A Point to Ponder: Is God Dead in Europe?
Here's some information that's very relevant to the reaction of Europeans to the Danish cartoon controversy. Indeed, in the post-Christian West, where most people's sense of the sacred is essentially dead and where only seemingly hypocritical and politically correct forms of moral outrage survive, it's very nearly impossible for many Europeans—their minds full of stereotypical images and misinformation about Muslims—to really comprehend why Muslims are so upset by the recent charicatures of Prophet Muhammad—salla Allahu 'alayhi wa salam. This is certainly an aspect of this entire saga that needs to be comprehended in order to make sense of what's going on, so please take note of the following (and the article title is a clickable link):
Is God Dead in Europe?Excerpt: "'Common wisdom has it that alcoholics outnumber practicing Christians and that more Czechs believe in UFOs than believe in God — and common wisdom may be correct...'"
By James P. Gannon
USA Today - 08 Jan 2006
Excerpt: "A series of Eurobarometer surveys since 1970 in five key countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy) shows that regular church attendance fell from about 40% of the population to about half that figure. Declines were sharpest in predominantly Catholic nations."
Excerpt: "But some who do see the emergence of a post-Christian era in Europe that has profound consequences for the continent and perhaps is an ominous portend for the United States. Where Europe has gone, America could be going — and that is a prospect that is frightening Christians and sharpening the religious divide in this country."
Excerpt: "Western Europe, the cradle of modern Christianity, has become a 'post-Christian society' in which the ruling class and cultural leaders are anti-religious or 'Christophobic...'"
Excerpt: "Among the consequences of Europe's abandonment of its religious roots and the moral code that derives therefrom is a plunge in its birth rates to below the replacement level. Abortion, birth control, acceptance of gay marriage and casual sex are driving the trend. Europe is 'committing demographic suicide, systematically depopulating itself'...United Nations population statistics back him up."
Excerpt: "In his 2001 book, The Death of the West, conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan argues that a European-style 'de-Christianization of America' is the goal of many liberals — and they are succeeding.'"
I should also mention that I flipped through up George Weigel's book The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God, which is mentioned in the article, the first time I saw in on the bookstore shelf. I immediately went to the index in order to find entries on Islam and Muslims. After reading some of what Weigel had to say on these topics, it quickly became apparent that he's an overt xenophobe, an unabashed Islamophobe and an insidious racist. In the book, he tries to portray Muslim immigration to Europe as some sort of Islamic invasion—indeed, as a follow up to the Ottoman invasion which was halted at Vienna 1683.
Amongst other things, George Weigel is particularly concerned about Europe's falling birthrate, especially because immigrant Muslims account for such a high percentage of the births. This phenomenon, in which white Christians are failing to maintain their population in Europe and the numbers of Muslim immigrants are steadily increasing, George Weigel labels with the provocative term "demographic suicide", since he obviously feels that the days of Old Europe are close to being over unless true Europeans take decisive action to reclaim their Christian heritage. Needless to say, the mere fact that he equates an increase in ethnic diversity with the "suicide" of Europe is rather disturbing. Indeed, those of us who are aware of the not too distant past are justified in wondering (and worrying) what efforts some Europeans might eventually be willing to take in order to keep Europe "pure".
There's much more that could be said here, but the main points which I want to bring attention to, since they're key aspects in understanding the ongoing Danish cartoon controversy, is the near complete loss of a sense of the sacred amongst much of Europe's formerly Christian population—hence their lack of comprehension over anyone, Muslim or otherwise, taking offense at religious mockery. This is not to imply that those who published the cartoons didn't understand that they'd be deeply offensive to Muslims, but rather simply to recognize that there seems to be a state-of-mind prevalent amongst Europeans that causes them to be incapable of comprehending religoius sentiments. Additionally, the increased prevalence of what is essentially a siege-mentality amongst many Europeans, those who feel their culture is being threatened by Muslim immigration from mostly former colonial lands, is something that needs to be recognized for what it is. Keep these points in mind as we watch these ugly trends develop further...
Deen On...
Labels: Current Events
posted by @ 7:44 PM
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22 Comments:
As Europe has moved away from the irrational passions of religion, the continent has become more peaceful, rational, rich, and civilized. Former blood enemies work together to ensure the general welfare of the citizens of Europe, creating a most envied society.
One can only hope that the rest of the world follows, most especially the irrational, violent, poor, and insecure countries of Islam.
