07-Christian-Europe

One of the earliest proposals for a ‘united Europe’ dates back to the 15th Century. The Bohemian King George of Poděbrady proposed a treaty between all Christian nations – with its members pledging to settle disputes between themselves peacefully and concentrate military efforts against the Ottoman Empire. There were to be supranational institutions common to all Christian countries, with a common Christian parliament.

“Europe” was not mentioned once. This was to be a Christian entity – and it was envisioned as a union standing in opposition to the encroachment of “non-Christian” forces upon Christendom. At the time, people rarely used the Latin word ‘Europa’ (Europe) to discuss the geographical or cultural entity we now call Europe. Much more common, at least from the eleventh century onwards, was ‘Christianitas’ (Christendom).

At some point, Europe was defined (insofar as it was defined at all) as a Christian continent. But is this still the case today? According to a 2012 Eurobarometer survey, 72% of people living in the EU define themselves as Christian, whereas only 23% think of themselves as atheist or agnostic (and 2% define themselves as Muslim, whilst less than 1% call themselves Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, or Jewish).

Nevertheless, it’s certainly arguable that there has been a trend for decades (if not centuries) towards a ‘less religious’ Europe. Having said that, we had a comment sent in from Todor arguing that: “Europe is a Christian continent [because] European countries are Christian…”

To get a reaction, we spoke to Ben Ryan, a researcher for Theos, a Christian think tank working in the area of religion, politics and society. Is Europe a Christian continent? What did he think?

ben-ryanYes, Europe is a Christian continent. But it’s not only a Christian continent, and that’s important to note. It’s a Christian continent, but it is also a ‘Greek’ continent, it is also a democratic continent; which is to say that the space that we call ‘Europe’ is not really a geographical thing. There is no border of Europe, geographically speaking. There are islands off the coast, there is no clear Eastern border.

Instead, what defines the border of the space that we call Europe is a cultural and intellectual thing. It is a space which is defined by what has come before; it is defined by Christianity, and by Greek philosophy, and by a number of other cultural and intellectual movements. So, it’s a mistake to think we are actually a real continent. There is no such thing as a ‘geographical Europe’, it can only really be seen as an intellectual space.

To get another reaction, we also spoke to Peter Margry, Professor of European Ethnology at the University of Amsterdam. He argued that, historically, Europe could be defined as a Christian continent, but this label was not necessarily accurate today:

What did Ben Ryan make of this argument? We had a comment from Bastian that would seem to agree with Professor Margry’s position, arguing that Europe is increasingly a secular continent, home to a growing number of atheists, agnostics, humanists, etc. How would Ben Ryan respond?

ben-ryanI think that it’s a mistake to think that because Europe is becoming more secular it is also becoming ‘less Christian’. The academic Emmanuel Levinas used to say that ‘Europe is the Bible and the Greeks’. In other words, what defines the European intellectual space is its history, which is tied into Greek philosophy, the Roman empire, and of course Christianity, which has had an enormous effect on defining the culture, the politics, everything really that we see in what we would now call Europe.

So, Christianity is always going to be there. It’s embedded. Even the type of secularism we have in Europe today is very much a Christian secularism, and that’s not going to go away. So, [Europe] is not going to become a non-Christian space just because people themselves are no longer Christian. It’s embedded in what it is to be Europe.

Is Europe a Christian continent? Or is it increasingly a secular continent, home not only to atheists but also a plethora of other religious beliefs? Is Christian identity ’embedded’ in what it means to be European? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the from below, and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!

IMAGE CREDITS: CC / Flickr – Stefano Mortellaro


974 comments Post a commentcomment

What do YOU think?

    • avatar
      Braindamage

      Yes. Europe will be Muslim continent with millions of mosques! All churches will be burned down with Christians and all traces of their existence and heritage.

    • avatar
      Miriam

      ????? Poland is at the precise centre of continental Europe. Have a look there for Muslim future.

    • avatar
      Stephen Pockley

      Why thank god .If you think it’s anything other than Christian your wrong

    • avatar
      Chris Burton

      (Thank god) Not a little irony there I think.

    • avatar
      MP

      you wont thank God soon when more burkhas will be in sight and Sharia law will be implemented. Your Secularism will also go in Oblivion. I dont need to give a wake up call to your naivity.

    • avatar
      r

      She’s being ironic… kinda sad irony

    • avatar
      Timothy Sheffield

      Christians are based off of the teachings of Christ that is the true teaching of Christianity unfortunately most don’t follow Christ still call themsel Christian which is confusing to most peopleEven &more unfortunate.

    • avatar
      Lyndon Berchy

      Where ignorance is bliss it’s foolish to be wise- A wise man needs no advice and fools don’t take any. Europe has been the seat of Evil. We have a History of Wars and the Rise of Hitler. I can walk you down to its corridors of evil right up to the seats of Evil men at their seats in the EU. Are you people blind? Can’t you see it. True Christianity is it’s only hope, but they have even corrupted their Christianity into an evil denomination.

    • avatar
      Philip Morgan

      Not quite. Christianity spread from the Middle East to Italy very early on. In the 500 to 600s, St. Augustine of Canterbury was sent to Britain. There was the period of the dark ages and then we saw many Kings arise, around the time the Vikings were doing their axe-wielding thing. The we had Christian kings who fought the Vikings etc…and introduced education and laws based upon Christian principles.

      Indeed, it is true that Europe was Christian, by the FIRST century.

    • avatar
      Pauline Bollard

      Today Europe is a humanistic society. Religious and Intellectual space for all.

  1. avatar
    Matej Zaggy Zagorc

    Europe was part of many religions. A lot of pagan religions and later Christianity. And just like any other organized religion, this has its ups and downs. It really depends on how you look at ‘traditional’ Europe regarding religion. Is it before or after the rise and fall of Constantinople

  2. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    Of course yes . Our history is christian our monarchy was christian each of our villages have a church . This question is silly . Are you preparing the place for islam ?

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      [eo] Nia historia aspektus tre diference, se ne estus ekzistintaj ne-kristanaj grupoj. Sufiĉe ofte la konflktoj pri la popolaj kredoj kaŭzis sangumajn militojn. Sendube tiuj militoj, malgraŭ ties terureco, signife formis la nunan aspekton de Eŭropo.

      [en] Our history would look quite different, if there wouldn’t have been non-christian parties as well. Quite often clashes in peoples beliefs were the cause for sanguinary wars. Undoubtly these wars, as horrible as they were, strongly formed Europe as is it today.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Not true at all. The origin of Christianity was from Middle East & not from Europe. It was adopted later during middle ages.

    • avatar
      christopher

      never and never

    • avatar
      MP

      Not preparing,it is already there. There are 2800 mosques alreasy and more are being build.

    • avatar
      Stephen Pockley

      Not anymore it’s not,now it’s messed up

    • avatar
      alen

      I think you live in middle age.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Your real anscestors are not really christian…. Do no understand why Slav, Germanic, saxon, Celtic and many Europe race adopted christianity. Purely this is not European original religion…..as it came from middle east.

    • avatar
      MP

      Even if it came from Middle East, it still has Christian traditions. Where do you think Islam comes from?
      @ Alen – Even if we live in Middle age, so what? I dont need to defend myself. I know what ideology lives in Middle ages.IT is definitive ISLAM and the muslims!

  3. avatar
    Cristina Powell

    To me, It is a continent that has learnt from its mistakes and still learning, where most people no matter where they are from can feel welcomed and accepted no matter of religion believes! Originally Europe was not a Christian continent, each country had its own gods( most of the. Non violent) the. Christianity came along and for hundred if years people died if they didn’t become Christians. The natural order of progression finally arrived, allowing people to choose what they want to believe in Or if to believe at all without being persecuted.

    • avatar
      roy abourjeily

      You knew pagans used to sacrifice peoples in front of the sun by ripping off their heart from their chest.Of course not you haven’t.

