So is Europe really spiritually dead as rumored?
966948
Europe, and especially western Europe, is in the midst of a crisis of civilizational morale. IT IS DYING. The most dramatic manifestation of that crisis is not to be found in Europe's fondness for governmental bureaucracy, socialism or its devotion to fiscally shaky health care schemes and pension plans, in Europe's lagging economic productivity or in the appeasement mentality and cowardice that some European leaders display toward Islamist terrorism. No, the most dramatic manifestation of Europe's crisis of civilizational morale is the brute fact that Europe is DEPOPULATING itself.\n\nEurope's below-replacement-level birthrates have created situations that would have been unimaginable when the institutions of European integration were formed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. By 2050, if present fertility patterns continue, 60 percent of the Italian people will have no personal experience of a brother, a sister, an aunt, an uncle, or a cousin; Germany will lose the equivalent of the population of the former East Germany; and Spain's population will decline by almost one-quarter. Europe is depopulating itself at a rate unseen since the Black Death of the fourteenth century.And one result of that is a Europe that is increasingly "senescent" (as British historian Niall Ferguson has put it).\n\nWhen an entire continent, healthier, wealthier, and more secure than ever before, fails to create the human future in the most elemental sense -- by creating the next generation -- something very serious is afoot. I can think of no better description for that "something" than to call it a crisis of civilizational morale. Understanding its origins is important in itself, and important for Americans because some of the acids that have eaten away at European culture over the past two centuries are at work in the United States, and indeed throughout the democratic world.\n\nThe demographics are unmistakable: Europe is dying. The wasting disease that has beset this once greatest of civilizations is not physical, however. It is a disease in the realm of the human spirit. David Hart, another theological analyst of contemporary history, calls it the disease of "metaphysical boredom," or boredom with the mystery, passion, and adventure of life itself. Europe, in Hart's image, is boring itself to death.\n\nAnd in the process, it is allowing radicalized twenty-first century Muslims -- who think of their forebears' military defeats at Poitiers in 732, Lepanto in 1571, and Vienna in 1683 (as well as their expulsion from Spain in 1492), as temporary reversals en route to Islam's final triumph in Europe -- to imagine that the day of victory is not far off. Not because Europe will be conquered by an invading army marching under the Prophet's banners, but because Europe, having depopulated itself out of boredom and culturally disarmed itself in the process, will have handed the future over to those Islamic immigrants who will create what some scholars call "Eurabia": the European continent as a cultural and political extension of the Arab-Islamic world. Should that happen, the irony would be unmistakable: the drama of atheistic humanism, emptying Europe of its soul, would have played itself out in the triumph of a thoroughly NONHUMANISTIC THEISM. Europe's contemporary crisis of civilizational morale would reach its bitter conclusion when Notre-Dame becomes Hagia Sophia on the Seine, another great Christian church become an Islamic museum. At which point, we may be sure, the human rights proclaimed by those narrow secularists who insist that a culture's spiritual aspirations have nothing to do with its politics would be in the gravest danger.\n\nWhat is fascinating is those east european countries that tasted the dead fruit of socialism, atheism and communism had shaken it off for good and western europe is demanding its own experience of the walking dead as seen in the vamp
605274
People from Western Europe/US tend to think of Eastern Europe and former Soviet countries as "not European" I have noticed....I guess because those countries were closed off for so long? Or they're arrogant? I don't know. Lame but true!
879578
I don't say this often. Excellent question.  Refreshing change from the usual bomb-throwing nonsense.  Our greatness, and our love for country still exists, and probably always will.\n    The sad fact of the matter is that it's under assault from within and without.  It ain't dead but it's on the outs.  Sadly, I am familiar with the comparisons to the Roman Empire, and I really cant' argue that.  \n     Enjoy it while it lasts I say.
701987
Europeans are not interested in that other wise it would have happened a long time back.I think the mood in Turkey is also changing now.{THEY DO NOT WANT TO JOIN EU}
935949
Hmm. I like your theory, and I think it makes sense--there's fuel here to feed the fire, where in Europe there's been very little. \n\nAlso, to sort of add on a bit...America doesn't quite have the enormous backlog of culture and heritage that European countries do. As a country mainly composed of immigrants, we've had to create our own heritage to fall back on, much of which is largely religious. Look at how deeply entrenched being Christian is alongside the concept of being American. And while the same argument could be made for Catholicism in Europe, they've also have a good five hundred years or so of dissent from the Catholic Church. We've only had a bit over two hundred years to establish a national identity, let alone rebel against it...\n\nThen again, we're also a country founded on rebellion.