Let me see, since giving up on religion and turning to secular ideologies like nationalism, fascism and communism, you've had World War I, World War II and the Bosnian Civil War, not to mention all of the ethnic cleansing that went on during the latter two. Yup, certainly sounds like Europe is as "peaceful", "rational" and "civilized" as ever! Keep up the good work!
I mean really...are you BLIND?!? Now they're being exposed as a bunch of intolerant hypocrites. I know all about how Muslims are treated in France and Belgium, although in the U.K. it's somewhat better. Sorry, I don't have much use for continental Europe. Sure, they tolerate religious differences because religion is essentially meaningless to them. However, they're unable to tolerate those who don't share their godless and secular values nor their nihilistic world view. In short, their tolerance is only superficial, as has become rather obvious. True tolerance means getting along with those who you fundamentally disagree with...so don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen.
You left out all of the other wars fought in Europe over the past three thousand years. How come? Is the Islamic world jealous of the stability, peace, and prosperity of the European Union?
The fact is that Europe today is one of the richest, most mature societies on Earth, and got that way in part because they don't let God run their countries any more.
Are YOU blind??
Muslims are treated much better in Europe than non-Muslims are treated in any state where Islam is a majority religion. Europeans are not perfect, just much better than Muslims.
It's too bad Muslims felt the need to immigrate to societies with fundamentally different values, but it was their choice. At least the godless nihilistic Europeans aren't chopping off hands, stoning, sawing off heads, and killing female reporters. At least the godless Europeans allow mosques, a courtesy unknown in most of the Moslem world.
You want to talk about morals? Europe has the Islamic world beat hands down on any subtopic you care to explore.
Way to go, brother! You show those godless, despicable Europeans! There’s no telling how badly we need more of that Herculean, chest-beating bravado to bring those sick and arrogant Europeans to their knees. All their talk of democracy, equality, human rights, women’s rights – it all just makes me just sick. Sick! I mean, if only they had the insight, the clarity of vision, to see how much better off they’d be with truly angelic creatures of impeccable justice running their countries; creatures like the leaders of Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, the mullahs of Saudi Arabia, and the the Taliban. I mean, what’s wrong with those Europeans? Are they BLIND!?!?! Are there even punctuation mark that can adequately capture our sense of bafflement, brother?
And, thank heavens Muslims had absolutely nothing to do with World War I! I mean, what idiot could have even imagined otherwise? And, of course, it need not be said that Muslims have never had anything to do with ethnic cleansing. No sir, our hands are as clean as can be. I can’t wait to pack my bags and leave this sick and hypocritical Western civilization and make my home in a truly tolerant, multicultural society where women and minorities can feel absolutely safe!
Brother, I have to tell you, there is no limit to my sense of indignation. I mean, can't this crazy European understand your stunning display of moral and intellectual integrity in reducing the entire continent of Europe to a bunch of comical stereotypes that Europeans themselves would never accept? Thank heavens there isn't an ounce of hypocrisy or abject stupidity in anything you write, brother! Keep up the excellent work!
It's too bad Muslims felt the need to immigrate to societies with fundamentally different values, but it was their choice.
You spoke out your mind there, didn't you?
Europe fought the two World Wars after it had become Godless, that is, after the Church and the State bid farewell to each other. The Europeans learnt their lessons well from the World Wars, and that is what made Europe a relatively "peaceful, rich, and civilized" place. However, secularism will always have its pitfalls, as is evident from Europe's problems with Islam and Muslims.
I am still wondering what could be more "irrational, violent, poor, and insecure" than a dozen countries butchering 44 million of each other's peoples (excluding the soldiers) in two wars that lasted, between themselves, about one decade.
It's too bad Muslims felt the need to immigrate to societies with fundamentally different values, but it was their choice.
You spoke out your mind there, didn't you?
Europe fought the two World Wars after it had become Godless, that is, after the Church and the State bid farewell to each other. The Europeans learnt their lessons well from the World Wars, and that is what made Europe a relatively "peaceful, rich, and civilized" place. However, secularism will always have its pitfalls, as is evident from Europe's problems with Islam and Muslims.
I am still wondering what could be more "irrational, violent, poor, and insecure" than a dozen countries butchering 44 million of each other's peoples (excluding the soldiers) in two wars that lasted, between themselves, about one decade.
The wars after secularization were very rational and civilized. That must be the case since secularization is such.
Anyways, Westerners should be not fooled in believing that secularization is the reason why Europe is so stable. The reality is, the irrationality of Europe has only been exported to the African continent, Middle East, and Asia.