    • avatar
      Tomás Eisele Meneses

      I agree with you, Cristina Powell

    • avatar
      Daviduck99

      Roy Abourjeily, I think your confusing Europe with Central America.

  4. avatar
    Lee Lovelock

    It is an Christin continent but an concerted few, that historically have hated Jesus Christ and this continent, sind ensuring that it is not; through mass immigration, thrutching the contraceptive, and multicultural agenda and lastly, by bankrupting Lands that forby have had the family and gemænescip (community) as the Bedrock (southern european Lands).

  5. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    europe should be a continent with freedom in the choice of religion ,or no religion.End of the story

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      [eo] Mi konsentas. En nia kontinento religio nepre estu nur privata afero.
      [en] Agreed. Religion has to be a private matter only in our continent.

    • avatar
      Julian

      You need the unification of ethics, laws, religion, even ceremonies as the foundation of the national culture, so it’s not that simple.

    • avatar
      MP

      Christianity and no Islam. End of story!

    • avatar
      bert van santen

      Agree!!!

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Who say it was a Christian continent! It was originated from middle east as EUropean did not have any religion at all. Pagan was the EUropean religion. Thus, Europe cannot be proud of CHristianity….

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Not true at all. Who said it was Christian continent?

    • avatar
      Herpy McDerp

      There is nothing sad about this. The sooner Christianity and all other religions die, the better.

  6. avatar
    Engy Al Refaei

    People u r living with the islamic wisdom and then say u dont want any muslims in europe, u r strangely surprising me

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      [eo] Mi petas al vi espliki tion pli ekzakte. Al mi via mesaĝo ŝajnas enhavi la eldiron, ke ne-islamaj kulturoj ne povas saĝiĝi. Mi esperas, ke mi miskomprenis vin.

      [en] You should explain this a little closer. To me your post sounds like you are saying that non-islamic cultures are not capable of gaining wisdom. I hope i misunderstood you.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Agree with you. In fact the European cannot be proud of Christianity as they themselves imported Christianity from middle east into their culture. Why don’t they follow their uncivilised religion before…

  7. avatar
    Yavor Tashev

    I agree that Europe is a lot more than a continent. It is a culture and a society.
    All religions share common values. A religion does not give you a heart, nor a brain. Different societies developed differently. The reasons are many and religion is one.
    I am happy that I live in this society. I am happy that I can choose to be religious or not and which religion to choose, feeling less pressure that our ancestors. This is what makes us different.

    • avatar
      Julian

      Christianity is still regarded as the most important influence in the formation of Western civilization. All those common values, the culture, morality, etc. you enjoy so much are quite Christian …………….

    • avatar
      rodi potopoulou

      so long as we refer to christian continent or country,we are wrong because there is not such a thing in the Bible.Chrisianity is personal relationship with God through jesus Christ.Anything else is just religion and has nothing to do with God’s Kingdom

  8. avatar
    Michele Nocetti

    Per gran parte della storia moderna del continente si. Ma è stata altresì pagana per tanto tempo, in parte musulmana, ebrea e atea. Tutto ciò non deve però avere rilevanza ai fini politici. L’Europa deve essere laica e garantire le stesse libertà a tutti i suoi cittadini.

    • avatar
      Julian

      ? What does it mean; enlightened continent? Whatever it means, such ideology requires equality, but literally, equally intelligent, aware and enlightened people, which is kind of utopia in this world ….

    • avatar
      John Gale

      What it means is very clear. Just look it up. The values of enlightenment, the period after the dark ages…

  9. avatar
    Kovács János

    “In Europe even atheists are Christians. Europe’ Christianity means culture, ethics, a way of thinking.” (József Antall, former PM of Hungary)

    • avatar
      MP

      Sure others, who claim that their’s is the only true religion and claim “my god is better than your God” they certainly have no place in this society. Simple.

  10. avatar
    Stella Kontogianni

    Unfortunately today in Europe we are hypocritical Christians. Ready to draw the sword against each other, ready to hunt the scapegoat. On the other because it applies to everyone, first let the sinless throw the stone.
    Lately Christianity fails to cover the subjugation to money.

  11. avatar
    Sarah EsEs

    Well i do believe in god but never ever i will chose religion which is non tolérant t women kids animals and kills and frightens and treats them..

  12. avatar
    Ecs Ferreira

    Yes. Must be a Continent of christian inspiration. The muslins must now that
    Are churches in muslins countries ?

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      [eo] (Mis)uzi kristanecon kiel kontraŭ-principon de islamo estas trista malgrandanimaĵo.

      [de] Das Christentum als Gegenentwurf zum Islam zu (ge-/mis-)brauchen, ist eine einfach nur armseelig.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Believe me, you ancestors are not christian. Christian belong to middle east as it was originated. Do not understand why european adopted and copied Christian from middle east. Christian cannot be identical to European… Period…

  13. avatar
    Paul Gordon Bellshaw

    Christianity just represents a large part of recorded culture. Most European countries will have lost the major influence of religion and it is more of a personal matter for the individual. Once the child abuse cases get the proper attention from the authorities religion will be in a steady decline. No danger of islamification of Europe as some people say religion is over as a control of the masses. Just there for interested people to refer to for spiritual or moral guidance.

    • avatar
      Eta Alfa

      Wow… as I was going down the list of comments I sadly came to the realisation that Europe is mainly populated by a bunch of idiots with little provincial minds, who are stuck in the past and so so so afraid of other influences that could disrupt their deluded attachment to a hateful and backwards religion… So many weak and scared little “christians” that are afraid of muslims, homosexuals and anything else that could make them question their pathetic lives and traditions.

      If your cultures were worth anything, you wouldn’t be afraid of other influences… but clearly your “identities” are weak constructions that you need in order to feel protected and “belong” to something.

      If Europe is “christian”, I’m leaving on the next boat, because it would mean all those centuries of gradual enlightenment and progress, would be meaningless. A christian Europe is for backward people, more backwards even than all those other religions that try to impose themselves on the people.

      Religions are there to enslave and control people who can’t even figure out “bad” from “good” by themselves. Religious people have no morals… they are told what morals to have. Sad.

      As a European I firmly believe that the day Europe becomes “christian”, it will be the beginning of the end under the dictatorship of the sad little weak sheep…

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      What framework you’re talking about. Christian did not belong to Europe. They imported it from middleeast. Thus, you cannot be proud of Christianity as this is not your ancestors religion..

  14. avatar
    Ibrahim Uzun

    In Islam says : your religion is for you and my religion is for me,
    In Europe today there is a respect towards my religion, not the same respect is in place in Myanmar where they are burning alive the Muslims, and not in China as well,
    The same time they are political party’s trying to show the Muslims as enemy number one in Europe just like the freedom party in Netherland, like the ATAKA in Bulgaria and the Greek Golden Down party,
    What ever you don’t want to happen to you don’t do it to others,
    RESPECT

    • avatar
      Stephen Pockley

      UKIP is a fantastic party .there is NO respect towards your religion it’s a religion of hate

    • avatar
      nady poter

      you like most of muslim on this earth they think only as if there are no ather being exept mulim
      you spoke about Myanmar and China but didn’t mention the atrocities committed by the Muslims in Iraq and Syria where thausands of Christians and yazidis
      in Nigeria.and in Egypt … et and you name it christian where killed only because it happened that they where christian and there bad Luke they where born in this schamfull place
      the thousands of girls and wamen that were sold in the market and forced into sex trade by the what you call mulim and you are crying for this premetive culture
      no one forget or will forget what the tusks genocide of the arminians
      I don’t agree of what the government in Myanmar and China is doing to the Muslim but also don’t accept your idia of trying to make out of us stupid and try to change these retòrics as if you are an otiest

    • avatar
      Braindamage

      Why Muslims can live in Europe and build their mosques, enjoy all rights and we Christians can not do the same in Muslim countries?

