Imagine: He Dares to Speak Well of Christianity!

If there's one acceptable target of ridicule, lies, hate-speech, and outright condemnation, it's Christianity. (Even better, Catholicism.) So it's not without surprise, and a degree of pleasure, that we find an article in the mainstream media that openly and assertively praises Christianity past and present, as it has existed - and barely now exists - in Europe. A sampling follows.

On Europe:

What is Europe? It is Greece not Persia; Rome not Carthage; Christendom not the caliphate. These distinctions are fundamental... 

On Europe allowing Turkey to join the EU, starting with visa-free travel for Turks next year:

There are 75 million Turks, whose per capita income doesn’t match that of Panamanians. The country is led by an elected Islamist with an autocratic streak, prone to anti-Semitic outbursts, who openly supports Hamas, denies the Armenian genocide, jails journalists in record numbers, and orchestrates Soviet-style show trials against his political opponents. Turkey also has borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. These would become Europe’s borders in the event of Turkish membership.

On Christianity's Historical Influence on Europe:

This is the marriage of reason and revelation that produced a civilization of technological mastery tempered by human decency.

And, as if to show he's not fooling around, the author quotes a prominent Catholic's opinion that it's time European's recognized what's great about their history, rather than obsess on the faults that, frankly, pale in comparison with those of some other cultures.

“It is commendable that the West is trying to be more open, to be more understanding of the values of outsiders, but it has lost the capacity for self-love,” a prominent German theologian noted about a decade ago. “All that it sees in its own history is the despicable and the destructive; it is no longer able to perceive what is great and pure. What Europe needs is a new self-acceptance, a self acceptance that is critical and humble, if it truly wishes to survive.”

That’s Joseph Ratzinger, better known as Benedict XVI. He’s out of fashion, which makes him that much more worth hearing.

Frankly, I was shocked to find the retired Pope quoted here, but pleased and, in some small degree, encouraged. There's at least one more individual out there, in the main stream media no less, who recognizes the truth and isn't afraid to say it, politically correct or not. We could use more of this. The question is, though, do European's think we do too?