What could be more irrational, violent, poor, and insecure than two Muslim nations sending their young to be gassed to death in a meaningless conflict over their borders which lasted about a decade, while we are treading on history?
Europe indeed learned its lessons well, but it is still much less religious than it was during the two world wars. We should be discussing where Europe and Islam are now, not where they came from.
What lessons is Islam teaching and learning by expending its energy and political capital on a bunch of really rather tame cartoons?
The treatment of Muslims in Europe is so mild as to be hardly worth comment given the treatment of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and the rest in the Muslim world. If the Muslims want to devote their energy to a worthy cause they could start there.
If the Europeans are touchy about Islam, they have been given good reason for being so given the Muslims' lack of respect for the rules of the country which has adopted them.
//than two Muslim nations//
Don't play games. While Iran is obstensibly an "Islamic republic," the fact of the matter is that the 'Iraqi government under Saddam's Ba'athist regime was virulently anti-religion. The Ba'athists are socialists, and socialism comes from where?
Or are we trading in ye olde stereotype that everyone from a Muslim country is some sort of devout Muslim -- or at the least, buys into it if they don't exactly follow it in terms of behavior?
The fact of the matter is that neither the modern day Europeans nor the modern day Muslim states are that great. People since the dawn of time have committed atrocities or waged wars. The kings, presidents, and dictators among them may wrap themselves in the mantle of Religion, Communism, Socialism, Democracy, or anything else, but all good students of history know that a great many of these wars -- like the one between Iran and Iraq -- were waged over resources and land and naked grabs for power on behalf of said leader.
The fundamental issue you face is that Europe has been finally maturing as a society, and Islam has not.
The European Union IS that great.
To: Gabriel's Gift
Wa 'alaykum,
I keep meaning to post my guidelines on leaving comments on this blog. Fortunately, you made it in under the wire since these guidelines state that I, as the blog moderator, will not approve any comments written by anyone who has seemingly been smoking crack. However, since I did approve your comments, in the spirit of freedom of speech and all that, I decided to make a quick analysis in order to make plain the perils of this awful and mind-altering drug.
First of all, writing your comments with crack pipe seemingly in hand made you come to the erroneous conclusion that just because I exposed Dave Lister's highly idealized view of Europe as rather one-sided, that I think everything is peachy keen and rosy in the Muslim World.
On top of that, you take the worst examples of government in the Muslim World and present them as representative samples—although, admittedly, even half-decent examples of decent government hard to come by in the Muslim World today. However, even though the overwhelming majority of Muslims would agree that most Muslim governments leave a lot to be desired, your observations leave unsaid the fact that most of this is due to the legacy of European colonialism.
Not only that, but in spite of the shortcomings that the Muslim World has in some departments, most Muslims would still prefer to live there. Sure, Europe and America look great to those who adhere to a materialist "whoever dies with the most toys wins" worldview, but not to those with a more traditional outlook (who tend to be much happier, so the experts tell us).
Likewise, one should note that "their talk of democracy, equality, human rights, women's rights" is often just that: TALK. However, you have to be a Muslim to experience this. Most Muslims in Europe don't have anything close to equality, but they're very discriminated against. That's especially true if you try to look and dress like a Muslim should. Try getting a job with a long beard, wearing a head-scarf or wearing Arabian garb sometime. Gosh, isn't Western tolerance great!
Well as far as human rights, well while it's true that the anti-Islamic and secular dictators ruling most Muslim countries are rather oppressive, don't forget Abu Ghraib, Guantanimo Bay or the fact that there are plenty of human rights reports decrying the injustices of the U.S. justice system as well...not to speak of allegations that the U.S. has outsourced torture to Europe. I guess Muslims in the Middle East should try to immigrate to some nice European place like...say...Serbia, since they're so loving, tolerant and democratic. Or maybe to France, where not only are they treated like street rubbish, but Muslim women are not FREE to dress as they please. Rather, the secular fundamentalists force these women to conform to their godless ideals in order to partake in rights such as education and employment. So much for women's rights and tolerance...
Believe it or not Brother Gabriel--and you might have to burn another rock for this to be comprehensible to your obstinate intellect--but many, if not most, Muslims would rather live in their natives lands if it weren't for the economic opportunities in Europe. Opportunities which, in large part, are due to Europe giving up on God and then heading out to exploit others. Sure, although there are many Muslims who, economics aside, would like to remain in Europe in order to be free to fulfill their lustful passions and base desires, most would prefer to be in the lands of their forebears. This might be difficult for nihilist materialists to fathom, but it is nonetheless true.