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      If It it was, when it is the time? Do you understand that christian was imported from middle east to Europe. What a shame pagan people…Christianity was not designed for European. European stealing this religion from middle east..

  15. avatar
    Richard Osborne

    it’s amazing how the lefties, who preach tolerance et al fire up the hatred card as soon as you say you’re more centre right than left. eg. ‘rightwing scum’…is that ‘hate speech”? If I called a an islamic person, ‘scum’, that would be hate speech but it seems okay for a leftie to say it to me…… But as for Europe being a primarily christian continent, I’d have to say yes. We had the separation of powers from church and state back in the 1700’s. Something that Islam is yet to recognise. Should Europe move to a more secular continent…yes, but not yet. I do not believe that either christianity or islam is developed enough yet to allow for peaceful and harmonious integration. That being said, I believe we should be doing more to repair our own back yard before we start letting guests, invited or uninvited into our territory.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Richard, did your ancerstor really Christian. Christian was imported from middle east & not meant for Europe. Europe should have their own religion identity but no Christian as it was not originally meant for them

  16. avatar
    Paulo Especial

    europe should be a continent with freedom in the choice of religion ,or no religion.End of the story

  17. avatar
    Lyubomir Sirkov

    Christianity became a globally-important religion thanks first to the people of Europe (people elsewhere were not very active in accepting christianity) – and Europe also became a globally-important continent thanks to Christianity.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      The reason is Europe did not have any religion at early middle ages. Christian was imported from middle east. It is not meant for European race.

  18. avatar
    Sevastiyan Kostov

    Europe can be Europe only with Christianity. It is simple as that without Christianity itis no Europe anymore!

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Not true, Christianity was belong to middle east as the place it was born & not meant for EUrope. Please do not associate Christian to Europe. European copy this religion from middle east.

      Without Christian Europe still stand and they can follow their original pagan religion. That all….

  19. avatar
    Chris Panayis

    Europe needs a core, a single cultural and religious background to have the necessary cohesion to survive this century

  20. avatar
    Mikael Farag

    Historically yes, however, it is becoming dominated by secular atheist views. The only religion that is growing in Europe is Islam as Christianity is slowly dying out.

  21. avatar
    Sarah EsEs

    Xavier Schoumaker paranoïa and ignorance?! Pffffff… i dont understand you.

  22. avatar
    Yannis Theodossis

    An interesting question to ask the day following the Summer Solstice, which, though entirely Pagan, was celebrated across the “Christian” continent yesterday.

  23. avatar
    Ania Leonhard-Benaki

    Christianity gave us: the idea of equality of all people (also men and women, children), condemnation of slavery, condemnation of violence, sense of all peoples brotherhood, sense of solidarity with others, forgiveness, the idea of serving to the smaller and the weeker, the value of each man’s life and many others… Of course Europeans and their rulers were quite seldom saint by the Christian means… But the values we adopted as a Christian guide for Europe gave us a better perspective to act and live together in this place. There are a lot of atheists and non believers who defend bravely these values so that Europe can be what we dream, what it should be for all of us. And sometimes they act and live more Christian way than the belivers. If we extract Christianity from Europe there is not much we can be proud left, there is not much we could build on our hopes.

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      »Christianity gave us: the idea of equality of all people (also men and women, children)«

      Say what!? The historical christianity always treated women as 2nd class people while many pre-christian european cultures were more modern in that sake: Let’s look at the words “men” and “women”, which you’ve used in your message: The Germanic root “mannaz” originally meant “human being”. The influence of christianity turned the meaning to “male human being”. Still “woman” shows the origal meaning as it is composed of “wyf” and “mannaz” forming the meaning “wife-human”.

      Christianity didn’t give us the idea of equality. At least not the christianity that came over most parts of Europe.

  24. avatar
    Toni Muñiz

    The question is not if we are a christian continent. Which mayority we are. The question to be asked is why our leaders are allowing it to be islamized. In the next 30 years we will only be a shadow of what we were. Add to the islamification the mass inmigration and you have exactly what they want, cultural marxism.

  25. avatar
    Ad Seelt

    Europe is a continent, period. Only people can have a religion. And there are more ‘atheists’ than religious people.

    • avatar
      Stephen Pockley

      Tell that too the Greeks right now

  26. avatar
    Rick Wilmot

    Christian is as Christian does, therefore NO. Christianity and capitalism are incompatible..

  27. avatar
    Joshua May

    Europe’s history is built upon Christianity, this is something we cannot doubt. However, Europe today is one that is progressive, we choose science over Religion (mostly) and that is what makes our continent great! The majority of religious people on our continent are of course Christian, but year on year we’re seeing people break away from main stream religion, in pursuit of more humanist beliefs.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      No, European history was pagan. Christianity was imported from middle east where this religion was born. It is not meant for EUrope. European cannot claim Christianity was their history as this is untrue. Go back to pagan religion & leave Christianity to the middle east.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Geoff, you should agree with me as a matter of fact.

  28. avatar
    Sammy Robertson

    The EU’s open-door policy for migrants is turning Europe into a Muslim continent!

  29. avatar
    Симеон Миланов

    Off course Europe is a christian continent, or at least it was. Christianity is in the hearth of european civilisation. Even atheists are products of the christian civilisation. Ever heard about atheism in Saudi Arabia or Sudan (with respect to those countries) ? No, and you won’t cause in christianity one of the most important things is the free choice that supposedly God has given to people. Our holidays are christian, our architecture is influenced by christianity, everything in our history is connected to christianity (therefore in us as people and civilisation) . One may not feel a christian and that’s his right, but as long as he is culturaly part of the european civilisation he is a christian. And not to forget that the only thing that created some common identity in past ages (therefore giving us the chance to create something close to shared european values and identity in present day) was christianity. You know that when european country X waged war on european country Y it was the catholic church that tried to stop the hostilities for example, and here in the East often peace treties were maid with the mediation of ortodox clergy. Anyway to those who say that Europe is not and must not be a christian continent I have several questions : 1) Do you admit that christianity along with roman law and state-building traditons and the unique national cultures gave us what we call ”european civilisation” and philosophical though ? 2) Do you deny that almost every great architecture is connected with christianity ? 3) Do you think that you could be atheist in Saudi Arabia or Yemen (with respect to those countries and their unique culture) ? 4) Do you think that there would be something like common european values had it been not christianity ? 5) Do you think our political ideologies would have been born without christian philosophy (for I don’t know a main ideology that has been born outside europe) ? 6) What would have been the connection between different europeans had it not been christianity ? Try to persuade a yazidi, sunni, shia and jew to sit in one room and you will understand what do I mean. 7) And if most of you dear catholics and protestants are atheist, do you still deny that christianity is very important for the cultural,traditions and identity of us eastern europeans ? Cause if you do then it’s your nightmare word DISCRIMINATION :D I mean without christianity I would probably be speeking today turkish and my mother would be with burka or hijab. I don’t have anything against turkish people, but I like to be what I am so I’m very gratefull to ortodoxy for preserving my nation for 500 years of foreign rule. 8) Do you deny all the good things that go with christianity like charity, respect for hierachy, respect for tradiotions and culture, the free choice of the human soul/mind only because of the inquisition or the crusades (cause damn it every culture,nation,religion has made nasty things and everyone will continue to do until end of times). 9) Are you sure that you rely thing christianity is useless or you just want to be ”modern” and sound ”cool” ? 10) No matter which eu country you are in look at the toponimy, at the architecture, at the name system, at your history and try even to get to the bottom of modern law,philosophycal thought and then say to me again that Europe is not christian. How could it not be when our names are christian, the names of cityes and villages are chr. , holidays are christian, ideology and law derive very much from the thinkings of St. Augustine and others (for you westerners) and John Goldmouth and others (for us ortodox), Cheerrs to ya all from a left-wing guy who tries to be obective about religion (and who is not much a believer) :P

  30. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    Simple…look around you…look at the monuments,the paintings,the statues,the philosophy,the history…the laws….etc etc..and you have the answer to a strange question

  31. avatar
    Alexandros Apostolidis

    I always believe that we should be researching every subject to its root, so when it comes to identity we should trace everything back to the French Revolution and the Grecorroman civilisation, which are to me the fundaments of the common European culture.
    As a thought coming out of those facts, the French laïcité and the grecorroman adoration for diversity and pluralism must be combined – we respect all religions, we avoid offending them or stigmatising them for no reason, but we don’t let them interfere in politics or keep the society in anachronistic terms. However, under the perspective of population, Christianism and Atheism dominate, while Judaism and Islam have a stong presence, so, as such, we should be treating with caution to those religion’s spiritual leaders as contributors of the European civilisation.

