Pope Benedict XVI: Saviour of Western Civilization?
How blessed the West is to have such a wonderful pope! At the very time the West is in crisis, at a time when many Westerners have lost their faith, at a time when consumerism seems to have surpassed all, at a time when Mammon is many people’s god, at a time when morals are in freefall, here comes the pope we need!

Pope John Paul II was certainly the pope for the time of the fall of communism. After all, he had been raised in communist Poland, so he knew the system inside out. Now, however, communism is not the main threat. Islam is. Pope Benedict XVI is extremely well-versed on Islam. On this subject, he is a man of profound knowledge. He is very well-placed to lead us!

The West needs this pope so badly. In his recent address at Regensburg University, he has shown that he is a man of great courage and strength. Pope Benedict XVI is forthright and steadfast. He doesn’t back down.

Many might have thought that in stating that he regretted the pain caused to Muslims around the world that his resolve had weakened. But make no mistake about it, he didn’t retract his statement. He didn’t back down. He maintained his dignity; and I am sure he will throughout the crisis.

What he stated is absolutely true. Wherever one finds Islam, one finds either violence, or a readiness to take up arms. This is an indisputable fact. Who can argue with it? Who can argue with the fact that Islam fosters extremists? How many examples of acts of extremism do we need before people will be convinced? Surely, thinking about Allah and his prophet night and day is rather inclined to make one fanatical. Surely thinking about all their acts and deeds in terms of acts and deeds for their god is also bound to make Muslims inclined to the fanatical. It is good that in Christianity we are able to separate the mundane from the divine. That’s healthy.

Although the Pope stated the truth, his words hurt Muslims. Is this surprising? Muslims are very easily hurt. They have fragile egos. They don’t take criticism; and they can’t stand hearing the truth about their own religion. They are certainly not given to introspection; and if they are, they are certainly not given to finding and identifying their own faults. The world would be a much better place if they accepted a little criticism now and then. They need to ask themselves what they are doing wrong. They need to ask themselves why they are so disliked around the world, they need to ask themselves why people fear them.

The connection between violence and Islam is something this pope recognizes. He also stated something which should really have been obvious to all; namely, that God abhors violence. How could a sane person be moved to worship Him if He didn’t?

This Pope is disturbed by this link. He is also disturbed that Europe is moving away from its Christian past. He criticizes what he sees is wrong in the West, as well he should. He wishes to turn Westerners back to their Christian heritage. He wants them to become less materialistic, and turn to the spiritual, for he recognizes that there is a spiritual vacuum here in the West, especially in Europe. He wants to pull Europe back from the brink.

There has been vacuous talk emanating from the Middle East that the Pope is starting a crusade. In the sense that they mean, this is nonsense. Utter nonsense!

If he is starting a crusade at all, the crusade is directed at Europe itself. He wants to re-Christianize Europe, for he sees that this is what needs to be done. Middle Easterners need not fear that he is going to call on armies of crusaders to march on the Middle East in the manner of the former Crusades.

There is something else which he holds dear: reciprocity. I wrote of this in my book, The Dawning of a New Dark Age. Further, Pope Benedict wants there to be no compulsion in religion, as indeed the prophet of Islam spoke of in his early, some say middle, period. The Pope wants reciprocity and mutual respect. After all, true respect can only be mutual. Respect that is not mutual is not respect at all; rather is it fear.

Pope Benedict XVI dearly wants Christians in Muslim countries to be able to worship free of harassment, and in safety. He sees that in the West we allow mosques to be built, whereas few Muslim countries allow churches to be built. He sees how unfair this is. He also wants the Middle East to open up so that missionaries are free to convert people to Christianity, as Muslims are free to convert people to Islam in the West.

This wonderful pope understands the issues. He perceives this imbalance, and he is courageous enough to talk about it. He is trying to correct an imbalance our weak and ineffectual politicians should have been trying to correct long ago, but because of oil and armaments deals were too timid to do.

The Pope displays true leadership qualities: strength, courage, strength of purpose, determination, resolve, understanding, intelligence, and he has a great sense of morality. What more could we ask of a leader, especially at this time?

Many will say he cannot lead me because I am not a Roman Catholic. Nonsense! He can lead all Christians, because he can inspire them. The wise amongst us will take his lead seriously, for even if one is an agnostic or atheist, he is still a blessing. Don’t forget that it’s the tolerance which has been fostered in the West that has allowed people to choose their faith, or none. This tolerance stems from the love inherent in Christianity. If Islam grows too strong in the West, there will be a sea-change in levels of tolerance. People will then not be allowed to choose their faith: The state will decide the matter for them! The choice will be Islam, the jizyah, or tax on the infidel, or death. It will be as simple as that.

I find Pope Benedict XVI a great draw. His intelligence and erudition, for a start, are a great attraction. But more than that, he is a man of great stature. Great stature indeed! But even more than that, he has great charisma. Moreover, he is a handsome man, an elegant man, a warm man (just look at those caring eyes and that warm expression), and something rare to find these days in any man, he is an æsthete. What more could we wish for in a pope?

This pope is head and shoulders above all our other leaders. The Bushes, the Blairs, and the Chiracs of this world simply do not compare. They don’t come up to Pope Benedict’s ankles!

Although I am not a Roman Catholic, I feel it is now time for us to unite behind this marvelous pope. We need to rise to the challenge he has set us. For if there is one man that really can save Western civilization at a time when Christianity and Judaism are under attack, this pope can. May God bless the Pope!

©Mark Alexander

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