It should come as no surprise that the European Union’s claim to be “the prime defender of human rights and human dignity in the world”[1] is realizing its totalitarian potential. The hypocrisy is written in its very design, for again, if it has no Absolute Template by which to base ethics and values on and if it is opportunistic, humanistic and relativistic, then it will by necessity be a deviant project. At one point it can stand for ‘Christian’ values and norms, and at the next for liberal (i.e. secular) ones.
Nevertheless, the danger of totalitarianism (in one of its many forms) is very real. Witness the case of two British Christian women who appealed to the European Union after being fired from their jobs for failing to remove their crosses. They were to discover that their right to wear crosses was not guaranteed by European human rights law.[2] Here one can see that Christianity in Europe is not to have primacy nor much protection. In fact, the European Union’s precedence to legally downgrade Christianity is, in principle, similar to the Bosheviks’ anti-Christian attitude (only in a softer and more subtle, i.e ‘normative’ form). Only time will tell how those who still keep some Christian Symbols will be open to attack. As of now, they only face manifold forms of harassment, a loss of political involvement and/or a pressure to keep silent. Prof. Kühnhart (2010) gives further testimony of this:
Sometimes, [it] has gone so far that christian believers face outright resentment, pressure or cynicism in contemporary Europe, as an Italian candidate for the office of an EU Commissioner had to experience: In the autumn of 2004, Rocco Buttiglione’s traditional (and thus not spectacular) Catholic convictions on morality, family and sexuality were held against him as if he represented the darkest ages of Europe. Buttiglione had to withdraw his candidacy and was forced to conform to the strange exceptionalism of Europe as far as the public role of [Christianity] is concerned. Buttiglione’s faith prevented him from being acceptable for public office – a unique case of religious persecution in post-totalitarian Europe and astonishing for a continent being so proud of its protection of human rights, the right to religion included.[3]
This form of persecution is not surprising, as Europe’s Christian identity and Christian values (when not co-opted) are not conducive toward the building of regional nor world governance. Christ in Orthodox Christianity is to be the only ultimate Ruler and not some pinnacle of a regional or world system of governance, nor is He a statesman/dictator/emperor who could potentially be enthroned under such a system. In our post-Christian times however, “secularists, and even more so, laicists” continue to ´´dominate the arena of European politics.´´[4]
As expressed before, institutional spillover can become totalitarian especially when its creators have endowed it post-Schism ideas. Opposing its mix of secularism, humanism, pluralism or humanism comes with consequences. To display a belief in a supra-rational Christian Faith, a God-centered cosmology, and in God as the prime Exemplar (by which all are called to be in the image and likeness of) can become taboo under such a system, if not illegal!
Moreover, many proponents of a post-Schism Europe desire to not only go against the Cross, but strive to ´´[eradicate] the Christian roots of the continent;“[5] to specifically eradicate the Europe which once had holy saints and which once had faithful who struggled to be so. Now the European Union was to have laicists who were to even ´´deny the mention of God in their Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe“(Kunhardt, 2010).
The once ‘catholic project’ had quickly become something else. The European Union’s governing bodies and their institutions had taken a life of their own to the detriment of Christian glory, Church glory and Christ’s glory in Europe.
Tragically, it appears that in our post-Christian era, the European Union and its citizens were to be less than ‘lukewarm’ in resisting the complete eradication of Christ in Europe. And however consciously or unconsciously wrought such eradication may be, Europe’s governing class and its citizenry have been on course to systematically filter down, diminish and/or even destroy their once Christian roots. Consequently, not only is an identity disappearing, but possible and actual totalitarian aspects are simultaneously being introduced and/or strengthened. We have spoken of a materialistic Sicherheit, of secular humanism, relativism and other normative forms of totalitarianism, such as pluralism, which undermine the Christian foundation of a formerly Christian Europe.