One reason for this is that the Muslim World, in contrast to Europe, remains "rich" in ways that commentator Dave Lister didn't realize. Indeed, in spite of its problems with autocratic rulers and struggling economies, the Muslim World remains rich in one area where Europe has never been able to compete: SAINTS. However, if you've never met one, you won't be able to understand the value in this. Ah, mere superstition to the rational and seemingly crack-filled mind!
However, at least we agree on something, since you "can't wait to pack my bags and leave this sick and hypocritical Western civilization"--please let me know if you find out about any good jobs in Dubai, Kuwait or Qatar. If I could find a decent one there, I'd be on the next plane in a heartbeat. I lived in th Gulf region for four years and look forward to moving back one day. My guess is that once you arrive you'll find it to be quite different than the slanted and negative views that all of the Islamophobic propaganda has duped you into believing. You'll be safe in a land where you'll only get death threats when you trash the people's religion, instead of in the irrational land of the West where death threats are received for things such as poor performances in sporting events or giving a job to a Muslim woman who wears a head-scarf (as occurred in Belgium last year). Won't that be great?!?
You also won't have to worry, when shaking hands with people, whether they are civilized enough to pay attention to which hand they use to clean themselves with when they use the restroom. Ah, the high civilization of Europe, replete with all of its porcelain thrones, but they still don't get the basics...
Well in regards to your interpretations of history, the first thing you need to do is stop reading things into my statements, then you need to either put down the crack pipe or start reading some books, but preferably both. You see, my comment in regards to WWI was in response to the neo-utopian Dave Lister who said that since Europe "moved away from the irrational passions of religion, the continent has become more peaceful, rational, rich, and civilized"--which is astoundingly ignorant, since Europe essentially gave up on God long before The Great War.
Likewise, I never said that "Muslims had absolutely nothing to do with World War I", although your statement seems to imply that they had something to do with the origins of the war. Unfortunately for you, in spite of the Ottomon Empire eventually being drawn into the war, the causes of The Great War were a wholly European affair (and read this if you doubt me). Additionally, the mess that Britain and France made of the Middle East after the war is responsible for the myriad of problems this region is still facing today. On top of all that, the Ottoman Empire during the period of WWI, which included the Armenian genocide, was under the control of staunchly secular, not Muslim, leaders.
Also, it's interesting that you mentioned "the leaders of Iran", since one reason that Iranian anger eventually resulted in the 1979 revolution was that their democratically elected president was replaced with the repressive Shah in a CIA coup. If you throw in the fact that France supported canceling the democratic elections that FIS won in Algeria back in 1992, then it does appear that "their talk of democracy", at least in some cases, is just that.
Since I never said "that Muslims have never had anything to do with ethnic cleansing", your point is moot. However, it's interesting to note that it actually supports the point I initially made about godless and secular Europe. This is because all of the Muslim governments that carried out the atrocities that you linked to were secular governments that had abandoned any pretext of Islam. As Umm Zaid quite rightly put it, are you "trading in ye olde stereotype that everyone from a Muslim country is some sort of devout Muslim?" Seemingly so, which just proves again that your education about Islam is quite shallow. Which reminds me, the scholars in Saudi Arabia are not referred to as "mullahs"...except of course in Islamophobic literature.
Since you linked to the status of Christian minorities in some Muslim countries...well maybe they're about as happy as the Muslim minorities in Europe. However, in contrast to the non-Christian religions that used to exist in Europe, at least they're alive. Well one minority religion did manage to survive in Europe, but that was just barely...and I doubt you want to discuss how modern Europe treated them (i.e. the Jews). Indeed, the fact that for much of the past 2,000 years Europe used force to ensure that it only had one religion accounts for the hostility today that many Europeans have towards Muslims. If you'd do some reading, you'd might be able to see that it's not the questions of freedom of speech or democracy that have some Europeans worried, but about trying to maintain their white Christian heritage (i.e. they dream of the monoculture of Europe's bad old days).
In regards to East Timor, not that two wrongs makes a right, but at least people ought to be aware of how the Dutch treated the Indonesians and that this island was essentially colonized, enslaved and Christianized by force, much to the chagrin of the original inhabitants. Don't hold your breath waiting to hear that side of the story...