  32. avatar
    Costin Halaicu

    Europe has a clear Christian heritage, that much is clear. However, that’s quite different from being a Christian continent. As far as ideology goes, Christianity was shaped mostly by European culture and has itself shaped European culture for almost 2 millennia, but there are also a few other ideologies that are European made, liberalism being one of them. Many things can be said about European culture, mostly because there is no single European culture at it’s core, but rather an array of intermingled cultural traditions and ideas, and they all define us as Europeans. So while I don’t believe that rejection of Christian tradition has merit in Europe, I cannot acquiesce to the idea that we are now a “Christian continent”. We are a diverse continent, in which the Christian ideology still has an important role, albeit declining.

  33. avatar
    Luis Sancho

    It should be. If for nothing else, by its culture – Christianity and Rome are the fundament of everything European, despite the attempts of the (so-called) “Enlightment”.

  34. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    french revolution was just a moment of our history and can be highly criticed . I Agree . OUR FOUDAMENTALE ARE ROME AND ATHEN CIVILISATION AND CHRISTIANITY ; we all have that in common even if we are not believers .

  35. avatar
    Eduardo Branco

    Europe is a secular society thet evolved from a christian society. All care must be taken so that it is not seen as an arena where every crazy religion fights for supremacy (that is how many muslims see it), or a void waiting for a religious saviour to fill it…

  36. avatar
    Bastian

    @ Ben Ryan

    When reducing Europe to „the Bible and the Greeks“ we deny ourselves understanding of the significant cultural and economic differences inside Europe and the West in general.
    Why, for example, is the North and Northwest economically so differently developed than its South or East? For this we have to recognize and reflect the dialectic between the post Roman („Völkerwanderung“) European tribes (later transformed into „nations“) and the ideological demands of the universal Christian church(es) going on now for more than a Millennium.

    In fact, the growing resistance the EU is facing in its Member States (of nations) is related to this dialectic – Brussels perceived as a secular Rome trying to destroy the nations.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Europe has copied Christian from middle east. What a shame…..

  37. avatar
    Rick Shay

    Why the label? Calling a caucasian continent would not be proper so why label it with a religion or creed?

  38. avatar
    Yordan Vasilev

    Yes, Europe is being a Christian continent in its majority.

  39. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    Traditionally a Christian continent.
    Now and increasingly secular continent, home not only to atheists but also many other religious beliefs! And that is goodness!

  40. avatar
    Omid Ashabi

    Who care if it is Christian or Nutt, but for sure it is the destination of billions of the poorEST and LEASTeducated and MOSTwanted-KRIMI of the WORLD !

  41. avatar
    Rui Duarte

    Yes: Europe is a Christian Continent and, more importantly, christian values underline european civilization.

  42. avatar
    Mika Ainasoja

    Europe is not a christian continent as it is not of any other religion. Our basic right is religious freedom and we have right to worship what ever or what not. As we owe much to Romans and Greeks this does not make us them, same with religions.

  43. avatar
    eusebio manuel vestias pecurto

    I have to be honest about all religious of the world and my religion is Christianity have the right to demand a truly Europe for all European

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Eusebio, what about your ancient ancestor who has copied christianity from middle east. The equation is CHristian=middle east & Europe has no right to claim Christian as their religion.

      European has been christianised and not originally from EUrope. Please do not associate christianity with Europe. You can associate it with Paganism….

  44. avatar
    Francesco Manetti

    Europe is secularised but it has still a christian culture and a christian phylosophy thanks to its history. The point is that secularisation is still on working, and in the future this continent will be one of the first to leave religion whorship just in the history books.(apart for some minorities, of course)

  45. avatar
    Vicente Silva Tavares

    Our past is Christian, our civilization values are Christian, even though some of us are atheists, our main values are from the Christian traditions. However, if there was our past and still our present, with the Islamic invasion that is happening, I am not sure if we won’t be islamizid in 100 years and we won’t be under the sharia law, stoning women, cutting hands to petty thieves, and killing who is not agreeing. I hope my children emigrate from here.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Your comment is awaiting moderation.

      what about your ancient ancestor who has copied christianity from middle east. The equation is CHristian=middle east & Europe has no right to claim Christian as their religion.

      European has been christianised and not originally from EUrope. Please do not associate christianity with Europe. You can associate it with Paganism….

  46. avatar
    EU reform- proactive

    It is a secular but dominantly christian continent (& should remain so) but deeply unhappy under the present EU leadership!

    Another controversial- but “non issue” debate- unhelpful to create a better & happier Europe! The referred “Special Eurobarometer 393 REPORT” (very complex, a waste of EU taxpayers money & untrustworthy) should be discredited- it states:

    “The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors. The results pertaining to these specific sub-groups must therefore be treated with caution”. (aka: a very, very bad guesstimate!)

    So- what are the real reasons to use it after all? Fuel emotions? Is it jobs & “happiness” for a handful EU consultant friends & “unhappiness” for the majority?

    A more neutral & professional survey seems to be: http://www.muslimpopulation.com/Europe/

    Showing a 7.6% m.p. in 2014. Or any of the (global) “PEW research centre” reports.

  47. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    Europe is home to many religions and ateists but is firstly christian because that dates back to early Rome 2000 years ago…we should never forget that!

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Pagan was the first religion in Europe. Christianity was copied from middle east.

  48. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO ! Europe is a atheist continent . Not more than 10% of European citizens go to the church . Over 70% of EU citizens don’t do anything that has with religion to do. Over 95% of young people I know find religion for NO interesting . According to a survey among German youths (aged between 12 and 24) in the year 2006, 30% of German youths believe in a personal god, 19% believe in some kind of supernatural power, 23% share agnostic views and 28% are atheists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Germany

    In the years 1968 to 1999, Anglican Sunday church attendances almost halved, from 3.5 per cent of the population to just 1.9 per cent. One study published in 2008 suggested that if current trends were to continue, Sunday attendances could fall to 350,000 in 2030 and just 87,800 in 2050.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England#Membership

    • avatar
      EU reform- proactive

      Is that how the conscience of men should understand, morality determines, logic concludes- to equate any religion or Christianity with church attendance?

      “There is nothing more dangerous than the conscience of a bigot.” (GBS)

    • avatar
      rich

      Now you know what apostate Christianity is like.

  49. avatar
    Sham Sham

    No . If Europe rule with Christian law , it will be strict . Now freedom for all different religious

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Yvetta, who want to be part of Europe. Tell Europe not to steal Christianity from the middle east. Go back to your pagan religion.

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Sangatawal, you are wrong. It does not matter where it was
      “imported” from. Christianity has been here for 2000 years, it incorporates a great deal of our values, mentality and history in contrast to the religions it was based on (Judaism, Zoroastrianism etc). Freedom and democracy are European things and we are free to choose what religion we follow. We don’t need anyone telling us. You go back to where you came from…

    • avatar
      rich

      What christian Law?

