As concerns grow over the increasing number of Muslims in Europe, it appears not everyone is bothered by the issue, including an Israeli rabbi who even welcomes the phenomenon.
Ynetnews:
Rabbi Baruch Efrati, a yeshiva head and community rabbi in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, believes that the Islamization of Europe is actually a good thing.
“With the help of God, the gentiles there will adopt a healthier life with a lot of modesty and integrity, and not like the hypocritical Christianity which appears pure but is fundamentally corrupt,” he explained.
Rabbi Efrati was asked to discuss the issue by an oriental studies student, who inquired on Judaism’s stand toward the process Europe has been going through in recent years.
Following the election of a hijab-wearing Muslim woman as the mayor of the Bosnian city of Visoko for the first time in continent’s history, the student asked the rabbi on the Kipa website: “How do we fight the Islamization of Europe and return it to the hands of Christians and moderates?”
Efrati wrote in response that the Islamization of Europe was better than a Christian Europe for ethical and theological reasons – as a punishment against Christians for persecuting the Jews and the fact that Christianity, as opposed to Islam, is considered “idolatry” from a halachic point of view.
“Jews should rejoice at the fact that Christian Europe is losing its identity as a punishment for what it did to us for the hundreds of years were in exile there,” the rabbi explained as the ethical reason for favoring Muslims, quoting shocking descriptions from the Rishonim literature (written by leading rabbis who lived during the 11th to 15th centuries) about pogroms and mass murders committed by Christians against Jews.
“We will never forgive Europe’s Christians for slaughtering millions of our children, women and elderly… Not just in the recent Holocaust, but throughout the generations, in a consistent manner which characterizes all factions of hypocritical Christianity…
“A now, Europe is losing its identity in favor of another people and another religion, and there will be no remnants and survivors from the impurity of Christianity, which shed a lot of blood it won’t be able to atone for.”
‘Islam a relatively honest religion’
The theological reason, according to Rabbi Efrati, is that Christianity – which he sees as idolatry – has a tendency to “destroy normal life and abstain from it on the one hand, while losing modesty on the other hand,” as it “ranges between radical monasticism to radical Western licentiousness.”
Islam, the rabbi added, is “a religion which misjudges its prophets but is relatively honest. It educates a bit more for a stable life of marriage and creation, where there is certain modesty and respect for God.”
Efrati ruled, therefore, that “even if we are in a major war with the region’s Arabs over the Land of Israel, Islam is still much better as a gentile culture than Christianity.”
He added, however, that Jews must pray that the Islamization of most of Europe will not harm the people of Israel.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4299673,00.html
Categories: Arab World, Bosnia, Europe, ISLAM, Middle East
In the article in TMT posted by Amtul Q Farhat ‘Islamization of Europe a good thing’, you quote Rabbi Baruch Efrati as saying:”A now, Europe is losing its identity in favor of another people and another religion, and there will be no remnants and survivors from the impurity of Christianity, which shed a lot of blood it won’t be able to atone for.”
As a person with Muslim roots and the one who is involved with inter-faith co-operation, I find the statement not only false, out rightly racist and dangerous for Muslim communities. There are a number of factors, one must take into consideration before even contemplating such silly notions.
First, there is no such thing called Islamization of Islam taking place in Europe or USA. This is an idea, which is basically launched by the extreme right wing and anti-Islam lobbies for political reasons.
Secondly, in Europe, there are 500 million people and Muslims constitute less than 4% of the total population. Most of the Muslims have nothing in common – historical, linguistic, cultural and social. They come from 6o different nations and have no common interest – political, religious and
Thirdly, most Muslims came to Europe as guest workers and not as cultural ambassadors or colonists. The reality is that it is not Europe which is being colonized by Muslims but the Muslim countries, which are being destroyed by the west under the disguise of democracy advancement.
Fourthly, it is a historical fact that Jewish people have been crucified for centuries by the Europeans and still there is a lot of anti-Semitism in Europe and USA. But it would be a mistake to use this sad history to suggest that Europe is being Islamizised and that Europeans deserve such punishment. I would like to ask Rabbi Baruch Efrati: Why the presence of few million Muslims is helpful for Jews and why would God punish the Christian Europeans through Muslims?
Such bigoted ideas are not conducive for a harmonious living.
Thanks for your comment. I hope Rabbi Baruch Efrati reads it and answers the question raised in it.
why do I feel there is something sinnister about rabbi baruchs comments, on the surface it sounds like he favors islam but his deep underlying intentions is what concerns me. we should educate brother rabbi about islam and it’s true intentions not as a punishment to any people ,but rather mercy to all mankind including jews, may allah taala open his heart to the true meaning of islam
>there is no such thing called Islamization of Islam taking place in Europe
You’re a funny man.
Le bon ethos calviniste de ole Ben Franklin est de retour pour sauver l´Amérique à travers notre bon évèque Mittie et son servant de messe Paulie.