It was Christianity that helped to create the West, including Europe, and it is the erosion of Christianity and the rise of Islam that is destroying the West – especially Europe. We see evidence of this everywhere, and the future is looking very grim indeed for much of the Western world.
Some Good news
Sure, there are some exceptions to all this, and we must not overlook them. Let me offer just three such quick vignettes before I look at the bad news. The first comes from the US state of Kentucky:
The “Year of the Bible” will apparently last 24 months in Kentucky. Gov. Matt Bevin has declared 2017 the “Year of the Bible” in Kentucky even though he proclaimed 2016 the “Year of the Bible” last December. Both proclamations pleased Pastor Mark Harrell of Victory Christian Fellowship church in Somerset, who said Wednesday that Bevin’s actions are in support of a statewide Bible reading marathon.
The “Kentucky 120 United Bible Reading Marathon” is a statewide event to get people in all 120 Kentucky counties to read aloud the entire Bible in the first three or so days of the new year. Harrell founded the effort with aid from a group of clergy known as the Kentucky Prayer Focus.
“We had the Bible-reading marathon last January and the governor and his family participated,” Harrell said. “He wanted it again. We are fortunate to have such a governor.” Harrell said he and Democratic state Rep. Tom Riner of Louisville, who also is a Baptist minister, asked Bevin to sign the proclamation for 2017 and “he graciously accepted as he did last year.”
The second example comes from Poland:
In a ceremony at the Church of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland on Saturday, the Catholic Bishops of Poland in the presence of President Andrzei Duda and many Catholic pilgrims, officially recognized Jesus Christ as the King of Poland and called upon Him to rule over their nation, its people and their political leaders.
“Immortal King of Ages Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior,” they declared at the ceremony, “bowing our heads before You, King of the Universe, we acknowledge Thy dominion over Poland, those living in our homeland and throughout the world. Wishing to worship the majesty of Thy power and glory, with great faith and love, we cry out: Rule us, Christ!”
As reported by Fr. Paul McDonald in Rorate Caeli and at Radio Maryja, the enthronement or recognition of Christ as King of Poland “was done in the official presence of the president of Poland [Andrzei Duda]” on Nov. 19 and was repeated at many Polish cathedrals and parishes on Sunday, Nov. 20.
The third example comes from the UK. In her annual Christmas message Queen Elizabeth was not afraid to mention the real reason for the season. As she said in her closing words:
At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.
Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.
The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows. I wish you all a very happy Christmas.
But plenty of bad news
All this is offset however by the continuing downward spiral of the West. Two recent articles from the Gatestone Institute highlight just how bad things are in Europe. They demonstrate the truth that as Christianity is receding there, secularism is not sufficient to take its place, and Islam instead is rushing in to fill the void.
As Giulio Meotti laments, “Islamists Attack Christmas, but Europeans Abolish It”. He looks at a number of examples of this occurring in France, then looks to the rest of Europe. Here are a few more:
The annual candlelit Saint Lucia procession, a Swedish Christian tradition celebrated for hundreds of years, is “dying” out. Uddevalla, Södertälje, Koping, Umeå, and Ystad are among the growing numbers of cities no longer holding this lovely cultural event. According to Jonas Engman, an ethnologist at the Nordic Museum, the declining interest in the St. Lucia procession accompanies a more general alienation from the culture of Christian Sweden. A study conducted by Gallup International reveals that in observing the Christian religion, Sweden is “the least religious in the West”. In the meantime, with a young, strong, driven sense of purpose and a set of sharia values, Islam is growing.
A German school in Turkey just banned Christmas celebrations. The school, Istanbul Lisesi, funded by the German government, decided that Christmas traditions and carol-singing would no longer be permitted. The Washington Post summarized the decision: “No teaching of Christmas customs, no celebrations and no Christmas caroling”. It is not an isolated incident. A Woolworth’s store in Germany also scrapped Christmas decorations, telling customers that the shop “is now Muslim”….
Belgium, the most Islamized democracy in Europe, is also purging its Christian heritage. The Nativity, the traditional manger scene, has not been put up in the Belgian town of Holsbeek, just outside Brussels. Claims were it was scrapped to “avoid offending Muslims”.
As reported by the newspaper La Libre, school calendars within Belgium’s French speaking community are also using a new secularized terminology: All Saints Day is now be referred to as Autumn Leave; Christmas Vacation is now Winter Vacation; Lenten Vacation is now Rest and Relaxation Leave; and Easter is now Spring Vacation. Then Belgium installed an abstract, de-Christianized Christmas tree in the capital, Brussels.
