Berlin police shut down mosque; Europe, Multiculturalism, and Nihilism...more

Europe, Multiculturalism, and Nihilism
... The idea of a superficial multiculturalism, in which everything is conformed to State nihilism and secularism without reference to any religious reality—especially the Christian one—has miserably failed. The golden rule of assimilation led only to the cultural attitude of “dissembling” or lying about one’s true beliefs; this is the practice of “taqiyya” that is not only permitted but often required among Shiites. In recent decades, an increasing number of young Muslims have rebelled against the pressure to assimilate to the secular culture in this way, and they have refused to conceal the true nature of their religious beliefs. They want to live their faith in every sphere of their lives. Some of them choose the Jihad as a way to freely give testimony of their faith.

European totalitarian secularism is strong, and a discriminatory, violent attitude against religion is spreading...

Christians could be excluded from refugee resettlement plans, says Cardinal ...Cardinal Vincent Nichols, leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, said there are fears that few if any Christian families fleeing Isil militants will be offered sanctuary in Britain because the scheme is aimed at refugees registered through the UNHCR, rather than church-run centres where most of the persecuted Christians are concentrated.

He said it was an “unintended consequence” of the plan but a “point of deep concern” for Catholic and Orthodox and other Christian churches with a stake in the region...

Berlin police have shut down a mosque with suspected links to ISIS German authorities raided a mosque in Stuttgart that is allegedly supporting Isis as well as a number of addresses in Berlin as part of anti-terror operations.

Police seized computers, data storage devices, smartphones and documents from the Islamic Educational and Cultural Center Mesdschid Sahabe in the southwestern city of Stuttgart, said interior minister of Baden Wurttemberg state Reinhold Gall...

Parents Outraged after Students Practice Writing in Arabic 'There is No God but Allah' Some Virginia high school students’ parents were outraged after a class assignment involved writing the Muslim statement of faith. Charisma News reports a geography assignment at Riverheads High School in Staunton asked students to practice calligraphy by writing, “There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah,” in Arabic.

The message was not translated to English.

Students were also shown a quran and female students were also invited to try on a headscarf while learning about the modest dress of Islamic cultures...

The End of Internet Advertising as We’ve Known It
Millions of people are refusing to let intrusive, distracting, or irrelevant ads load on our devices. Consumers should seize the opportunity to demand a more mutually beneficial relationship with online advertisers...

Christ-Centered Silence for the Noisy Advent Season
...In brief, here are three ways I build worshipful silence into my days. I commend them to musicians in the church, but they can also be valuable for non-musicians in the sound and fury of the season.

• Retreat. Take a day during Advent and go on a personal retreat for prayer and quiet biblical reflection.
• Take long walks. This isn’t walk for exercise; it’s time to breath the cool air and observe God’s handiwork. Slow down and meditate on his Word and his world.
• Visit an empty sanctuary. For those who have access to a church sanctuary where reverence is expected, being alone in a quiet, dark house of worship forces us to be still and silent. It’s a great place to go for moments of reflective, private worship.