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Brussels: 50% of children in state schools are Muslims; practicing Muslims 19% of city, practicing Catholics 12%

Feb 19, 2016 5:50 pm By Robert Spencer

The same situation prevails in Vienna. How will Europe avoid having a majority-Muslim population all across the Continent, and not very long from now? And do Europeans think that the Muslim majorities in European countries will preserve secular societies that respect the freedom of speech and equality of rights for women? There is no tradition of that in Islamic history.

grand-place-brussels

“In and around Brussels, the practice of Islam is outstripping Christianity,” by Erasmus, The Economist, February 18, 2016:

LIKE so many other pieces in the European mosaic, Belgium has an idiosyncratic relationship with faith. It is both historically devout and heavily secular in its present-day practices. Its ancient cities are cradles of Christian art and learning, and Catholicism is in many ways the country’s raison d’etre. When it was created in 1830, the kingdom offered a political home to Catholic Dutch-speakers who preferred to unite with French-speaking co-religionists than with Protestants with whom they had a common tongue. Faith had trumped language. But as Christianity’s role has waned, so too has Belgium’s ability to hold together the two linguistic camps. And a new creed, Islam, is gaining importance all the while.

The royal family, a national linchpin, is devoutly Catholic. In 1990, King Baudouin stepped aside for a day rather than sign a bill legalising abortion. But in 2014, his successor King Philippe disappointed conservative Catholics by signing an exceptionally liberal euthanasia law, extending the practice to terminally ill children.

The easy passage of that law reflected the political strength of non-religious ethical systems. But in contrast with secular France, a lot of religion is taught in Belgian schools; children are generally instructed in the faith of their heritage, be it Christian, Jewish or, in steadily increasing numbers, Muslim. In Brussels, about half the children in state schools opt for classes in Islam, although this figure excludes the large share of youngsters who attend private, mostly Catholic schools….

The pollsters were surprised by how many respondents still professed some attachment to a religion. Among all respondents, 20% called themselves practising Catholics and 43% non-practising Catholics; 6% were practising Muslims and 1% non-practising Muslims. With other religions accounting for a few points each, that left 26% who called themselves atheist or agnostic. Jean-Philippe Schreiber, a professor of religous studies who co-commissioned the poll, said a remarkably high number of Belgians “claimed a religious identity” even if it did not affect their behaviour much. That certainly applied to loosely affiliated Catholics; and it might also be true that not every respondent who identified with Islam actually prayed and fasted as the rules lay down.

Then turn to Brussels, some parts of which host large communities of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants, mostly from religiously conservative regions of those countries. Among respondents in the city, practising Catholics amounted to 12% and non-practising ones to 28%. Some 19% were active Muslims and another 4% were of Muslim identity without practising the faith. The atheist/agnostic camp came to 30%.

Among all respondents, levels of active adherence to Catholicism seemed to diminish dramatically with age, while the practice of Islam increased correspondingly. Thus among respondents aged 55 and over, practising Catholics amounted to 30% and practising Muslims to less than 1%; but among those aged between 18 and 34, active adherence to Islam (14%) exceeded the practice of Catholicism (12%). Admittedly the sample (600 people in all) is small. But if this trend continues, practitioners of Islam may soon comfortably exceed devout Catholics not just in cosmopolitan Brussels, as is the case already, but across the whole of Belgium’s southern half….

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Filed Under: Belgium, Eurabia, Featured, immigration Tagged With: brussels


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Comments

  1. Angemon says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 5:54 pm

    But if this trend continues, practitioners of Islam may soon comfortably exceed devout Catholics not just in cosmopolitan Brussels, as is the case already, but across the whole of Belgium’s southern half….

    And that’s how you have a civil war – just ask Lebanon.

    • Charli Main says

      Feb 20, 2016 at 6:25 am

      @ Angemon

      Please forgive me for nit picking but a civil war is fought between people who share the same cultural identity and language but disagree on a point of religion or politics.
      The Muslims are ALIEN INVADERS that have nothing in common with the countries that they are invading. The war against Muslims will not be a civil war but a war against an alien culture and alien religion whose ONLY objective is to destroy the culture and identity of the host nation and replace it with its own.
      THERE CAN NEVER BE ANY COMPROMISE OR CO-EXISTANCE WITH MUSLIMS.

      • George says

        Feb 20, 2016 at 7:32 am

        I fully agree, I’m also so tired of they’re claim to being VICTIMS, what about what they feel about Jews & the hatred that they feel towards them. This religion is a religion of war not peace, remember Mohammed was a warrior first prophet second.

