I’m going to have to be careful on this subject. So far, I have tried to stay away from the subject of the Middle East, the involvement of the west, the situation of thousands of political and economic refugees desperately trying to get into Europe. The last time I wrote about this French weekly was when most of its staff were brutally murdered by a gang of gunmen.
I do believe that the way we are informed by the media about the immigrant “crisis” is mostly propaganda and manipulation. I have tried to form as objective an idea about it from reading websites and blogs from all points of opinion and political ideology. I do consult “alternative” news sites with a fairly “conspiracy theory” perspective, and also the mainstream news to get as balanced a view as possible. Between the wild conspiracy theories and rumours of an imminent third world war, a picture begins to emerge in my mind of this whole situation in Irak and Syria being the result of bad foreign policy of Washington and its European vassals. Saddam Hussein was a murderous dictator, but a hundred times more humane than Daesh / ISIS. Obama wants to topple Bashar Hafez al-Assad of Syria in the same way. If I am to believe what Putin has expressed here and there, Assad is the only obstacle to the complete domination of Syria by the barbarians whose way is extortion, rape, torture and destruction.
The more things go on, the more I become pro-Russian in my sympathies and opposed to the post-war pro-USA “orthodoxy”. The answer to the Syrian situation is to annihilate Daesh as had to be done to the Nazis in 1944-45. Russia and any western country that is serious in this cause of ridding the world of this barbarian curse have the technology to take the whole lot of them out in very short order. They don’t need to use nukes and cause mass destruction of innocent people. They can just use technology and elite commandos, and the enemy would be gone before they knew what had hit them. According to what I read, it is happening right now, though Washington is getting very up-tight about it. Russia is getting on with the job.
That is the global view, the context in which we have to view the misery of thousands of people now trying to migrate from the third world into Europe. There are certainly many Christians and Muslims who are desperate to get away from Daesh and flee for their lives. Unfortunately, there are many more who are simply trying to get into Europe – lured by the prospect of free or low-rent housing and social benefits. Their misery too is largely caused by bad western foreign policy in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. They began with a trickle, then hundreds of thousands. Next year, it will be millions – and we just don’t have the housing, resources or money. Let them in en masse – and we will be finished culturally, financially and everything.
We were all moved by the photo of the little Syrian boy lying face-down on a beach, dead because the rubber dinghy his family was using to escape Turkey for Europe sank. It is a vast humanitarian problem. We can see the historic parallel in 1945 when there were as many Germans displaced from their bombed cities, and the Allies had to find out how many SS torturers from the concentration camps were hiding among the innocent. Until that can be established, it would be very foolish to let them through the borders. If I as an Englishman tried to immigrate illegally into the USA, I would be in big trouble with the immigration police in very short order. I’m harmless! At least I think I am… What can be done? Maybe some can be housed for a few months in large camps and fed with food from big humanitarian organisations, and then sent back to countries cleansed from the murderous monsters occupying them. What else is possible?
This cartoon came up in Charlie Hebdo. Yes, that trashy rag that stops at nothing in its twisted satire. Since the atrocity last January, I looked at a few issues and informed myself what it was all about. It is satire that stops short of no one and no amount of offence caused to religious and political figures. There are limits that have to be enforced by the law to preserve public order and respect for all.
The dead three-year old boy lies prone in the sea and the sand. The caption reads “So near to the goal…” On the shore is an advertisement from a well-known fast food chain facing towards the sea (towards people in boats) promoting menus for children. This more than transparent implication shows the symbol par excellence of globalism and consumerism. At first, the association is trashy and shocking. After that comes a whole notion of the absurdity of a desperate and broken Syrian family headed for a Europe that they perceive as an El Dorado paved with gold and hope. The fast food advert shows the trashy and pallid consumer world I and millions of others live in here in western Europe. Is this what those wretched people want? A consumer society that is spiritually sick and on its last legs economically? Those people come from a culture in which religion and spirituality are the backbone of their culture, even though now they are driven to destitution by the barbarians persecuting them for being the wrong kind of Muslims – or Christians. Do they really want the crap we would push on them, our nihilism and triteness? This clash of cultures is at the core of this shocking cartoon, and thus I decided to write this posting.
We seem to be at the brink of another Holocaust and the death of thousands, perhaps millions of innocent people. We also fear a Trojan Horse type invasion by jihadists mixed in with the refugees and those desperate for a mobile phone, Facebook, housing no one can afford and crap food. How real is this invasion? I leave my readers to scour the internet for information and decide for themselves whom they want to believe. Our European continent is lost for any number of reasons. We have thrown out God and a spiritual vision of life. We have embraced materialism, but that will become just as failed a god as Hitler and Stalin in their times. We do seem to be going towards financial collapse and war, then a load of us will want to find somewhere to go and live. In such a paradigm, who would not vote for right-wing nationalist politics? The problem is that propaganda is not based on truth but what serves the ideology. That is the danger of nationalism, socialism too.
If we are pushed out of our home lands, where do we go? Russia perhaps? Would we be prepared to learn Russian and become Orthodox? They haven’t much use for continuing Anglican priests, unless perhaps many of my countrymen flock for the Steppes and plains. I have always found Russia fascinating, but I have never been there, and I would be quite afraid. How long will it be possible to live in England or France? It is always best to stay put and make the most of the worst. Would western Europe be so foolish as to allow such a build-up of Muslim masses of people that it would take over and annihilate what little is left of our Christian culture? Personally, I don’t know where I would go if push came to shove.
