What 'more hospitable environment'?

Submitted by bat Barnabas (United States), Jul 9, 2006 at 21:54

Dear Mr. Pipes,

I have followed your columns in Catholic Exchange for four and a half years with interest. I am both intrigued by and appreciate what seems to me to be a clear-eyed, rational approach to Islam and its peoples (as opposed to the rose-colored-glasses approach of the main-stream media).

This column from today's CE was no exception. My reaction is: "Hallelujah!" and "It's about time!"

One line in your article, however, disturbed me. You said, "These harsh circumstances are causing Christians to flee their ancestral lands for the West's more hospitable environment". And I have to ask, What more 'hospitable' environment? Granted, we are still allowed--more or less unmolested--to practice our faith as we see fit. However, I contend that anyone with two brain cells to rub together has to see a time coming--and not too far off--when that will no longer be the case. The main-stream media and the Western governments have all made it clear that any religious practice except Hedonism is unwarranted and unwelcome. The prospect of persecution in our "free" society grows daily. So, we can run, but we can't hide. Neither can the Christians from predominately Muslim countries. So? Then what?

Thank you again for your work. I look forward to reading more.

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