Is quite apparent to see, for example, that overall European Union public policies support a pluralist society. It can be said that taken as a whole, they provide a hospitable home to other peoples, religions and cultures. One can argue that such liberal hospitality has reached such a point where it would be considered less tyrannical to support the religion of 15 million Muslims living in the European Union than for a Europe to call for an increase of pre-Schism (i.e. Orthodox) Christianity within her lands.[6]
As exemplified before, not only does the European Union not defend the Cross and Christian believers, it makes assiduous efforts to ensure that Islam feels “at home.” And the statistics prove it. Islam has become the biggest non-Christian religion in Europe, and a ‘Muslim’ dimension is being allowed to germinate in many parts of Europe;[7] adding itself onto and even replacing the traditional notion of European identity as predominantly shaped by both Christian traditions, values and habits.
However, with an Islamic demographic movement into the European Union, values and norms could drastically change. This is more than a mere possibility (as especially seen in some Muslim-dominated areas). “Such a movement can set the entire region afire, overturn the most unstable regimes, and disturb the most solid” (Martin, 1998).
Europe is foolishly unaware that Islam is not simply a religion, but an entire way of life – an adherence to a history and a civilization – and the encounter between postmodern liberalism and Islam might very well turn the Continent into a gigantic powder keg.[8] In the historical context, Muslim migrations and invasions have overtaken many lands regardless of their people, culture or religion. History has shown this to be true.[9] Consequently, there lies the danger, that Islam could be a future punishment, i.e. NATO-Salafist totalitarianism; Europe under a nightmarish concoction of San Francisco mores and Sharia law.[10]
Europe’s Postmodern and Post-Christian Times
Isn’t (legalized!) propaganda of every kind: of immorality, of open ridicule of the human body and soul, of freedom of every kind of perversion, of the rule of the golden calf, of the dictate of organized crime families… evidence of the growing barbarianism of a de-Christianized world? – Professor Aleksei Ilyich Osipov
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen. – (Romans 1:21-25)
We have spoken about the various forms and possibilities of totalitarianism found in the European Union. Adding to it is not a political, religious, ideological or economic type of totalitarianism, but more like a total spiritual malaise – the malaise of the postmodern phenomenon which, like globalism, envelops the European Union and the world. If globalization refers to world market activity (Künhardt, 2010)[11], postmodernism is the spiritual discomfort of a world without meaning. It is the consequent disorder of a consuming and consumer society and the last colonization of all reality; the complete hegemony of a world without meaning.[12]
This spiritual malaise began in Europe. It began when God had incrementally become another god (or gods) through the false interpretations of Orthodox Christian doctrine. It began after the Schism; when Europe was to produce few if any saints; when a different spirit would overtake that of the Holy One.
For example, the West’s image of an ‘angry,’ judgmental, and even blood-thirsty god[13] would lead to the creation of the postmodern European, who not only reacted against such a god, but more importantly, had forgotten the Church’s teaching and reality, which gave testimony to a dreadfully real, infinite, living and loving God Whom we can reach to, converse and commune with (unto infinity). Consequently, the postmodern European is now left finite and withering, desperately seeking to transcend a self which has now become its prison. And many are the idols in which such individuals hope to find freedom or meaning.
But this malaise was not only to be confined in Europe. When Europeans colonized the world, they brought with them the seeds of deified reason, relativism, secular humanism and other strange teachings and false (heretical) sophistries (as well as their Zeitgeists of yesteryear). With them were sown the seeds of hopelessness. And when the world became smaller through globalization, these seeds which were implanted began to grow and, eventually, they matured and its poisons (its ‘spirits’) released; making many nations exasperated to any absolute ‘grand narrative.’ This spiritual malaise was to begin in Europe, but eventually it would germinate in time across the entire world.
[1] Künhardt, Ludger, European Union – The Second Founding: The Changing Rationale of European Integration. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, Baden-Baden 2010. Ibid p. 508. This is not surprising being that the European Union is secular, pluralistic, opportunistic and neo-liberal – author’s note.