      • Yokel says

        Feb 20, 2016 at 8:19 am

        @ Charli Main

        The Muslims in Lebanon were invaders, too. Lebanon was a majority Christian country, and had been for ages. Then they invited homeless refugees in, and the rest of the story is as they say “History”.

      • Angemon says

        Feb 20, 2016 at 4:18 pm

        I wholeheartedly agree, Charli Main, and I stand corrected. I’ll amend my previous statement to:

        And that’s how you have a war inside your borders – just ask Jordan and Lebanon.

    • Rob Porter says

      Feb 20, 2016 at 3:09 pm

      Angemon, the problem is that these Belgiums, like the rest of the Europeans, are not “devout Catholics”. Europeans have turned their back on God and Christianity, largely believe in nothing and spurn Christianity because in their ignorance they consider themselves too sophisticated for religion. They are now a secular people and fight for nothing because with a no real faith they have nothing for which to fight. Then they have a disgraceful Pope, ignorant of Islam, who considers it ‘not Christian’ to stop foreigners invading your country, bringing among them drug smuggles and traffickers, murderers and rapists. Largely among these foreigners and those who for some ignorant reason consider it their right to walk into your country. More and more devout Catholics see this Pope as out to lunch, a man who demotes solid clergy and promotes liberals. His contradictory statements have been remarkably stupid. He states – for frivolous reasons – why Trump is not a Christian, yet does not condemn Barack Obama who claims to be a Christian but supports and promotes Islam, and often talks like a Muslim. And there is no condemnation for Cuba and Castro who over the decades has murdered and persecuted Christians. The silly, liberal Pope is selective regarding whom he wished to condemn and I don’t consider his comments about Trump an accident. As to Trump, if I were he I wouldn’t be bothered about fighting with this Pope, many Catholics have signed a petition for him to resign. I hope they suggest that he does to Baghdad or Mosul for retirement.

      • Mark Swan says

        Feb 21, 2016 at 4:20 am

        You Tell Em Rob Porter

      • Marlene Chang says

        Mar 23, 2016 at 9:23 pm

        Where is this petition I’m one Catholic that would love to sign and share thanks ?liked your comment also.

    • Shane says

      Feb 20, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      We are witnessing the suicide of Western Civiization being driven by leftists and feminists. Bringing in large numbers of Muslims who will not assimilate will be the end of Western Civilization in Europe. If the USA does not reject liberalism, it will be our fate to fall to Islam too. I don’t have much hope for Canada either. Please get out to vote in November and vote for Republicans. The Democrat party is wedded to bringing in more Muslims and ignoring the connection between Muslim terrorism and Islam. Save our country, never vote for a Democrat again!

      • Mark Swan says

        Feb 21, 2016 at 4:22 am

        Absolutely Shane

  2. Kepha says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    How much of Brussels votes Social Democratic? What percentage of the school population is practicing Protestant? Secularist?

    • Rob Porter says

      Feb 20, 2016 at 3:13 pm

      Kepha, Many years ago Charles Colson after becoming a Christian visited Belgium and while there he asked his Christian host how many genuine Belgian Christians. I cannot recall the figure, but I remember that it was not even 90. You might find this in his books, ‘Born again’ or ‘Life Sentence’.

  3. gravenimage says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    Brussels: 50% of children in state schools are Muslims; practicing Muslims 19% of city, practicing Catholics 12%
    ………………………….

    Brussels is the heart of Europe, and the seat of the EU. What does this say for Europe’s future?

    More:

    The same situation prevails in Vienna.
    ………………………….

    Yes, it does. Story here:

    “Every second schoolchild in Vienna not a native speaker”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/02/every-second-schoolchild-in-vienna-not-a-native-speaker

    If it were just a matter of them learning the language, it would not be much of an issue beyond the logistics of the education–but most of these are Muslim invaders, and the consequences there have already been dire.

  4. mortimer says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 6:26 pm

    Europe will reach a level of crime and disharmony and religious apartheid that the only solution will be to expatriate all Muslims.

    Islam is irreconcilable with Western civilization for dozens of reasons.