  50. avatar
    Gabriele Mogni

    ISLAM IS ALSO A EUROPEAN RELIGION AS IT IS PRACTICED IN THE BALKANS AND TURKEY, SE YES MUSLIMS IMMIGRANTS ARE EUROPEAN TOO…..

    • avatar
      Marcel

      It is nothing of the kind. It was imposed on parts of south east Europe by the tyrannical Ottoman Empire.

      And Turkey isn’t in Europe, it isn’t called Asia Minor for nothing.

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Muslims came here as part of jihad and killed a lot of people for refusing to convert on the spot, including people that were taking refuge in churches. The Ottomans treated Christianity as an enemy and there was nothing European about them.

    • avatar
      Printo K Mathew

      so muslims are not Europeans at all……………then the term Europe itself will be fade one

    • avatar
      Marcel

      No we don’t. Christianity is an ideology that demands that people stone disobedient children, kill gays, that women are inferior etc… religion is a disease. And I don’t need a fantasy friend.

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Christianity is against violence and for love. It doesn’t say anywhere that anyone should be stoned.

  51. avatar
    Marcel

    In my view, religion should be considered fiction. There are no gods, and morality isn’t derived from books that tell you to stone disobedient children.

  52. avatar
    Alex Borg

    Europe should be a tolerant multi-cultural society with a secular state that guarantees the practice of any religion one pleases as long as human rights and especially gender equality is guaranteed.

    • avatar
      Julian

      Maybe where you live. We don’t want such mess in my country. Minorities start to fight with each other and fight for dominion, etc. it’s natural. Multi-kulti weakens a nation and destroys national identity, maybe some people don’t need it, but they have no right to decide for the whole continent.

  53. avatar
    Marco Franck

    We are 2000 years later, let’s not act as if we were primitive human beings, and look at what science has revealed about our universe, and it’s scientifically proven there are multiple universes not just one.

    • avatar
      Julian

      Not religions but people who used them, as they can use anything else.

  54. avatar
    Eva Benko Zoltan

    I think religion is not the most important problem., the unmesurable greed of the power couses far more prombens to the many.

  55. avatar
    Stefanos Karpenisiotis

    It never was. Christian religion is so strange to the European civilization (greek based) as Islam. Both religions came from the middle east,including completely different philosophical background and lifestyle. Europe has a history more than 2000 years.

    • avatar
      Sangtawal

      Stefanos, agree with you

  56. avatar
    catherine benning

    European laws are based on the teaching of Christianity. And thank goodness for that. To base it on any other religion would be going against the will of the people, as they are used to the form of tolerance the Chrisitian teachings offer. You only need look at Islamic States to see the horror of what they are forced to live by.

    However, being Christian does not mean you have to embrace all and sundry when you know in the gut they are not playing by the game set up in the first place. It is stupidity not to remain blinkered because reality hits you in the face.

    Lets take this revelation.

    http://www.mail.com/int/news/europe/3639592-anger-surprise-us-newly-accused-spying-france.html#.1272-stage-hero1-6

    How European leaders can be so naive to accept the obvious take over of our continent by a State nowhere close to our borders is foolhardy in the extreme. And additionally, to allow this back stabbing administration to set up nuclear bases all over our continent willy nilly is madness. The fear you have of Russia is US initiated. Christian the US is not. Even though they pretend to be. And be aware that the back stabbing goes far deeper than revealed by wiki. Their President told you openly, you cannot trust what we tell you, only a fool would do that.

    We the citizens of Europe did not vote for US rule.

  57. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO ! Example Croatia : Church is creating very rich people .
    Why should we respect religion ? Is this not a crime ? people are just wasting their time and money . Religious truth , Virgin Mary is going to do big thing , they promise , get believers , make money , nothing is going to happen , they change story and do the same thing again : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-FvMvsnttc
    In just 5 years, the “seer” Ivan Dragicevic has bought properties worth a total of 1.566 million dollars, equivalent to 1,470,953 euro (taking into account the appreciation of the euro at the time of the trade).
    An average American, in the 5 years would have earned $ 198,508 gross, gross 195 336 € (taking into account the appreciation of the euro year to year). Figures, gross, are nearly 10 times lower than the amount spent by the “seer”.
    http://abateoimpertinente.wordpress.com/…/inchiesta-esclusi…-«nessuno-dei-veggenti-di-medjugorje-si-e-mai-arricchito-grazie-alle-apparizioni-»-ecco-le-prove-del-contrario/

  58. avatar
    Keivan Hadji Hossein

    European identity and States have been built and shaped in the name of Christianity. But not as you may think: for centuries Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants have hated and fought each others in bloody wars that caused hundreds thousands casualties. The principle of Westphalian treaties of “cuius regio eius religio” was established after so many slaughters between Christians that Europe was on its knees, yet it wasn’t the end of hatred and massacres of Christians whose religion was actually different.
    Us Europeans can claim to be united by Christianity, but mostly because we have killed our European brothers in the name of Christ for centuries, until the removal of religion from public life and secularism laid the bases for the construction of a peaceful continent. Amen.

  59. avatar
    David Harrison

    Religion is at the heart of much of the conflicts the world has known. Religion and race. Great dividers.

  60. avatar
    Björn Eric Ingemar Grahn

    Actually I was not even close to it in the beginning. it’s first in the last millennia that it’s turned Christian a boutique year 1000

  61. avatar
    Katja Radeva

    Europe loos it’s identity in the desire to be “Democratic A La USA” The unification of Europe desunit the continent more than ever, because it us united only for the banks and profits. …free moment – do not means freedom!

  62. avatar
    Carolina Muro Rosa

    Yes! Despite freedom to be, and the fact many people may or may not be practising, this is a continent which societies have strong pillars set upon Christianity. It’s what makes the most humane values on our societies and what we most have in common.

  63. avatar
    Glenn Zasman

    Church attendance (or lack of it) doesn’t say it all. The positive effects of centuries of Christianity in Europe has made a deep and permanent impact on the moral basis of our societies, our art, music, human rights, legal and political systems, business practices, philosophy, etc. So although official Christendom is no longer apparent, the effects of it are, and in that sense Europe remains fundamentally Christian, and people should be careful not to reject what is the basis of our society in the name of “anti-religion”.

  64. avatar
    Peter Castermans

    The history of Europe is indeed christian. The emirate of Granada was a historic footnote and the muslim regions in ex-Yugoslavia are remains of the Ottoman invasion. Not that we are that religious anymore (lucky) but our history is. The ottoman empire’s threat to Europe made this even more significant.

  65. avatar
    Shpetim Lezi

    The funny thing is that Illyrians/Albanians made Europe Christian (Constantine) and Europeans now say Albanians are Muslim and therefore they should not be in Europe. Albanians are generally non-religious just like most of Europe. People have the freedom to believe what they want, as long as they are tolerant towards others. Europe is superficially Christian.

  66. avatar
    Claus Skøtt Christensen

    After about 1000 years of evangelization, a Great Schism, a Reformation, a Counter-reformation and Europe seating the head of the largest religious organization on Earth, it’d be weird if it wasn’t.

  67. avatar
    Jose Martin Gomez

    Europa fue primero ROMA: Lo del siglo 15 fue apropiación Vaticana, hasta que la Revolución francesa dio lugar a naciones y reinos. Medio Oriente y Norte de Africa musulmanes, son Europa tb.

  68. avatar
    Higaara Nakamura

    Europe is a scientific consumerist continent.. There is a residual christianity in older people and in daily traditions but I believe the majority of the new generations couldn’t care less about religiosity.

  69. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    Debating Europe

    Your question goes against the EU Equality Directive & the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006.

    You may want to change it or you could end up at the European court of Human rights charged with inciting religious hatred.

