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Monday, July 28, 2014

THE SILENCE OF THE WEST AND THE LIBERAL MEDIA CONCERNING MUSLIM PERSECUTION AND GENOCIDE OF CHRISTIANS

This translation is copied from Rorate Caeli:

The Two Reasons for Widespread Silence on Christian Genocide:
Secularism and the Fear of Islam, its Terrors and its Blackmail.



The Indifference that Kills

by Ernesto Galli della Loggia
Main Editorialist for the Italian newspaper of record, Corriere della Sera
July 28, 2014

Let's state the truth: how many here in Europe and in the West will truly care about the umpteenth massacre of Christians, blown up into the air yesterday in Kano, Nigeria, by the explosion of a bomb in a church? And besides how many truly cared at all about the Christians forced last week to abandon Mosul within 24 hours, under pain of death or forced conversion to Islam? No one. Just as no one has ever raised a peep for all Christians who have fled, by the hundreds of thousands throughout these years, Iraq, Syria, the entire Arab world. How many resolutions have Western nations presented at the United Nations regarding their fate? How many millions of dollars have they asked of the United Nations' agencies to allocate on their behalf? The slaughter has been going on for years, almost daily: by dozens and dozens, Christians are burned alive or slain in the churches of India, Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria. Always in the silence, or anyway in the general inaction: what, for instance, has been truly been concretely done for the 276 Christian girls kidnapped some weeks ago, also in Nigeria, by the Jihadist Boko Haram group, guilty - nothing less! - of wishing to go to school, and therefore sent to a fate that is easy to fathom?

The two main reasons for this vast indifference are obvious. The first is that we find increasingly hard to feel, and even more so call ourselves, Christian. It is not a matter of simple loss of faith, which also clearly counts. It is a question of what is behind it. A couple of centuries of critical secular thought, in particular its massive vulgarization/banalization made possible by the development of the mass media, have taken away from Christianity, to the eyes of most, the social-cultural dignity of the past. For some time now, being and calling onself Christian is not only not admired intellectually, but in many environments it considered almost unacceptable.
[From the time of the Regensburg Address]

Christianity is not at all "elegant", and often lands those who practice it under a kind of tacit but real ban. The dominant cultural atmosphere in Western ociety considers religion in general as something primitive, at most a "placebo" for the weak spirits, as something intimately predisposed to intolerance and violence. Monotheistic religions in a special way. Theoretically all of them, but then, in practice, in the widespread public discourse, almost only Christianity, and above all Catholicism -- therefore, to the exclusion of Judaism and Islam: the first, for obvious historical-moral reasons related (but for how long?) to the Shoah, the second simply out of fear

Yes, we must say it: fear.


Europe is afraid, and this is the second reason for the indifference I mentioned before. It fears Arab Islam, its power of economic blackmail linked not only to oil anymore, but now also to an extraordinary financial liquidity. At the same time, and above all, it fears the ruthless terrorism, the so many guerrillas that claim to be inspired by Islam, their cruel barbarity, as well as the movements of revolt that periodically deeply stir the masses of that world, always permeated by a sensibility that is extremely easy to light up and to break loose in violent xenophobia. But not only that. Islam scares us also because its very presence -- as also that of other large non-benevolent entities that fill the world today, such as China -- indirectly forces us to face up to a great ongoing change in our culture, and therefore in our civilization: the psychological impossibility of having an "enemy", of withstanding a situation of conflict that cannot be settled. An impossibility that, together with the rejection/removal of death -- death that the decline of religion renders now impossible to accept and, therefore, in some way to exorcise -- is on its turn bringing forth in the West a gigantic historic turning point: the virtual impossibility for us to think about and make war. At least that war that is not fought by impersonal and sophisticated machines, but true war, war in which one dies.

But what do the Christians of the extremely ancient communities of Mosul and Aleppo, all the others spread from Africa to India, think about all this? What can they think? At this point, I imagine, they have only understood the truth that counts for them: and that is, to have very few expectations if they are waiting for a help that comes from here. The Europe of today cares each time less for Christians and their religion. One can feel sure that every intervention on their behalf would be considered inadmissible, improperly biased, shamefully infringing any right to the equality of all. So be it. But may God not wish this to be just a beginning: the beginning of something the premonitory signs of which are not absent on these very days. In a Europe pervaded by secularization, in a Europe whose spiritual sources are rapidly running dry on the disdain decreed against every humanism, in fact it cannot but be established a fatally necessary connection between indifference towards Christianity and antisemitism. It is the same indifference for that which cannot be expressed with numbers, for that which comes from the depth of time and hearts, and which stirs in the darkness of the souls: daring to look higher, higher still than what human sight allows.

[Source: Corriere della Sera]

24 comments:

Rood Screen said...

There is certainly silence, but what good would speaking out against what's happening really do? In the past, Christendom held Eucharistic processions and recited the Holy Rosary against the threat of Moslem aggression. That seemed to work then. But how many Westerners even believe in the Real Presence today, or know how to meditate with the Rosary?

Pater Ignotus said...