Again, like last January, I have my doubts and I don’t know whom to believe. I am inclined to listen more to Putin than our western politicians or the various nationalist reactions. There seems to be a balanced judgement that is as critical of jihadist Islam as western consumerism and nihilism. The question is whether we in England, France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere see sense and take our lives back from those who are lying to us and sucking us dry as they have done with Greece. I could get emotional and carried away, but then I would say things I would later regret – and I am a priest.
The Blue Flower 
One problem distinct in significant ways from “bad foreign policy of Washington and its European vassals” is Iranian ambition which is both national and Shiite, which had designs on (large parts of) Iraq before the precise conduct of ‘Western intervention’ facilitated its success in some ways, which is happy to use Assad as a proxy, happy to ‘stir things up’ in the Peninsula, and with nuclear ambitions not without eschatological components. And, for whatever geopolitical etc. reasons, Mr. Putin seems willing to do business with Iran in ways not clearly with intending to inhibit its ambitions as a priority. The Sunni countries are quite understandably variously keen to go nuclear as counterbalance to Iran. None want to be overthrown by rival Sunni aspirants like IS or al-Qaeda, while some, as well as Iran, seem willing to facilitate them elsewhere as may seem advantageous. Whew!
I understand your high emotional feelings when you wrote this article. Indeed we all have to exercise care when dealing with these issues.
I do not believe that demographic projections, always containing many variables, are inaccurate and that here in Europe the ethnic majority will continue to be substantially ethnic European. I have had plenty of social contact with Muslim fellow citizens although not here in Cornwall. Most do not wish anything other than to live in peace with those who see life differently.I have met Muslims with similar views in other parts of the world. They do not have any time whatsoever for Jihadists who wish to exterminate Christians, secularists and other Muslims. Indeed they are virulently against these fundamentalists.
Now let me say that I am against the current attempts at mass uncontrolled immigration into Europe. Storming borders, fighting with border guards etc. In fact many are economic migrants simply trying to evade normal visa requirements. Not destitute, well clothed, having money and as I think the vernacular has it ‘Looking for the main chance’ These must surely be weeded out and deported. Now we come to the genuine refugees.
These people are in a pitiful state and have been living through a nightmare in places like Syria and Iraq. These include many families with children. How are we to respond to this as orthodox catholic Christians? Firstly I commend International Orthodox Christian Charities http://www.iocc.org where we can make donations and select the country to where we wish to see our donation directed. I stress the need for Christians to be more involved in politics There are many Scriptural texts which are relevant here. Should any reader be unaware I’ll supply a selection. As I understand our catholic faith formed in the undivided church we must help other people who are suffering without reference to their faith allegiance or of none.
Personally I support the policies of the Turkish and other governments to set up Safe Zones in border areas where proper provision can be made for genuine refugees. I am pleased to see that the UK government with which I have disagreements in other areas is providing one billion pounds to help improve things for refugees in Syria and across the local borders. The leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance, a small Christian Democratic political party here in the UK which I support holds the same opinion.
What we cannot do as Christians is simply turn our backs on these problems. Before the Risen Christ we must not!
I understand that those who will be accepted into England will be genuine political refugees and will be transported from the camps in countries like Turkey. Germany is also aware of the importance of helping those in genuine need and fear for their lives, and telling the others to go back to their own countries.
While I understand that these people have lived through hell in their own countries I do not feel like Europe should take any non Christian citizens as refugees. I suppose anymore Europe is not in any way, shape or form predominantly Christian, but there is a part of me that wants to still believe that it is, and that Christianity is incompatible with the barbarism of islam.
All I can say is in times like these I cannot imagine living in Europe. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before the old cathedrals go the way of the Bamiyan Buddhas and the Tomb of Jonah and non muslim Europeans find themselves strangers and persecuted exiles in the lands their ancestors fought and died for but they gave away through political correctness and ridiculous immigration policies.
No doubt not all muslims are supporters, but Islam itself lends itself to violence, it’s barbarism is apparent all throughout the pages of the koran and the books of history up to now. It’s largely a culture at enmity with both Christianity and the militant secularism of the modern West. Seems like it’s cultural suicide to keep letting these people in en masse.
I live in Europe (you will find some reflections in my most recent article) and in the countryside. Christianity is now only apparent in the monuments it built, not only the buildings but also the art, poetry and music. Some points of view refuse to believe that Europe would go Muslim (rather than secular and liberal-capitalist), whilst others fear our enslavement. I hate being in towns, and when I go, it is generally in jeans and a hoodie, hood up with my hair tied back. I wear my cassock in London for Church business, but I am increasingly nervous in it – and that is in Westminster.
I do believe we are being manipulated by propaganda and not being told the truth between the suffering families and the young single men causing the trouble at the various European borders. Those who are being smuggled are paying big money to the people-smugglers. Where are they getting it? Border controls are the only way. I get my passport examined every time I enter my own country (England) and I find such care at the border normal. If they let in millions, they will hike our taxes. If that happens, the extreme-right parties are going to have a field day. It’s all going to get really ugly.
If I tried to get into the USA illegally, I could only expect to get arrested, beaten up by the police and what remains thrown into prison to rot until the bureaucrats decide what to do. It’s much easier to be in and out on a tourist visa. The Green Card is hard enough to get, then you have to be young and healthy to get affordable health coverage (I have never bothered trying to understand what Obamacare is about). Then Europe can be just as careful and only allow in those who have a guaranteed income and are able to show evidence of an intention and ability to integrate. Political refugees can be looked after in Turkey or Jordan until such time as someone takes out Daesh / ISIS once and for all.