It’s interesting to see Hilaire Belloc get his due in a secular newspaper, in this case the Charlotte Observer. Commentator Tom Ashcraft relates how Hilaire Bellox predicted the rise of radical Islam and its inevitable clash with Western, i.e. Christian, civilization, and he did it 70 years ago. Using Belloc as a guide, Ashcraft traces the rise of Islam as a Christian heresy, through centuries of conflict with Christianity, through its dormancy in the early part of the 20th century, until now. If you look at it in the sweep of history the constant challenge for Christianity, after the fall of the Roman Empire, was Islam more than anything else. Looking at things with such a wide lens helps to put the current conflict in perspective. This is why our schoolteachers always insisted on the importance of learning history.
Belloc is right. Islam, on average, as practiced in the world today, is far less tolerant than previously (probably because it is threatened by Christianity). Look at Nigeria, the Sudan, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc. etc. With Europe becoming more Muslim than Christian, this raw line between the two will be with us for a long, long time to come. Their goal – to Islamify our countries, while they refuse to allow Christianization in theirs.
I had the privilege of getting to know Mr. Ashcraft when we both served on the staff of Sen. Jesse Helms. Tom is a devoted Catholic with a keen intellect and rock solid integrity.
I’ll have to blog this on Times Against Humanity. Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Dom.