In the Netherlands, the Christian tradition of Black Pete is under attack and it will soon be abolished. In Italy, Catholic priests this year canceled Christmas to “avoid offending Muslims”.
He concludes:
The final result of Europe’s self-destructive secularism could seriously be a Caliphate, in which the fate of its ancient and beautiful churches recapitulates those in Constantinople, where the Hagia Sophia, for thousand years Christianity’s greatest cathedral, was recently turned into a mosque. The muezzin’s call now reverberates inside this Christian landmark for the first time in 85 years. Islamic terrorists targeted Christmas in Berlin, but it is the Christian secularists who are abolishing it all over Europe.
The second piece looks specifically at Germany. Things are also looking very grim there. Introductory bullet points to the article “The Suicide of Germany” are worth sharing here:
-Of the 1.2 million migrants who arrived in Germany in 2014 and 2015, only 34,000 found work.
-Angela Merkel went to lay white roses at the scene of the Christmas market attack in Berlin. Thousands of Germans did the same. Many brought candles and cried. But anger and the will to combat the threat remained largely absent.
-Nothing better describes the present state of Germany than the sad fate of Maria Landenburger, a 19-year-old girl, murdered at the beginning of December. A member of a refugee relief organization, Landenburger was among those who welcomed migrants in 2015. She was raped and murdered by one of the people she was helping. Her family asked anyone who wanted to pay tribute to their daughter to give money to refugee associations, so that more refugees could come to Germany.
-The law that condemns incitement to hatred, presumably intended to prevent a return to Nazi ideas, is held like a sword over whoever speaks too harshly of the growing Islamization of the country.
-The great majority of the Germans do not want to see that Germany is at war, because a merciless enemy has declared war on them. They do not want to see that war has been declared on Western civilization. They accept defeat and docilely do what jihadists want them to do: they submit.
-If Angela Merkel does not see the difference between Jews exterminated by the Nazis, and Muslims threatening to exterminate Christians, Jews and other Muslims, she is even more clueless than it seems.
Yes things are looking very bad indeed in much of the West. As mentioned, there are a few places where some sanity remains, and some see that neither secularism nor Islam can save Europe. Only a vibrant and life-giving Christianity can do that.
Whether the little glimmers of hope I mentioned above can offset the gathering darkness remains to be seen. But the West cannot long continue on the path it is on. It either returns to its Christian roots or it continues on the path of destruction. Choose wisely.
I simply just cannot understand why so many policy makers are doing everything they can, including evicting Christ from Christmas, to avoid offending Moslems when there is no evidence at all of followers of Islam giving any respect to Christians. Not a single public call from any Moslem leader to fellow Moslems to respect the faith of others. I’m completely baffled!!!
The wolf doesn’t even require sheep’s clothes any more. The more blatant the Islamic cries for a (European) caliphate becomes, the more welcoming the West seems to be. Political correctness is protecting the very thing that will ultimately destroy civilisation – BUT for the intervention of the Lord and his Messiah. Islam is preparing the way for the Antichrist. Unless the world’s eyes are opened, the only good news we can expect is that the final victory, at least, belongs to the God of the Bible.
Hi Bill, apart from the Good News section, the rest of your article makes for very disturbing reading. In some aspects it is like history repeating itself. During the early 1930’s there were ample opportunities by Chamberlain and others to reign inHitler and his fascist plans to dominate Europe. Little was done, and it took a very costly Second World War to destroy the power of the Third Reich. Now in 2017 we have a militant Islam using a mixture of stealth and violence taking over Europe. Sadly, the 1930’s style of appeasement is now being used by Angela Merkel and other National leaders all over again. It certainly didn’t work during the early 1930’s, and it clearly won’t work now. Once again, thank you Bill for all of the research that you’ve put into this article. Bill, just as an aside, is what we are now seeing in the rise of Islam giving us all a future glimpse into the possible shape of the “Battle of Armegeddon”? Kind regards, Kelvin.
We need more than wisdom Bill, we need the kind of courage our forefathers showed when they stood against the forces of Tyranny.
Peoples of Europe don’t seem to possess any “fighting spirit”. They seem to bend with the slightest wind. It’s like they are masochists, inviting an alien power to take them over. Those countries removing all aspects of God and Christ from their societies are going to suffer absolute torment if Islam suddenly rushes for its final goal. There are plenty of atheists in the UK also, but we have not yet lost our burning desire to retain our national identity and love for our country; nor have we fully rejected our Christian heritage, despite what the godless might say in the newspapers.
Chris Dark@
“….Peoples of Europe don’t seem to possess any “fighting spirit”….”
