The Pope and Islam

CNN is reporting today in a story "The Pope and Islam" that there are more Moslems attending Friday prayers in England than Anglicans attending Sunday service. They say the new Pope will have to contend with Islam growing in popularity in Europe while Christianity becomes less popular.

Some observers are saying that Europe is becoming a post-Christian society with an ever-diminishing understanding of its historical Christian values. Many are calling this the “hallowing out” of traditional Christianity.

In her new book, The Force of Reason, famed Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci claims that Christianity’s ancient stronghold on the European continent is rapidly giving way to the ambitious and assertive religion of Islam.

Analysts estimate that in Britain, for example, Islamic mosques host more worshippers each week than the Church of England! Filling the void of traditional Christianity is a robust, energetic and youthful movement afoot in Europe. If this continues at the present rate, cathedrals will appear as vestiges of a civilization of times past. The great national cultures of Italians, French, Germans and others may be replaced by a new transnational Muslim identity.

Controversial Italian journalist's new book says Europe is becoming 'a province of Islam'
- ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer
Monday, April 5, 2004

(04-05) 14:41 PDT ROME (AP) --

A new book by controversial journalist Oriana Fallaci that hit bookstores here Monday accuses Europe of having sold its soul to what she describes as an Islamic invasion.

Entitled "The Strength of Reason," ("La Forza della Ragione" in Italian), the book also accuses the Roman Catholic Church of being too weak before the Muslim world.

"Europe becomes more and more a province of Islam, a colony of Islam. And Italy is an outpost of that province, a stronghold of that colony," the book says. "In each of our cities lies a second city: a Muslim city, a city run by the Quran. A stage in the Islamic expansionism."