The Westphalian state-system was (and remains) a geo-poltical order which “initiated and legitimized a state-centered, territorial based notion of politics and of sovereignty.´ p. 513
[2] http://www.scope.nottingham.ac.uk/article.php?issue=may2003&id=257§ion=article
[3] Künhardt, Ludger, European Union – The Second Founding: The Changing Rationale of European Integration. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, Baden-Baden 2010. p. 56 – emphasis mine
[4] Ibid. p. 55
[5] Ibid. p. 55 Much of this attitude or reaction is understandable as Christ was associated with churches that had lost His glory; where His Beauty, and wonderful dreadfulness were no longer to be found…which had become in fact examples of saltless Christianty and worse yet, mockery. – author’s note
[6] Martin, Philip L., Germany: Reluctant Land of Immigration, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, Washington D.C., 1998
[7] Examples: 1. Islam as the fastest growing religion in post-Christian Europe. 2. There are now more practicing Muslims than practicing Christians in many parts of Europe, not only in large urban centers, but also in smaller towns and cities across the continent. 3. Sharia laws (rights and defenses) are being presented in local courts. 4. More mosques are being built than Christian churches. 5. In Germany, the Muslim population has jumped from around 50,000 in the early 1980s to more than 4 million today. 6. In Germany as a whole, more than 400 Roman Catholic churches and more than 100 Protestant churches have been closed since 2000, according to one estimate. 7. Another 700 Roman Catholic churches are slated to be closed over the next several years. 8. By contrast, there are now more than 200 mosques (including more than 40 mega-mosques), 2,600 Muslim prayer halls and a countless number unofficial mosques in Germany. 9. Another 128 mosques are currently under construction. 10. More individuals in Europe are converting to Islam than to Christianity… according to the Zentralinstitut Islam-Archiv, a Muslim organization based in Germany.http://es.gloria.tv/?media=245465
[8] Ibid. If current levels of immigration continue, Germany’s population is projected to reach 75 million in 2030, including thirty-three percent foreigners. These statistics should be taken into consideration if the European Union wants to maintain (at least to some extent) the Christian values which were handed down even in filtered form: from Orthodox Christianity, to Roman Catholicism the Reformation and Counter Reformation, etc. – author’s note
[9] One need only to look at the fall of the Byzantine Empire and in Eastern Europe to see this.
[10] This is one possibility, but the Body of Christ understand that the ultimate totalitarianism would not come from Islam, but when the world (including Muslims) accept the appearance of the charismatic false-savior which the Jews cry in the Wailing wall for. – author’s note
[11] …and perhaps “empire-building” – author’s note
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation
[13] In reacting against the Church’s teaching of Salvation in the hands of a living and loving God, the Western churches placed in the consciousness of its members that humanity was guilty of Adam and Eve’s fall: we were morally culpable and hence, owed a measureless debt toward an offended, angry and blood-thirsty god. Our atonement was to be for our debt. Under this line of reasoning, an individual in the Medieval church was viewed in the context of his functionality within society. In other words, an “individual persons united in a common function constituted a person.” This Medieval theology is exactly the teaching of the modern corporation when it views man as human resource (an ‘asset’) and not as personnel. The theology is a thinly disguised form of social engineering in the form of economics.We humans are indebted, hence internationalists, Eurocrats, technocrats and other elites can go ahead and engineer a world serfdom (i.e. a world redeemed by them). If man is man when under a common function, then a humanity in servitude forms a cooperation to the governing and ‘redeeming’ cooperations of the elites. The Latin merit system (as most exemplified with the selling of indulgences) makes its believers to be in contant court with God; trying to bargain merit with debt. The modern cooperations continue in this legacy. They however, give credit to the debt owed…The Dark Ages are alive and well. – authors’ note. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1ig4dlCYM&feature=related
The Soul of the East 
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