Church arson, cross destruction, priest murders, dismissal from work because of a cross worn around the neck, or even court proceedings because of it, on the other hand, concentrated outbursts of cynical atheism that sometimes take place on the Internet and in other forms, satirical writings against church persons, institutions, moral positions and life practices resulting from creeds. Chrisians' latent, tacit contempt, often hate speech against them.
The revival of ancient pagan religions and rites, the appearance of witch churches and Satanism at various levels in the age of artificial intelligence. Mental and spiritual confusion. Instead of a common worldview, Europe was invaded by individual doctrines of salvation, arbitrary ideas and psychoses of homemade spiritualism. We could also say this: because the Christian faith, worldview, and daily biblical practice have weakened, psychomiasms and patchwork individual ideas have flowed in instead because the spirit and the soul cannot live in a vacuum.
There are many forms of religious intolerance in Europe as well, you don’t have to go to the neighboring continents, say North Korea or some countries in the Middle East. It is high time that we start sweeping around our own house, and try to put things in order, at least in our heads, so that it might be seen as some order and a functioning organizing principle in human actions.
It is not by chance that the Indian reformed pastor and philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi has started confronting Europe and the transatlantic culture with the culture-creating millennia and achievements of Christianity, which forms its root and has also been alarming the dangers of the loss of culture for more than 15 years.
Unfortunately, almost none of his works, which offer an evocative, astonishingly rich spiritual panorama and historical comparison, have appeared on the Hungarian book market or religious studies faculties with sufficient weight and time. However, his three main works could be indispensable handbooks for all those who talk about Christian values and Christian culture in our and other countries. These are: Das Buch der Mitte - the book of the middle – the Bible is the heart of Western culture, published in 2015. Then the Truth and Change – What Europe Needs Today, published in 2016; and the Soul of the West, published in 2019 – how Europe can remain a creative force – the Bible, which connects truth and tolerance as a bridge. What I wouldn’t give to be able to give lectures on the rich and evocative content of these books, or to find a publisher where I could hand over my translations, and the great cultural treasure that guides the christian generations of Mangalwadi could be a public treasure at home.
About the Vienna institute
In the meantime, as an institution of hope and care, I would like to introduce and congratulate the Vienna-based institute, which has been operating more and more effectively and well-known since 2006, for their great enterprise, whose name is: Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (= Megfigyelőközpont az Európában élő keresztyénekkel szembeni intoleranciáról és diszkriminációról). According to their self-definition, the goals of their mission and responsibilities:
1. Research, analysis, documentation and publication of European cases of intolerance and discrimination against Christians;
2. By providing reliable and objective data, informing the public, legislators and international institutions about the hostility and marginalization efforts against Christians and Christian institutions in Europe;
3. To create a forum, an opportunity for Christians to tell their stories and confess their faith freely in public;
4. Undertaking and carrying out legal remedies;
5. To make the vital role of religion and faith in mature and peace-seeking European societies clear to the public.
Clear, clear use of concepts
Since nowadays the “and” must also be justified and explained, this institution has cleverly stated it well in advance: in its terminology, it uses the term “intolerance and discrimination against Christians” to refer to the various hostilities and marginalizations experienced by and against Christians and Christian institutions in Europe. These include, for example, physical attacks and threats against individual Christians or Christian communities, anti-Christian hate campaigns and vandalism by media sites, awareness of discriminatory laws, cases of biased application of apparently “neutral” laws, exclusion of Christians and Christian symbols from the public. Furthermore, interference with the rights of parents and any violation of freedom of religion, expression, association, and conscience.
They focus on Europe, their goal is not to reduce the tragic persecution of Christians in other parts of the world but to stay on our continent and watch over the enforcement of human rights.
There are many European cases on their website
The website is owned by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe. The information on the website is for general information purposes only. Although they strive to keep the information up-to-date, they do not make any guarantees as to the completeness or accuracy of the information on their website. Therefore, any reference to such information is strictly at your own risk. Their website contains links to other websites. While they take great care to provide accurate information, they have no control over the nature, content or availability of the source websites. If the readers find an error, they are apologized to and thanked if this is pointed out to them. Legal information and data protection: the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians is based in Vienna and is, therefore, a non-governmental and non-profit organization registered under Austrian law. It runs on private donations.
Browse through the latest news
We only write short titles here to give an idea of what topics are published. For example:
STREET GRAFFITI AGAINST CHRISTIANS – OFFENSIVE AND HATE MESSAGES. In Germany, near Neubrandenburg, a bicycle tourist came across a wall on which several hateful or disrespectful messages and insults were displayed. These were almost entirely against Christians or Catholic Christians. In the Hungarian language, frequently used forms of swearing also appeared in the texts.
– THREE FORMS OF VANDALISM IN A BELGIAN VILLAGE. On April 22, unknown persons destroyed two statues and a vase in the Saint-Rémi church in the village of Profondeville. The next day, a small chapel nearby burned down. A few days earlier, the statue of the Virgin was also destroyed. According to the police’s assumption, the three acts were committed by the same persons.
– DESTRUCTION OF CHURCHES IN FRANCE. In early April, the rector of the Sainte-Madeleine church in Angers reported serious vandalism: seven statues were decapitated or amputated, the altar was damaged, and many crosses were hanged.
– 30 TOMBSTONES WERE DAMAGED IN A CEMETERY NEAR LONDON – In three nights in April, thirty tombstones were smashed with a hammer in Croydon – some graves dating back 500 years.
– A TEACHER WAS SUSPENDED FOR 20 DAYS IN SARDINIA FOR PRAYING WITH HIS STUDENTS. Italian Marisa Francescangeli, a teacher at San Vero Milis (Oristano, Sardinia) elementary school, was suspended for 20 days with a reduction in pay (from March 25 to April 15) because she and her students made a rosary for Christmas and recited an Ave Maria and an Our Father he prayed with them. The suspension decision of the school inspectorate was made after two mothers protested.
– II. THE MONUMENT OF POPE JOHN PÁL WAS DAMAGED IN LODZ. The hands of the statue of the Polish Pope were painted red and the face yellow. The phrase “Maxima Culpa” is written on the pedestal, which is most likely a reference to Ekke Overbeek’s book, in which he accuses the late Pope of turning a blind eye to child abuse cases.
You might say that these are small things. For us, maybe yes, but not for those who live in the given settlement. By the way, the saying also applies to these practical vandalisms, graffiti, and personal cases: the devil lives in the details. Also: a lot of small (evil) goes a long way. For my part, I am particularly happy that the Vienna center for documenting anti-Christian discrimination, ideological and other insults operates with such extensive and precise attention and documentation. And also because Vienna is not far from us either ideologically or geographically: not from Bratislava, Budapest, Cluj, Munkács/Munkacsevo, Újvidék/Novi Sad…
(The article is originally published in Hungarian.)
- Translated and edited by Kerry Trend
Originally from Webpage "Hungary Posts English"
CCD edited and reprinted with permission
