Islam Is a Danger

by Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, D.D., J.C.D.

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The following is a rough translation using Google Translate of an interview of Cardinal Burke which originally appeared in Il Giornale on 10.4.16

An Islam that wants to conquer the world, black flags pointed at Rome, immigration that subverts population majorities, Christians under fire even in the West, no alternative to traditional families, and Vladimir Putin’s conversion are some highlights of Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke’s exclusive interview with the Journal ( watch video ). Patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Cardinal from Wisconsin, born in 1948, is the standard-bearer of the traditional church. He does not ever pronounce a word against Pope Francis, but throughout the interview, navigates out of the chorus of political correctness, beginning the defense of the traditional family with a good offense.

In 2016, are Christians still being persecuted?

'In certain parts of the world, they are persecuted and even expelled from their lands. It happens in countries historically important from the religious point of view, like Iraq, where Abraham arrived, the land of the Chaldeans. But even in the first world countries, for example in my country (the United States, author's note), there is the attempt to deny Christians the right to follow their conscience; to resist abortion, sterilization or other medical practices that bring death (euthanasia, author's note). The problem for Christians is not unique to the Middle East, but also is in the West.'

The European Union itself, in the name of political correctness, often closes its eyes to the threats to Christians. What do you think?

'It is clear that Muslims have as an ultimate goal conquest and power over the world. Islam, through the sharia, their law, will rule the world and allow violence against the infidels, like the Christians. But we find it hard to recognize this reality and to respond by defending the Christian faith.'

Are you saying that we close our eyes?

'Yes, and I think the reasons are many. Many people do not understand what Islam really is. They create these slogans: we all believe in the same God, that we are all united by love and so on. It's not true. Another reason is that Christians have much neglected a fundamental truth: there is only one Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. We must not proselytize, imposing Christianity, but if we believe in Jesus it is our duty to bear witness. I think that this witness is not very strong, even in countries that were called Christian at one time, such as the European nations.'

You have just written a book, 'Hope for the World: To Unite All Things in Christ', which also speaks of Islam.

'Islam is a threat in the sense that the true Muslim Allah must rule the world. Christ in the Gospel said, ‘give to Caesar what is Caesar's’. On the contrary, the Islamic religion which is based on the law of the Qur'an aims to govern all countries where there are Muslims. While they are the minority they cannot insist, but when they become the majority they must apply the Sharia. Today there are enclaves, entire neighborhoods, in Europe where there is in fact a Muslim regime.'

You refer to Molenbeek, the banlieue, neighborhoods in England and the Nordic countries, villages in Bosnia. Do these represent failed attempts at integration?

'It is a failure because it is a state within a state. The problem is that Muslims reach for expansion. The whole history of the Islamic presence in Europe is an attempt to conquer it. We just celebrated, on September 8th, the victory of the Knights of Malta after a three-month siege by the Muslims in 1565. Malta would have been the springboard to Europe.'

On the walls of Sirte, former stronghold of ISIS in Libya, there were many writings of the Islamic State regarding the conquest of Rome.

'It is a real danger. Islam is realized in conquest. And what is the most important conquest in the confrontation with Christians? Rome.'

In Syria and Iraq, are Christians in danger of disappearing?

'Sure. There is a plan to eradicate them. The so-called Christian countries insist on equality of law for all religions, but in certain Muslim nations one cannot even build a church or profess belief in public.'

Must we intervene against the Islamic State militarily?

'We have to stop it with the right means at our disposal. These are criminals of the worst kind.'

Our newspaper has launched a campaign with the support of the readers to report the current Christian tragedy. What do you think?

'I appreciate what the newspaper is doing to publicize the persecution of Christians. The real service of the media is not to repeat the things we like the most, but chasing the truth of the facts. In the United States, most of the time, people never hear a different voice from the pack.'

Is immigration a resource or a danger?

'I've heard several times of Islamists explaining: What we failed to do with weapons in the past, we are doing today with the birth rate and immigration. The population is changing. If this keeps up, in countries like Italy, the majority will be Muslim.'

If that were the case, are we too weak?

'All this happens through Western corruption. There are sufficiently many families. We supinely accept practices that are contrary to the natural law, such as abortion or the so-called marriage between persons of the same sex. It is the proof that we are not strong in faith, and an easy prey for conquest.'

You are American. Is Vladimir Putin, Russian president, a former KGB officer, a threat or the last defender of traditional values?

'I am very satisfied with his defense of life and family, as God began creation with a man and a woman. We cannot deny a person like Putin conversion. It is possible that now he understands what he did not know 30 years ago (in the days of the KGB, author's note).'

By Andrew Parrish Pewsitter.com

Andrew Parrish is a 2015 graduate of the Catholic University of Lublin in Poland. He holds a BA in Philosophy.

This item 11406 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org