Well that should be enough to show whose been short changed in the "moral and intellectual integrity" departments...
This recent posting from Avari.Nameh, entitled denmark's last god, is pertinent to this thread and very well worth a read...
"What could be more irrational, violent, poor, and insecure than two Muslim nations sending their young to be gassed to death in a meaningless conflict over their borders which lasted about a decade, while we are treading on history?"
Are you serious? I believe you are talking about the Iran-Iraq war.. two nation-states (where did those come from again?).. fighting over.. border disputes- formed by the Europeans.
While accusing others of being on crack, you seem to be on a rather lengthy acid trip.
First you admit that most Islamic governments are bad, but then you decide to speak for all Muslims and declare that most are opposed to these governments. You then blame them on colonialism, even though the worst of the lot, Saudi Arabia, is a wholly Arab owned entity.
You then complain about the fact that jobs have dress codes. This has nothing to do with religion, most jobs have dress and grooming codes. Why is it that you want to move to a western country and then complain about the facts of life?
Why don't you do something useful and complain about the treatment of Jihad Momani?
Sorry, guess again, but I didn't move to America. Rather my ancestors moved here about 300 years ago...
Saudi Arabia a "wholly Arab owned entity"...where do you come up with such phrases? Well they were one of the very few Arab countries not to be colonized--since neither did they value oil back then nor even know that the Saudis had any. So do you really thing the Saudi monarchy would be in power, or continue to remain in power, if it wasn't for the support of the United States?
You seemingly missed the point about the dress codes, since I thought this was all about being FREE! Why can't I have the FREEDOM to dress the way I want? Why do others want to FORCE their standards on me? Their so called "grooming standards" when both Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) had beards!
And if you don't like my unscientific polls of the Muslim body politik, then please go conduct your own...
I'm sorry I just can't this thread seriously anymore...
You do have the freedom to dress as you like. Others have the freedom to hire you or not and expect a dress code. That's what freedom is.
When I see a doctor, stock market broker, or lawyer, I expect them to be dressed professionally, not in tribal garb. A company hiring someone in such garb would get very little return on their investment for that reason.
Be free, dress as you like. Just don't expect others to surrender their freedom to you.
You read in some respects like a hippie.
Dave said:
"When I see a doctor, stock market broker, or lawyer, I expect them to be dressed professionally, not in tribal garb. A company hiring someone in such garb would get very little return on their investment for that reason."
I think that Dave has managed to reveal his own intolerance and lack of civility in the above comments. How many Muslim lawyers or doctors do you see dressed in so-called "tribal garbs"? And what is supposed to be a "tribal garb"? Are suit, ties, trousers Western "tribal garbs"? Have you ever seen Jewish professionals who put on head caps and keep them on in their professions? Is that "tribal"? And how do you dress "professionally?" Presumably, according to Dave only the Western dresses are "professional" and "civil" whereas all the rest are "primitive" and "tribal". You only end up revealing your own inner intolerance with such silly and absurd comments.
Muslims who live in the West and work as lawyers, doctors etc., do dress "professionally". It's just that often those with beards are discriminated against or, more commonly, women who choose to wear the head covering, are fired or given a tough time at work simply because of covering their head even though they are dressed "professionaly".
I don't see how someone elses freedom is being "surrendered" if I choose to keep a beard or a woman chooses to wear the hijab.
"I think that Dave has managed to reveal his own intolerance and lack of civility in the above comments. How many Muslim lawyers or doctors do you see dressed in so-called "tribal garbs"?"
I don't see any. With good reason. They'd have a hard time staying in business if they were to insist on wearing some version of Bedouin tribal dress.
"And what is supposed to be a "tribal garb"? Are suit, ties, trousers Western "tribal garbs"?
You might consider them so if you like, but they have been adopted by the entire world as professional attire.
"Have you ever seen Jewish professionals who put on head caps and keep them on in their professions? Is that "tribal"?"
Of course it's tribal. It is also inconspicuous enough to not detract from the message its wearer is trying to project. A turban as worn by Sihks is more extreme, and possible limiting. Se la vi.
"And how do you dress "professionally?" Presumably, according to Dave only the Western dresses are "professional" and "civil" whereas all the rest are "primitive" and "tribal". You only end up revealing your own inner intolerance with such silly and absurd comments."
In the West, professional garb is defined as suits and ties for men. I'm sure that in Saudi Arabia such gear may well be something else. You are still complaining that everyone else respect your choice of dress in the West.