Europe has mostly been ruled by Kings, Popes and Tyrants, Europe of late is ruled by ‘democracy’. However Europe doesn’t have longstanding private and public institutions to support democracy, Europe does however have the ‘EU’ which is a tyrannical overlord. Europeans therefor ‘feel most suited’ in being told what to do.
The US on the other hand has only ever been ruled by democracy and has thousands of public and private institutions to support that, the 2nd amendment and the ‘will of the people’ are just two of them.
Having just read an article by the Queen’s chaplain lamenting the likelihood that Charles may not have a specifically Christian coronation, I think we must all make a priority of praying that Prince Charles will be truly converted, will be born again, will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that very soon.
Quite right David.
How can Prince Charles possible be king when he lived in adultery and is now married to a divorcee, when Edward VIII had to abdicate in order to marry Mrs Simpson not that long ago? My apologies for going off at a tangent here but I believe it all adds to the demise of the UK and Europe. Prayers are indeed needed for this situation as well as all the other causes mentioned in these posts.
Dear Bill,
indeed the confusing of ‘charity’ with self-destructive naievity is of great concern when it comes to allowing the so-called “free flow of peoples”.
Of course there are many in Australia who subscribe to this foolish ‘no borders’ view as well!
As someone from a Polish background I find myself ambivalent about this ‘proclaiming the Lord Jesus as King’ business. Please remember, Mary is still Queen and this is unacceptably confused as far as Bible-informed believers are concerned.
I know we can stand shoulder to shoulder with our Roman Catholic friends on many moral/social/ethical issues (and glad to do so) but on some of these more ideological matters I believe that due caution is needed.
I never choose to have the congregation I serve sing choruses like Jesus we Enthrone you, either for that matter.
It isn’t for me, frail sinner to do that sort of thing!
Blessings for the New Year.
Terrorist fighters for Islam see an easy target in the corrupted West on its knees, paralysed by its politically correct ideology. Their stated objective is to Impose their religion and Sharia law on a Western culture in its death throes. There is only one way to withstand this assault and that is to uphold the Judeo Christian roots of our culture.
How can Charles not have a Christian coronation in Westminster Abbey? Maybe he will elect for a registry office or a mosque? After all we have had a Pope kissing the koran and one washing muslims feet. Welcome to collective madness in Europe. Individuals go mad and nations go mad. Check out north Korea and to a lesser degree every islamic country.
Only the return of our Lord Jesus Christ can sort out this mess, maranatha, maranatha, maranatha.
Excellent article, Bill, thank you. Thanks especially for giving us the good news anecdotes first, and closing with a reminder of them–and the two-word final call to action!
Secularism or for that matter any other ism could never fill the void left by Christianity in Europe. The political and ideologically driven Muslim has the purpose filled motivation to fight, kill and destroy. What does secularism have to offer other then pure selfish incentives, which would only be inward looking for self preservation and greed? What is there to defend if you have nothing to believe in and fight for. The crusaders of old had good reason to take up the sword, to drive back the invasion of the Moors that had to be stopped, and Jerusalem needed to be defended from the invading infidel. Today we have weak mealy mouthed leaders that have sold out to political correctness, and welcome in the so called Muslim refugees, with their worries hidden in Trojan horses.
Bill Heggers
Yes Europe and all the west needs re-evangelising as it did after the fall of Rome. Only the gospel, not the politicians nor the Vatican, can save the west
Dear Bill,
I am a bit late reading and responding to this article which is brilliant and well researched. Thank you very much for it. I will certainly pass the above facts on to all my relatives, friends and acquaintances.
I simply just cannot understand why so many policy makers are doing everything they can, including evicting Christ from Christmas, to avoid offending Moslems when there is no evidence at all of followers of Islam giving any respect to Christians. Not a single public call from any Moslem leader to fellow Moslems to respect the faith of others. I’m completely baffled!!!
The wolf doesn’t even require sheep’s clothes any more. The more blatant the Islamic cries for a (European) caliphate becomes, the more welcoming the West seems to be. Political correctness is protecting the very thing that will ultimately destroy civilisation – BUT for the intervention of the Lord and his Messiah. Islam is preparing the way for the Antichrist. Unless the world’s eyes are opened, the only good news we can expect is that the final victory, at least, belongs to the God of the Bible.
Hi Bill, apart from the Good News section, the rest of your article makes for very disturbing reading. In some aspects it is like history repeating itself. During the early 1930’s there were ample opportunities by Chamberlain and others to reign inHitler and his fascist plans to dominate Europe. Little was done, and it took a very costly Second World War to destroy the power of the Third Reich. Now in 2017 we have a militant Islam using a mixture of stealth and violence taking over Europe. Sadly, the 1930’s style of appeasement is now being used by Angela Merkel and other National leaders all over again. It certainly didn’t work during the early 1930’s, and it clearly won’t work now. Once again, thank you Bill for all of the research that you’ve put into this article. Bill, just as an aside, is what we are now seeing in the rise of Islam giving us all a future glimpse into the possible shape of the “Battle of Armegeddon”? Kind regards, Kelvin.