  70. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    European means Christian, European means Human, but it also means we are not afraid to fight for our values! That is shown all throughout the European history, when one power became to strong and tirade we always defeated it…

  71. avatar
    Nigel Daff

    Yes. . . The underlying background in law making and justice of the majority of the Eu states is based upon the Bible and the Christian way of life . . . Social care and services to help the poor and needy and to punish those who commit crimes is christian based

  72. avatar
    Eduardo Galhardo Campos

    Yes!!!
    Being Catolic / Christian has nothing to do w/forms of Government or being tyrannical or democratic.

    But as Westerners peoples the Bible is one our basic common denominators.
    And – w/Syria, Ukraine, Syrizas, …- do we need common values now!!!
    (That’s why I’m against Turkey joining the EU)

  73. avatar
    Vitor De Carvalho

    Sort of our culture is influenced by the centuries of Christian kingdoms with all their authority and vicissitude, but while that’s not a central point of our lives, its definitely the foundation of our living rules.

  74. avatar
    Dionysis Kontarinis

    As far as “Christian” refers to the way of living, Europe is Christian. Of course, currently we’re diverging towards a specific kind of paganism (money = God).

  75. avatar
    Omid Ashabi

    Europe was infected once with Christianity, it had bloody wars for centuries to convert Orthodox Christianity to Catholicism, and later Protestanism and their branches, all for it being adaptable to the way of life of its societies. Now it should do all the same, once more with more noxious and dreadful religion i.e. the religion of Arabs of Desert.

  76. avatar
    Trond Johannessen

    It has a Christian Heritage. Karl Marx still rules a part of the territory. Poor education, and the natural emergence of the seven deadly sins as wealth nevertheless is on the rise, makes for confusion and to some extent makes it hard to maintain values embedded in the character of individuals and populations as a whole.

  77. avatar
    Vicente Silva Tavares

    For a while. With the rate of Muslims getting in, they will destroy our culture and at a term Europeans will be under sharia law and again in a long period of Dark Age.

  78. avatar
    Vojtech Kotek

    Christianity certainly played a role in Europe’s development in the middle ages, when it brought us together like in the example of the Holy Roman Empire, but it was the enlightement and the intellectuals who questioned status quo and created the Europe we have today, with freedom of expression, seperation of church and state, etc. Religion is merely a reflection of the current era, previously, what we consider ‘Christian’ today is very different from what a ‘Christian’ would have been a few hundred years ago.

  79. avatar
    Breogán Costa

    I don’t think so, it’s even more what Roman Empire had done than Christianity (which, by the way, was used in the last phase of Roman empire, and keeps many of that ancient and old styled obsolete traditions)

    • avatar
      Printo K Mathew

      don’t say that there is no similarity at all………..ohhh god…..it has a difference between day and night….

  80. avatar
    Vera Cardoso

    Europe has codes of thought and coduct based on christianity, but it’s a multicultural continent. Many ethinicities and different religions are present and many caucasian europeans don’t follow christianity at all.

  81. avatar
    Ruairí Hallissey

    Christianity forms a large part of Euopean Idenity and values. But so do things like Greek philosophy and the enlightenment. In many ways the europe we live in today only begins take shape after the domination of the church recedes.

  82. avatar
    Girts Valens

    Latvians have always been true pagans velieving in their own Gods. Let’s leave this like it is.

  83. avatar
    Ahmed Hrustić

    While the majority of Europeans are of Christian faith, the only Christian state is the Holy See. All of the other European states have secular institutions.

  84. avatar
    Lise Eva

    Yes, there is a Christian heritage but not only. Focusing on this aspect only of Europe at the expense of our really rich history justifies hate, religion taking over states, rights stolen (especially women rights and LGBT + MOQUAI rights), islamophobia, other-faith hate.

    So yeah: there is Christian people in Europe. But not only.
    Beside, religion and faith are intimate decision that should not impact social, educational and economical state’s decisions.

  85. avatar
    Lieven Nijs

    Yes, it is. 72% of people identify as Christians and that’s by far the biggest group. I’m not a fan of organized religion but I’m glad that these are our common values.
    I’d be saddened to see any other value system being the biggest TBH. I wouldn’t want to live in a place where a majority were atheists or agnostics, and I dont believe that the European Islam is a religion for everyone either.

  86. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    ‘European’ is a meaning term used to fool the simple minded into believing we are the same people.

    Clearly we are not.

  87. avatar
    Rajmund Klonowski

    Of course it is. Base of European civilization, universities, canons of law, even the concept of every accused having an advocate in court — all stem from Christian roots. The very concept of ethics and morality being above law and law enforcing these values — a base for the universal human rights — is rooted in Christianity and it’s worldview.
    Europe without Christianity would be just a generic land of temporariness.

  88. avatar
    Alex Sekkpefb

    Parászka Máté have you seen the news lately? The Church in many countries has no problem in linking itself to violent hate groups. That sucks for normal real Christians but that’s why most of us get the goosebumps whenever the Church/religion is mentioned.

  89. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    Debating Europe

    I can only imagine how the 10’s of millions of Muslims, Sikh’s Hindus, ect would feel reading both your question and the comments on here.

    What happened to your EU’s Motto of ‘United in diversity’, have you just admitted it is a lie ?

  90. avatar
    Franck Legon

    Zeus, Odin, Jupiter, here are our gods, among others, why should we obey south mediteranean monotheisms which proved many times being nonsenses and worth only as peoples controling tools for monarchies ?

  91. avatar
    steven coombes

    all i can tell that in the name o christianity there have been atrocities in europe and the middle east .

  92. avatar
    Francesco Cappai

    Europe has a Christian past. It’s about time we limit religion into the private space. I don’t want laws made by other people’s imaginary friends. We should be open to any religion as long as they don’t try to influence politics

  93. avatar
    Tim Huisintveld

    Europe once was, but in my opinion it is not anymore. America is far more religious than Europa nowadays.

  94. avatar
    Yousri Loussaif

    Europe is bigger than just a continent!
    Europa staat voor verEeniging! Het doel is groots, goddelijk!!
    Europe stands for Hope and Prosperity
    L’Europe est au-dessus les differances et frontières -Monnet
    Europe started with 3 BeneLux. .just to Let you know that Its not religion-based idea!
    A union with 28 cultures,standing together for the greater common causes.. eradication of illetracy,poverty..terrorisme..piracy..
    Europe thougts Are bounderieless!! Wich means GLOBAL!!

  95. avatar
    Kostas Tsotsanis

    European should be free to choose their religion, whichever it is, without the state interference. Organized religions should not be related with the state and Europe should put forward USA’s legislations (the original ones, not the -Republicanandchristian- ones) so as to liberate atheist from organized religions and motivate religious citizens to support their own beliefs and churches

  96. avatar
    Stanislav Máselník

    Historically speaking, Christianity is obviously a very important part of European identity and whether one “likes it or not” won’t change much about that fact. The question always is what role, if any, it can play shaping Europe’s future.

  97. avatar
    Eiza Jean-Jacques Descayrac

    We have lost our beliefs, and lost the sacred. Be honest and see that our only Bible are consumerism, and market laws. For that reason our spiritual knowledge and guidance is poor, indeed our civilisation and children are somewhat and a little lost without spiritual guidance. However as occidental people, we are probably programmed since the 18th century philosophers, to use our brain first and to do not accept imposed truth. Some revealed beliefs cannot even allowed this freedom. So yes we are Christian first, but what we need first is not only a main religion, but true spirituality, true openness, and respect of the others and of the sacred i.e, environment, all sentient being, their progress and freedom and finally be ready to fight, to defend it. Europe should demand and realize the respect for these values, implementing these respects in its rules and practices.

  98. avatar
    Glenn Zasman

    “…what defines the European intellectual space is its history, which is tied into Greek philosophy, the Roman empire, and of course Christianity, which has had an enormous effect on defining the culture, the politics, everything…
    So, Christianity is always going to be there. It’s embedded. Even the type of secularism we have in Europe today is very much a Christian secularism, and that’s not going to go away. So, [Europe] is not going to become a non-Christian space just because people themselves are no longer Christian.”