    • Joy Freedom says

      Feb 19, 2016 at 7:16 pm

      Agree, but could banning islam work? Close mosques, centers, BAN islam as in Japan, for example. Anyone wanting islam can leave. It just seems so simple and peaceful, unless, of course, they fight it. Then all bets are off

      • Keys says

        Feb 20, 2016 at 2:57 pm

        @Joy Freedom
        Where can I get info on the banning of Islam in Japan?
        Wikipedia says “Japan has full religious freedom based on Article 20 of its Constitution.” It also lists Islam as a minority religion.

        Have have read this before on JW, and can not find good info. A google gives conflicting info.
        Snopes says this is “False”.

  5. Wakeup says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 6:33 pm

    This is all so sad and yet remorselessly the politicians continue to sell us down the river. I can only see this leading to civil war.

  6. stephen says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    Why do people always equate or act as it’s synonymous to say all of Europe when dealing with less then 30%? If western European countries and north, that’s only about 30%. Italy, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and many others barely have any Muslims, almost none and people from these countries are much more stronger, so if the west of Europe and north wanna lose, no damage done as much if you think about it. I wouldn’t worry so much lol…islam is dying in north africa and middle east anyways

    • Keys says

      Feb 20, 2016 at 3:01 pm

      @stephen
      Good point. And there is always China and India. Remember, though, France and Great Britan have nukes.

  7. fido says

    Feb 19, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    Europe is toast. When do the civil wars begin?? Or are all of the infidels just gonna kick up the azz with head down to mecca?? That’s really the only remaining question.

  8. Marty says

    Feb 20, 2016 at 6:51 am

    .Europe & the UK are under an invasion, a relatively peaceful one.
    At its most simple, it involves simply walking in, demading the right to stay
    & producing as many kids as possible.
    Often through the good offices of more than one woman.
    In the UK, we abolished married couples tax allowance for Westerners.
    We now have married quintet’s tax allowance, whereby mohammedans
    with up to four wives get benefits for them (including separate housing)
    as “dependents.
    The Royal Navy trawls the Mediterranean Ocean for illegals & instead of
    towing them back where they came from, actually brings them in to
    mainland Europe.
    National & cultural suicide, whereby the taxpayers are forced to assist
    in the ruination of the lives of their children & grand children.

  9. red rose says

    Feb 20, 2016 at 8:02 am

    Its true what they say, when you turn your back on God, then evil will conquer. That is exactly what is happening all over Europe. Evil (Islam) is taking over.

  10. dumbledoresarmy says

    Feb 20, 2016 at 5:01 pm

    Lots of what I call feeding of Dementors going on in this thread.

    Statements like ‘Europe is toast’ ‘assume the sale’, hand the victory and the territory to the Ummah ahead of time, and foolishly feed the gloating triumphalism of any Muslims who lurk here and read over our shoulders.

    I am growing very, very tired of threads in which all that most posters seem to do is repeat over and over, “We’re doomed/ Europe is doomed/ this or that country is doomed/ the Muslims gonna win because we are wicked and stupid and deserve to die”.

    I would advise all here posting or lurking who identify as Christians to find, and read, G K Chesterton’s “The Everlasting Man”, the chapter entitled “The Five Deaths of the Faith”.

    Then read Ezekiel 37, the vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. And remember what God said to Elijah when he ran off into the desert in a blue funk and wailed, “I, I alone am left”. God told him, with a touch of acerbity, that “I have yet 7000 left in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal”. I’d wager it is, in fact, a lot more than 7000 left in Belgium. Just because they may not be Protestant Evangelicals doesn’t necessarily mean they are ‘not Christian’.

    Then: PRAY. And ask God to show you what you, specifically, can DO.

    Since this is a thread about Belgium, and not so much Belgium, as its capital city, Brussels, you must begin by praying for Belgium and for Brussels. Pray for the fire of renewal to touch that 12 percent of identified practising Catholics!

    Do it as your Lenten discipline for the rest of Lent, if you are observing that custom: choose one European country, perhaps Belgium or another, and pray every single day for the renewal of the church, for the removal of Dhimmi attitudes from political and religious leaders and the general public, for the defeat of the Jihad, for the conversion of the Muslims in that country.

    It would be far more constructive than just sitting here typing post after post to the effect that “all is lost there is nothing we can do”.

    Please, everyone, STOP feeding the Dementors.

    PS – If any worried and unhappy Islamosavvy Infidels from Belgium should read this, all I can say is: if there isn’t a PEGIDA Belgium, create one. Resolutely refuse to despair and if you are identify as Christian, nurture your faith, pray, communicate regularly, read the scripture, and try to encourage and awaken and inform your fellow believers; ask God to show you what to *do*.

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