We need more than wisdom Bill, we need the kind of courage our forefathers showed when they stood against the forces of Tyranny.
Peoples of Europe don’t seem to possess any “fighting spirit”. They seem to bend with the slightest wind. It’s like they are masochists, inviting an alien power to take them over. Those countries removing all aspects of God and Christ from their societies are going to suffer absolute torment if Islam suddenly rushes for its final goal. There are plenty of atheists in the UK also, but we have not yet lost our burning desire to retain our national identity and love for our country; nor have we fully rejected our Christian heritage, despite what the godless might say in the newspapers.
Chris Dark@
“….Peoples of Europe don’t seem to possess any “fighting spirit”….”
Europe has mostly been ruled by Kings, Popes and Tyrants, Europe of late is ruled by ‘democracy’. However Europe doesn’t have longstanding private and public institutions to support democracy, Europe does however have the ‘EU’ which is a tyrannical overlord. Europeans therefor ‘feel most suited’ in being told what to do.
The US on the other hand has only ever been ruled by democracy and has thousands of public and private institutions to support that, the 2nd amendment and the ‘will of the people’ are just two of them.
Having just read an article by the Queen’s chaplain lamenting the likelihood that Charles may not have a specifically Christian coronation, I think we must all make a priority of praying that Prince Charles will be truly converted, will be born again, will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that very soon.
Quite right David.
How can Prince Charles possible be king when he lived in adultery and is now married to a divorcee, when Edward VIII had to abdicate in order to marry Mrs Simpson not that long ago? My apologies for going off at a tangent here but I believe it all adds to the demise of the UK and Europe. Prayers are indeed needed for this situation as well as all the other causes mentioned in these posts.
Dear Bill,
indeed the confusing of ‘charity’ with self-destructive naievity is of great concern when it comes to allowing the so-called “free flow of peoples”.
Of course there are many in Australia who subscribe to this foolish ‘no borders’ view as well!
As someone from a Polish background I find myself ambivalent about this ‘proclaiming the Lord Jesus as King’ business. Please remember, Mary is still Queen and this is unacceptably confused as far as Bible-informed believers are concerned.
I know we can stand shoulder to shoulder with our Roman Catholic friends on many moral/social/ethical issues (and glad to do so) but on some of these more ideological matters I believe that due caution is needed.
I never choose to have the congregation I serve sing choruses like Jesus we Enthrone you, either for that matter.
It isn’t for me, frail sinner to do that sort of thing!
Blessings for the New Year.
Terrorist fighters for Islam see an easy target in the corrupted West on its knees, paralysed by its politically correct ideology. Their stated objective is to Impose their religion and Sharia law on a Western culture in its death throes. There is only one way to withstand this assault and that is to uphold the Judeo Christian roots of our culture.
How can Charles not have a Christian coronation in Westminster Abbey? Maybe he will elect for a registry office or a mosque? After all we have had a Pope kissing the koran and one washing muslims feet. Welcome to collective madness in Europe. Individuals go mad and nations go mad. Check out north Korea and to a lesser degree every islamic country.
Only the return of our Lord Jesus Christ can sort out this mess, maranatha, maranatha, maranatha.
Excellent article, Bill, thank you. Thanks especially for giving us the good news anecdotes first, and closing with a reminder of them–and the two-word final call to action!
Secularism or for that matter any other ism could never fill the void left by Christianity in Europe. The political and ideologically driven Muslim has the purpose filled motivation to fight, kill and destroy. What does secularism have to offer other then pure selfish incentives, which would only be inward looking for self preservation and greed? What is there to defend if you have nothing to believe in and fight for. The crusaders of old had good reason to take up the sword, to drive back the invasion of the Moors that had to be stopped, and Jerusalem needed to be defended from the invading infidel. Today we have weak mealy mouthed leaders that have sold out to political correctness, and welcome in the so called Muslim refugees, with their worries hidden in Trojan horses.
Bill Heggers
Yes Europe and all the west needs re-evangelising as it did after the fall of Rome. Only the gospel, not the politicians nor the Vatican, can save the west
Dear Bill,
I am a bit late reading and responding to this article which is brilliant and well researched. Thank you very much for it. I will certainly pass the above facts on to all my relatives, friends and acquaintances.