  99. avatar
    Breogán Costa

    I have THE answer: Europe is a Europeans continent. Stop with religions, they just divide, not join

  100. avatar
    Simon Borg

    We shouldn’t even be debating this – but times oh times they r a changing

  101. avatar
    Marijus Stasiulis

    Well after crusades, inquisitions and fascists now it is almost Christian, but sane people see difference between Bronze Age mythology and reality…

  102. avatar
    Roi Gil

    It was a Christian continent -mostly- 500 years ago. Prior to that there were various other religions which define Europe at the same level Christianity does. Religions are destined to dissappear fortunately.

  103. avatar
    Christian Hess

    Still it might be…but what about the next generation? Saecularism is on the rise…so it may be time for all the religions to manifest & spread their uniting goals!

  104. avatar
    Ioanna Geor

    No! If Europe was a chirstian continent, then solidarity would be the only solution to all the problems. do you see solidarity?

    • avatar
      Bernadetta

      In recent times I found that all western countries have their constitution embeded in the BIble and principals of christianity. Obviously, that has something to do with christian influence and the way of our modern living. Yet, many people deny this recognition and think that they evolved by themselves to achieve such progressed way of living. They should think again before they make their free choices and think whom they really own that freedom and way of living. Currently 70% of migrants are from non christian countries flocking to christian countries. They could make their country a better place by simply changing their thinking and acepting christian values. Also, those who insist on other believes than christian they should move to non christian countries and taste the live there. I reacon, they would move quickly back to be under christian constitutional values.

  105. avatar
    Ghislaine Estelle Manable

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  106. avatar
    Tristan Van Camp

    No, there are a lot of Europeans that aren’t Christian (an evolution that started in 1789). Anyone claiming outerwise hasn’t brushed up on his or her European history.

  107. avatar
    Chris Panayis

    What Europe needs is cohesion. It is time for Europe to identify its roots, since it cannot exist as a unit without a theoretical background.

  108. avatar
    Ingo Vonsundahl

    Europe is an iopen continent. There a many Christian Churches in Europe. There are also Synagoges, Mosques and temples of other religious faiths. Do you find such religious diversity in other parts of let us say the Mediterranean Countries (including North Africa and the Middle East)?

  109. avatar
    Ivana Dalipi

    if that’s true than the project of united Europe is destined to fail.It’s that simple.

  110. avatar
    Carolina Muro Rosa

    YES! Even though today many evolved to follow science instead religion, or new age philosophies, we grew up to be a continent with higher levels of acceptance, capable of letting others express their different faiths and believes, that acceptance is exactly an expression of Christianity. So yes, Christianity is deeply embeded, is the base of what we are today.

  111. avatar
    Nick Knight

    No, but neither are Muslims. Being not from Europe means more then just religion

  112. avatar
    Davide Zoran Parenti

    Religion = free choice. This said, of course one of the greater contribution to the European heritage comes from the Christianity… the good and the bad

  113. avatar
    Eta Alfa

    Wow… as I was going down the list of comments I sadly came to the realisation that Europe is mainly populated by a bunch of idiots with little provincial minds, who are stuck in the past and so so so afraid of other influences that could disrupt their deluded attachment to a hateful and backwards religion… So many weak and scared little “christians” that are afraid of muslims, homosexuals and anything else that could make them question their pathetic lives and traditions.

    If your cultures were worth anything, you wouldn’t be afraid of other influences… but clearly your “identities” are weak constructions that you need in order to feel protected and “belong” to something.

    If Europe is “christian”, I’m leaving on the next boat, because it would mean all those centuries of gradual enlightenment and progress, would be meaningless. A christian Europe is for backward people, more backwards even than all those other religions that try to impose themselves on the people.

    Religions are there to enslave and control people who can’t even figure out “bad” from “good” by themselves. Religious people have no morals… they are told what morals to have. Sad.

    As a European I firmly believe that the day Europe becomes “christian”, it will be the beginning of the end under the dictatorship of the sad little weak sheep…

  114. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    Sure it is…mostly everything is based on christain values…laws,culture,education,holidays,art,juridictions…etc

  115. avatar
    Seán Rohan

    No no no…leave that religious nonsense to Americans and others…we Europeans should be more free from religion like the Scandanavians

  116. avatar
    Eugenia Serban

    Oh my God !! Greek-roman only ?!? No Germanic people ? Their civilisation and culture is outstanding. Starting with the Vikings, even if they weren t Christian. Exactly like Greeks and Romans.

  117. avatar
    Franck Legon

    Zeus, Odin, Jupiter, here are our gods, among others, why should we obey south mediteranean monotheisms which proved many times being nonsenses and worth only as people controling tools for monarchies ? thousands of gods were invented, just let those ones disapear like they should already have, for mankind’s sake .

  118. avatar
    Quiterio Alberto Báez Benítez

    Dentro de la diversidad cultural existente en el continente, la impronta en dichas culturas dejada por el cristianismo ha sido profundísima, sin hacer más valoraciones al respecto. No excluye este hecho a las diversas aportaciones que el resto de religiones también transmitieron, enriqueciendo nuestra cultura con su aporte.

  119. avatar
    Eric Nagorny

    It should be catholic . Amen . Do not be too tolerant . Look at arabs ….Be historically and curently loyal to your catholicysm .

  120. avatar
    Alex Borg

    I was born and brought up as a Catholic in a very Catholic country, and probably as a result of that became anti-clerical to a point that anti-clericalism drove me to evolve, eventually by way of reason, into an agnostic, and potentially verging into atheism, even if I still conserve a strong element of spiritualism. Emotionally I therefore find it difficult to identify myself with the definition of a “Christian Europe”. Rationally, however, I cannot fail to acknowledge the role of Christianity, just like Greek ‘psyche’ and Roman ‘civitas’ before that. But in the extreme south of Europe, how can one disregard the enlightened imprint of Arabo-Muslim influence and the cultural and commercial exchanges that took place all over the Mediterranean with the Muslim levant. These too have left an indelible mark in language, society, art, beliefs, etc. in the southern European culture I belong to. So saying it is a Christian Europe is too much of a blanket statement that does no justice to the complexity of today’s Europe.

    • avatar
      Barbara Galea-Haji

      Agreed!

  121. avatar
    Breogán Costa

    I just wonder myself why my comment was deleted… So, Debating Europe, if in a Debate I have an opinion that you dislike, I cannot speak, humm?
    Curious the way you support freedom of speech, my dear censor.

  122. avatar
    Simone Mura

    No, is not Christian at all. The foundation and the values of this governmental organization are founded on market, a more deepest and real experience than christian-insanity

  123. avatar
    Arlinnda Kastrati

    In sum, YES, christianism is/ has been the survivalist element of Europe, which, of course, is not surprising if simply following the periods of its development.