148052
Some Catholics may be--but not GERMANY! Germany will soon rise to lead Europe into a "holy crusade"--starting with confronting Iran and it's taunting Germany's past concerning the slaughter of 16 million jews. Sound too unbelievable??? Listen to German response to Iran's comments...they are NOT going to take it lying down. And the pope is quietly waiting to unite Europe under a Catholic "umbrella" of influence. The 1940's will soon repeat itself again--don't believe ME--watch Europe and the Middle East!!! And pray to God that we wake up to reality! Why does noone have the GUTS to tell the TRUTH???!!!
77434
Not too good. Appartheid isn't dead, its just under new management now, so it's been reversed. We try to make things work but it will take a few generations to become normal.
218780
The center of Christianity has changed once again.  It started out that the Middle East, especially around Jerusalem, was where Christianity thrived.  That moved to Europe very quickly.  It slowly moved more and more west, from Rome to England and Spain, which brought it to America.  However, now we see more Christians in Africa than in Europe or America.  Is it making a comeback in the U.S.?  I don't know.  In some ways, I suppose.  I don't think Christianity will ever defeat humanism in the West again, though.
501195
really?\ni havent heard anything about it\ni hope this is real =)
829239
I think so. You should read Patrick Buchanan's new book. It's not good news.
750131
Surely no-one's going to buy it anyway, are they?\n\nOr has the level of 'culture' in Britain plummeted to a new low while I was snoozing?
186146
Dear babeintheredbarn, please believe me on this...the Second Coming of CHRIST WILL OCCUR IN THIS GENERATION!!! LOOK at IRAN!--They WILL get a nuclear device sooner than most want to admit. They have a huge ace up their sleeve...OIL! And they want the city of Jerusalem under their control...however, so does a Catholic/German led Europe! So you see, THIS TIME IT IS FOR REAL!!! Iran WILL INVADE JERUSALEM and EUROPE will INVADE IRAN AND OVERWHELM JERUSALEM!!! Every prophecy in your Bible that was predicted CAME TO PASS! Persia,Greece,Rome...all came to power AS GOD SAID IT WOULD! The good news is CHRIST IS COMING TO PUT AN END TO SUFFERING FOR ALL TIME! Face the TRUTH!--either GOD IS REAL OR WE AS THE HUMAN RACE ARE DOOMED. This is not a cute game we are playing...90% of the prophecies in your Bible are for OUR TIME! Some may laugh and scoff--but when it REALLY HAPPENS, it will be TOO LATE to regret it then! But be of good courage. GOD WILL STOP THE MADNESS and usher in peace--REAL PEACE! And YOU my dear can be there to HELP!
33634
i dont know that I see it as the next third world.  But I do see it slumping close to it.  We are as a nation losing power, wealth, reputation.  I have been abroad and I can tell you the picture that Europeans paint of us is not always nice.  Economically we are losing our footing.  Banking, cars, products in general.  People in america and abroad are buying European products, Jananese proiducts.  It doesnt do our economy any good and yet as far as I can tell they have done nothing to change this.  We are busy fixing the lives of others however we havent taken the time to take care of our own citizens lives.  And you have other countries offering us help becase we are unable to do so because of the mess we have created else where.  I truly believe we are losing our super power status and becoming just another country that exists on the planet.  Living abroad I dont like telling people i am from america because it starts up alot of contoversy.  Alot of arguments as to what it means to be an american and what we have become.  I agree with you when you wake up and smell the coffee. you arent smelling folgers any more.  Its just the reality we are forced to swallow as americans and it isnt easy for us I think.
722449
No, I don't think so. That's not what Gods all about. That's just what the so called "Apostle" Paul was all about. Paul's dead. Let him and his ideas rest. Your ancestors? Those who believed in the spiritist-animist thing? Kind of like what I believe in NOW? Oh, they're walking the spirit world, content in their ignorance of Paul, and just as content in their relationship with Spirit. ;-) ~ Peace & Blessings ~
856509
Would you believe the USA.by a long way.Mind you western europe is catching up.Iran only has a problem in tehran,and only with adult males
342881
The population of the United States is hovering around 250-300 million people. \n\nAs for the population of the whole of Europe, I have no idea.
1080446
no, i'm pretty sure we don't. like all of europe does though...