A recent "Fresh Air" broadcast on NPR (part of the hated "liberal media") was titled "Human Rights Watch Researcher Reports ISIS Abuses In Iraq."

The story included reports about the anti-Christian atrocities being carried out by ISIS in the areas under their control.

I have heard reports on this tragedy on NPR's flagship news programs "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered."

http://www.npr.org/2014/07/24/334942455/human-rights-watch-researcher-reports-isis-abuses-in-iraq

Gene said...

Hey, everybody loves a Muzzie…they put one in the White House and they are welcoming Sharia and Muslims all over the country. I think we have completely lost our minds…lock and load.

Pater Ignotus said...

From Vatican Radio:

"Two of the leading voices in the Muslim world denounced the persecution of Christians in Iraq, at the hands of extremists proclaiming a caliphate under the name Islamic State.

The most explicit condemnation came from Iyad Ameen Madani, the Secretary General for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the group representing 57 countries, and 1.4 billion Muslims."

More at http://www.news.va/en/news/worlds-top-muslim-leaders-condemn-attacks-on-iraqi

Rood Screen said...

Pater Ignotus,

I'm afraid NPR is not "mainstream new media". Sadly.

Pater Ignotus said...

JBS - Oh?

Gene said...

NPR is Leftist garbage.

Anonymous said...

Really Gene...We all know you've been to lots of school. Why is it then, that after all of that, your remarks here often sound like a sixth grader on the playground trying to be the tough guy?

rcg said...

I listen to NPR (someone please hold Gene's head until he wakes up) and their is a very different reporting when one excuses one violent strain by contrasting it with another. I think NPR is information for people who vainly believe they can ride the tiger until he no longer hungry.

Gene said...

What is tough about saying that NPR is garbage?
Tough would be like if I said, "I am going down to that stupid NPR HQ and I am gonna' rip out their spines and shove them down their throats…then, I am going to tie Anonymous to a bull's tail until he is sh*t to death."

RCG, I must say I am disappointed. But, knowing you, I will attribute this unacceptable behavior to factors outside your control.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, sixth grade Gene, for reinforcing my comment. It does not take much to draw out your innate puerility.

Rood Screen said...

Pater Ignotus,

I wonder if you've read Jonathan Haidt's "The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion". You once referred to a Fresh Air interview with the author. I'm only half way through, but I think it could be the most important book of the decade.

Gene said...

Anonymous, LOL! The sixth grade was the longest three years of my life!

Anonymous 2 said...

Don’t worry, folks; when Rupert Murdoch takes over the entire world, all will be well.

Gene said...

I think it would be perfectly fine if Murdoch was running the country.

Anonymous 2 said...

Gene: Why does that not surprise me?

Anonymous 2 said...

I have just read the shocking NPR report for which Pater Ignotus posted the link. As I have said before: “We reap what we sow.” Of course, right now it is the Iraqi people, both Muslims and Christians, who are reaping what we sowed. I hope we are proud of ourselves. We should have listened to Pope St. John Paul II. Here he is again (all Rupert Murdoch fans, note that the report is from Fox News, not NPR):

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2003/03/12/vatican-strongly-opposes-iraq-war/

Gene said...

Anonymous, it should surprise you no more than it does me that you voted for Obama.

George said...

Anonymous2
When Pope St John Paul II came out rather strongly against the Iraq war, after thinking about it, I concluded that among other concerns. in taking that position he was looking after the Catholic population of Iraq. The Shepherd will always look after his flock . We certainly can't conclude that he supported Mr Hussein. It turns out that he was prescient. By the way both Democrats and Republicans came out in favor of the war. Given the experience of Iraq, it was less excusable for Mr Obama to order miltary action against Libya. Prior to the miltary action there were over 100-thousand Christians Of various denominations in Libya. The Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli criticized the bombardment of Libya by international forces." You cannot solve violence with more violence. It's impossible to understand who's in charge and what they intend to do." Benedict XVI also came out against military action. Libya and Iraq are far worse off today. Egypt would be, except that the military there took back control.

Gene said...

You can, indeed, solve violence with violence as long as your violence is greater then that of your enemy.
WW II is a good example on a large scale, and the many accounts of armed citizens who kill intruders and thugs who attack them. It is particularly successful in the case of citizens who kill felons because this removes that felon from circulation…violence solved. Certainly, other felons will arise, which is why more citizens should go armed. Violence is a necessary part of living in a fallen world. Make sure your violence is righteous and directed at the proper target.

Georgejavascript:void(0) said...

Gene:
There is the right to self defense and Just war. The Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli was speaking to the situation which existed at that moment in Libya. The U.S, England and France were just throwing violence at the situation. We see that what has now transpired in that country is not good. Under Khadafy, Christians were able to live , work and worship in Libya without fear of violence against them. The same in Iraq. Violence is sometimes necessary but where and how it is applied requires certain criteria be met.

Anonymous 2 said...

Priceless, Gene: “My violence is bigger than your violence.”

Gene said...

I agree, George.

Gene said...

Anon 2, Now, that is not exactly what I said…LOL!