"Muslims who live in the West and work as lawyers, doctors etc., do dress "professionally". It's just that often those with beards are discriminated against or, more commonly, women who choose to wear the head covering, are fired or given a tough time at work simply because of covering their head even though they are dressed "professionaly".
Covering your head is definitely tribal gear, and as such is non-professional in the West. I know I would be quite disconcerted not to see the face of the person I am talking with.
"I don't see how someone elses freedom is being "surrendered" if I choose to keep a beard or a woman chooses to wear the hijab."
As I said, wear what you like, but accept that other people might freely choose to not associate with you. That is freedom. Heck, maybe you'll start a trend and get your beard and head covering accepted as professional gear. In the meantime, youll probably limit your options, as you have no doubt discovered.
Hey, I wear a headscarf and I always get compliments on the way I dress and look--stylish and fashionable. And by the way, that doesn't mean I cover my face. And while we're on it, my ancestors are mostly British, German, Irish, French-Canadian and Native American, so I don't do "tribal garb" but somehow manage to fulfill the modesty requirements of Islam. (Hey Dave, I guess any "tribal garb" pertaining to my ancestry would be deerskin and feathers, right?) I don't understand how dressing modestly and covering one's hair such as nuns, conservative Christians, some other Christian groups such as the Amish and Mennonites, and even some Jewish women along with Muslim women could be considered "tribal garb" or "unprofessional." It's actually laughable. There's a secretary in my building who is Mennonite and wears her cap and her traditional style dress.
Oh, and recently I had a conversation with a Christian from Indonesia (newsflash: most Muslims in the world live in Indonesia and India, NOT Arabia) who said that the various religious groups there pretty much get along okay and said that often they gather for each others' religious celebrations. Let's not paint "Muslim countries" with the same brush, in the spirit of accuracy.
Good for you, like I said, it is your right to wear what you want, as it is other's to hire or not.
Christians and Muslims get along in Indonesia? What turnip are you hiding under? Indonesia is the scene of the worst Christian-Muslim violence in the world. Just recently I interviewed a Christian Indonesian woman whose family were essentially being driven out of their homes and businesses by Muslims. East Timor ring any bells as well?
Hi Dave,
Not that it would make any difference to you, but I'm just reporting what the *Christian Indonesian* gentleman told *me.* (And I didn't start the conversation or bring it up either.) So maybe you want to go ask him what turnip he's hiding under? I've never been to Indonesia (but I have been to Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Jordan, Canada, and Mexico), so I guess I can't make any assumptions. No need to get nasty if you disagree with someone.
And I guess you missed my other point. I'm not sure if you're European or what, but at least where I'm from, people are pretty tolerant and respectful (at least to people's faces) about their choice of religion (or lack thereof, as the case may be). It's a fundamental right that was given to us by God and our Constitution. And actually, an employer can't legally *not* hire someone based on his or her religion or the way he or she dresses. That's what I call civilized.
One thing that I noticed as a major difference between Europe and the US is that while there is no state religion in the US, people are much more religious than in say Norway, where the state religion is the Lutheran church. I believe that this tie to religion means a closer tie to moral values that all religions hold dear, and thus a greater respect for differences in theology.
Recently I've been reading Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel and it's just heartbreaking, the effect on most of the world by the destruction of the Europeans. Most of the technology that allowed them to do this was developed in other areas, such as the Middle East and China, but only in the hands of the Europeans did it become used as the means to create violent weapons. To thank the world for these new technologies, they set out to conquer it, and the world is still trying desperately to recover from this onslaught, much of it (and many beautiful and ancient cultures) destroyed forever. Europeans didn't want to live peacefully; they wanted to dominate and exterminate, perhaps because they saw themselves as better then the other. I don't see how much has changed in the attitude department in Europe in light of the cartoons and apparently from your comments. Read the book and you'll discover that the only thing better about Europeans is that they have better geography, and apparently a greedy, arrogant streak.
I encourage you to explore why you are so uncomfortable and intimidated by people who are different from you.
>And actually, an employer can't legally *not* hire someone based on his or her religion or the way he or she dresses. That's what I call civilized.
Not on their religion, no. On their dress they can absolutely. You go and try to get a sales job dressed in jeans and a ratty t-shirt.
>I encourage you to explore why you are so uncomfortable and intimidated by people who are different from you.
I'm not. That is a characteristic of most of the Muslim world - any other religion is tolerated in secret at best.
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