the tiny town nearby. What a dust-bowl it was. But we lived and worked with the Saudis, Pakistanis and Indians (Only Catholic Indians worked in Saudi Arabia, no Muslim Indians, for some reason.) for all those years.

There WERE the usual jerks, numb-nuts and retards in that group...and in our own American group but we had "special teachers" for each camp. Read that as PRIEST and we had a resident priest and he had a daily 9:00 A.M. Mass.

The Muslim holy day was Friday but I wanted to go to Mass on Sundays, which were work days. My co-worker, an East Indian Catholic, REALLY objected when I took off 20 lousy stinking minutes to go to Mass on Sundays. He said I should go on Fridays, like everyone else. I would ALWAYS make up the time from my lunch hour...ALWAYS.

He was so angry at me that he said he was going to "tell on me" to our Saudi boss. And he did.

I can remember exactly what our Saudi boss said. He said: "Harry, God is number one. There is always time for God. CloudMountain (not my real name, of course) can go to pray any time she wants."

I don't know whose jaw dropped farther or faster, mine or Harry's. SO, I went to Mass on Sundays. I also decided that it was such a good thing for me that I started going to DAILY Mass.
I picked up the habit of DAILY MASS in Saudi Arabia, from what my Saudi boss let me do. Does the Lord work in mysterious ways or what?!

My point: the Saudis, ALL Shi'ite Muslims in that Eastern Province (NOT Sunni), did NOT consider Jesus an enemy. I ASKED'em all. They considered Him a "good man" who did "many good things." That was the general consensus of Jesus to THOSE 30-odd blue-collar Saudi men.

[lightman]

Powerful testimony!

Tomorrow we rejoice in the Presentation of Our Lord and St. Simeon’s hymn that He is the “Light of nations”...including Saudi Arabia!

[cloudmountain]

Powerful testimony!
Tomorrow we rejoice in the Presentation of Our Lord and St. Simeon’s hymn that He is the “Light of nations”...including Saudi Arabia!

Thank you.
After all these years I STILL go to daily Mass. I feel empty if I don't. Thank you, Shukran, Mohammad Hussein (my boss's name) for reminding me of the importance of praying to God EVERY day.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Got my new tagline