Beyond Today Daily

After Paris?

Jan 12, 2015

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World leaders marched in Paris over the weekend to remember those slain in last week's attack on a French newspaper. Europe is seeing extreme reaction to Islamization. Why does this matter?

[Darris McNeely] I want to make another comment about the shootings in Paris last week, where Islamic terrorists barged into the offices of the French satiric newspaper Charlie Hebdo and killed fifteen people – editors and policeman – in a terrible massacre that took place there. Over the weekend, the world leaders gathered in Paris and thousands marched in the streets in solidarity to show support for those who were killed, for free speech, and for France. I noticed that there were a number – of course, President Hollande of Paris, France, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel were in the front row. Ironically, on either side of them was the president of the Palestinian authority, Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the other side. They were on the front row as well. Of course, all of this came out of the Middle East and the Muslim against the European situation – so to see those two on the front row is interesting.

The question is, what happens next? Where does this lead? What will France do? Their reaction is going to be critical. There's another development that has been taking place over several weeks in Germany that kind of ties in with this. In Dresden, thousands have been marching every week, thousands of people, Germans who are protesting against the Islamization of Europe, and Germany in particular, other asylum laws that Germany has, and certain other deeper problems within the German state that they are protesting against. They are more right-wing extremists. They are also probably marching against – with certain anti-Semitic feelings as well there. And to be fair, against them had been another segment of the German population who are protesting against these protesters. And the chancellor, Angela Merkel, and other German leaders have also been standing up against these extremist protesters within Germany, but there are a lot of them and it seems to be growing because now, this week in Leipzig, just about an hour's drive from Dresden, another group is going to be marching, a group calling themselves "PEGIDA". PEGIDA, which is a German for those who are against the Islamization of the west. And they're hoping to bring to Leipzig in Germany the same type of success that they have had in Germany, this anti-immigration, anti-asylum, sometimes even anti-Semitic problems that are there.

Where this goes is going to be very interesting to watch. What's happening behind this really is this: that extremists' reactions to Islam and other minorities, including Jews, are building within Europe. This is always dangerous in Germany, as well as within Europe, because demonstrations, protests, extreme situations like this can take different turns, grow out of control, and go completely different. Anyone who knows the history of Europe, and Germany in particular – Austria is even organizing some of these – people know that this can have some rather dark and ominous developments.

In the wake of last week's shootings in Paris, anyone who understands not only European history, but also Bible prophecy understands that this has the markings of a highly complex and volatile situation and crisis that is bubbling under the surface. It hasn't erupted to create widespread change yet but there is ferment that is bubbling and where it can go, again, is yet to be seen.

Bible prophecy shows us that there will be an attack from a power within the Middle East against a European power and the reaction will totally change the face of geopolitics in Europe and the Middle East and have ramifications for the United States and other nations in today's world. That's why we watch this – these types of pushes or attacks by radical Islam in Europe are going to no doubt happen again. Everyone is expecting it to take place. And what will take place, what will happen that will yet cause a bigger reaction is yet to be seen, but it's important to understand it and it's important to watch.

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Darris McNeely

Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.

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European right-wing extremism still on the rise

Darris McNeely

Sep 14, 2015

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Germany has traditionally been a bastion of economic and social stability in the increasingly troubled eurozone. It also continues to be the leading state in the European Union, with France alongside it.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the world, and Germany holds a great deal of sway among its NATO partners and in the United Nations. Modern Germany has built its leading position on strong, responsible fiscal policies and relative internal peace. Yet with such a checkered past in terms of racial violence, that peace can be fleeting.

While racial tensions and violence will continue to be an issue in Germany, where some still harbor resentment over the two World War defeats in the past century, neo-Nazi groups are upping the ante in terms of spreading terror among immigrant populations and asylum seekers.

Der Speigel, Germany’s top newsmagazine, recently reported on the resurgence of racially motivated violence and harassment in parts of the country: “Germany these days is a nation split in two. On the one side is a populace that is showing greater solidarity with refugees than ever seen before . . . The other half of the country is extremely difficult to tolerate in some places.

“Racist violence is on the rise. The German Interior Ministry registered 173 instances of criminal right-wing offenses against accommodations for asylum-seekers during the first six months of this year, almost three times as many as during the same period the previous year” (“Is the Ugly German Back? Flames of Hate Haunt a Nation,” July 24, 2015).

Europe in general is an increasingly unsafe place for some minorities, including European Jews, who are facing a wave of anti-Semitism even in generally more tolerant places such as France, let alone more traditional hotbeds of discrimination such as Greece. This world is currently under the sway of Satan, who hates human beings and does all he can to inspire us to destroy ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:4). Thankfully, Satan will at last be deposed, his rule brought to an end, when Jesus Christ returns to usher in a new era of peace for all mankind. (Source: Der Spiegel).

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German Fears of Multiculturalism

Darris McNeely

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When Germany talks about the problems non-Germans, immigrants within its borders people should take notice.

Recent comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the problems of unassimilated foreigners into German culture have served notice this is a front burner issue. Merkel said her Christian Democratic Union was “committed to a dominant German culture and opposed to a multicultural one.” Fears that the German economy is being held back by unskilled labor were also expressed by Chancellor Merkel on October 16 before a meeting of young members of her party.

Reports of this meeting highlight the emphasis on the need to preserve a dominant German culture. Such talk has not been so prominently voiced in Germany since the end of World War II. Germans have been, and in many respects, still are very sensitive to the how they are viewed in relation to past treatment of ethnic minorities.

Germany’s and Europe’s, response to its immigrants is something many are carefully watching. A recent Wall Street Journal article, “Europe the Intolerant”, highlighted the “darker impulses” lurking beneath the surface of an imagined tolerant European façade. “Europeans are leery not just of Muslim immigrants but of Jews, nearly exterminated on the continent 60 years ago. A recent Pew Global Attitudes poll found that nearly 50% of Spaniards have either a “very” or “somewhat unfavorable” opinion of Jews. The figures are 25% for Germans, 20% for French and 10% for British. This anti- Semitism was underscored by the recent assertion of European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht that “it is not easy to have, even with moderate Jews, a rational discussion about what is actually happening in the Middle East.” (Wall Street Journal, October 12, 2010)

Merkel’s public comments could set in motion forces that would impact Germany and Europe and the global balance of power. Her words, and the sentiments they represent, should not be ignored or taken lightly.