  124. avatar
    Curro Fbm

    The European subcontinent is mostly Christian, but the European Union is an economic union and thus, it is and should remain open to any country with the respect for Democracy and the Human Rights as the only limit.
    Turkey and Tunisia should have started real accession talks long ago…

  125. avatar
    radical_left

    I totally agree with the reference of Europe as Greek, you should promote this message to Angela Merkel. The ideas that formed Rennaisance and Enlightment were indeed based on Greece. It was these ideas that humanized the Western Church in contradiction with the Orthodox Church, which stayed in Middle Ages. I am an atheist and I couldn’t do otherwise, because I believe that the Church here betrayed Greece in several ways, by selling the country to the Ottomans to secure their privileges, denying an independent Greek state and still not giving anything of their enormous fortune to help the Greek debt. So more or less I don’t think you can be Christian and Greek too, you have to choose. For me ancient Greeks were in fact atheists, their religion was an excuse to enjoy everyday life. They would very easily call a 1-day-god to help them in a particular issue. The Orthodox Christians unsuccessfully copied the Greek ideals, creating a bunch of Saints and selecting the ones that were ”suitable”. Don’t forget the crusades, the expel of heretics in Byzantine Empire (from whom the Islam was made from), the burn of scientists as witches etc. I’ve even read that Church stated that women didn’t have a soul till the 17th century. I believe that Europe is mostly Christian but I still think there are many people questioning out there and seeking the truth. For me Jesus is the leader of another nation and not mine, I could easily believe more in Socrates. Don’t forget that the Christians destroyed parts of the Parthenon, the sculptures, because they were nude, it was against their ethics. There are 2 main paths someone can choose, the 1st path is the ancient Greek ideals adjusted in modern societies that protect democracy and all kinds of freedom, science, progress, art. The 2nd path are the non-paganist religions and I’m referring to Judaism and its children Christianity and Islam, which are full of guilt and fear. These 2 main theories are having an eternal battle in Europe and now, more than ever people have to choose which kind of Europe they want to. The conservative one, the one that protects the elites no matter what or the one of the direct democracy, where people participate and define every aspect of it.

  126. avatar
    radical_left

    So a paganist approach which combines the love and respect for nature, democracy and human rights & atheism (as the adjustment of ancient Greece in today’s society) is nothing else but a leftwing ideology, which has nothing to do with Russia anymore, because they have veered far right. So Greece can definitely form and establish a new democratic leftwing ideology which includes all these ancient Greek ideals further analysed and examined to serve people’s needs.

  127. avatar
    Radoslav S. Bozov (@Radobozov)

    Dear ‘Idiots’, Europe has never belonged to religion and undefined root wise rationale processing of ontological ‘shmugs’! Instead, Europe has always been a place of debate onto history and philosophy of religion, science, and art! We do not accept opinions that has been derived by ‘shmugs’. We will always belong to truth, to the further most approximation of a conceptual dimension of what will be tomorrow by objecting that only future space objectives reveal past time relevant events!

  128. avatar
    Pavlos Gavrielides

    Europe cant be really a “Christian Continent” as in “Everyone in the continent is baptized as a christian”.. Its more like “A continent which adapts into christian morals and behavior”. Im a christian and never really felt like I’m surrounded by Christians.. Since the place I live in has a variety of religions, I learned to live with every persons religious views. Now that doesn’t mean that everyone who is not a christian should be out of Europe, it just means that countries base their moral on Christian religion.

  129. avatar
    Jean-Jacques Eiza Lauture Descayrac

    No doubs that Europe has Christian roots and is Christian for a majority, but Europe is also a very laic continent, which doesn’t mean atheist but which implies the possibility to choose his spirituality without imposing it to others. Europe is a peaceful continent which respect everyone and encourage freedom of thinking as long as it does not disturb others and doesn’t lead to fanatism, this is a true spiritual behavior and way of life. We should be proud to be European, encourage this model worldwide and do all efforts to make it evolve further on that path.

  130. avatar
    Stephen J Gorog

    Aggresive, lawless migrants are taking over Europe and you can be sure they will change the continent. They do not and will not respect Europian values! The leaders of EU are living in a dream-world, by the time they wake up it may be too late.

  131. avatar
    Barbara Galea-Haji

    Since Hitler`s regime and the Holocaust It cannot be called Christian values. All creeds belong to Europe meanwhile.

  132. avatar
    Chris Alexander Zervas

    ΤΗΕRE ARE SOME ROTTEN MINDS IN EUROPE WHO BELIEVE THAT : EUROPE HAS TO BECOME A NEW RACE SOMETHING LIKE A MIXTURE WITH OTHER BLACK & ASIAN RACES, IN ORDER TO: 1-)- BE LIKE THEM ( SEE THEIR HERITAGE & 2-)- TO BE EASILY CONTROLLABLE WITH NO RIGHTS AT ALL …CHECK IT & YOU THE THINKING READER WILL FIGURE IT OUT ABOUT THEIR SICK MOTIVES)!

  133. avatar
    David Cavafis

    Europe is a continent divided by an Iron Curtain. East Europe is more religious than western Europe. You just need to see the list of countries that accept homosexual marriage: They can marry in former ultra religious countries as Spain, Portugal or Ireland, I don’t imagine this will happen any soon in Hungary, Poland or Romania.

    Even in this post, mostly of those defending a secular Europe are from the west and those defending a Christian Europe are from the East.

    The European Union should not have expanded so fast. East European countries were not ready and are not ready. Just look at how they treat syrian refugees in Hungary. Shame.

  134. avatar
    Martha Rodrigues

    Nope. Europe has a growing population of atheist and a load of different religious views. Which is truly lovely

  135. avatar
    Yv.Pol.

    it is and it must stay that way

  136. avatar
    Anıl Eken

    A continent can not has a religion;people can be believers;This belief of them is between god and themselves;No one can intervene to it.Giving religion to a contient is a crime aganist humanity! You are intervening and forcing people to a belief system;especially to collapsing sects like orthadoxy;catholism or other religions so west created islamic terrorism via priest orders.They killed;They said islam believers did to rebring their finished sects in their logic and to attract fans to finished religion sects of them but islam become bigger in reality!It will be bigger so much than before day by day !

  137. avatar
    Anıl Eken

    Giving religion name to a contient is a crime aganist humanity.People can be believers;Things contients buildings or other materials are not!

  138. avatar
    Patricia Smith

    The only reason I can ascertain for Religion – of what ever faith is to control the masses. All are same but different and employ the difference to that particular regions advantage.

  139. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    That is insult : ” Christian continent “. Now is 2015 and religious EU citizens should be under 50% . According to a 2010 Eurostat Eurobarometer poll, 51% of European Union citizens responded that “they believe there is a God”, whereas 26% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 20% that “they do not believe there is a spirit, God, nor life force”. Results were widely varied between different countries, with 94% of Maltese respondents stating that they believe in God, on the one end, and only 16% of Czechs stating the same on the other. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism#Europe

  140. avatar
    Pedro Asti

    This question could be serious if we consider our civic culture and religion like 2 different fields with no connection at all, but it does not work this way. Our civic society has its christian roots, even if nowadays we tend to forget or delete this uncomfortable fact. Even secularization come from cultural basis that can be relied to some aspects of religion.
    So, I need to start with this caption: “Europe was a christian continent “, and it is slowly evolving into something new and different. Europe always had links to other societies, civilizations and cultures that inflenced our world a lot. Moving with the caption I have said before, I can now say that Europe was not just a Christian continent. It was a continent where christianity had a major role, clearly, but not the only one. It is highly hypocritical to think that a continent can just be one thing, even if I can understand the need of simplicity. We just need to remember that things are never simple nor easy.

  141. avatar
    Paula Castilho Borges

    I am not sure if Europe is a Christian continent, even I believe it is, but I am sure it is definitely not Muslim and Women rights should be defended!

  142. avatar
    Cedar

    ‘Christian’ in this context doesn’t only mean religious belief. It is a question of how those originally literal beliefs have informed our current legal & social practices, e.g. the anti-slavery movement, or the principles of the welfare state.

    I think of myself as a pagan, living in harmony with the cycles of the year, taking care of my environment, celebrating a symbolic Goddess with many faces. I don’t adhere to any religious dogma, but I live within a sense of the sacred.

    I also believe in nation states, as they seem to me necessary for democratic accountability. Look at the way Germany, for the 3rd time in a hundred years, is insisting that its ideas should dominate Europe. England twice resisted that, but I’m not so sure it can or will hold out against the current creation of ‘facts on the ground’.,.

    Culturally, I recognise the way a belief in the New Testament led people away from the bloodthirst of the Old Testament kings, towards secular democracy. Ideas evolve – or at least, Christianity has evolved.

    Islam has not, except to react against modernity so fundamentally that its followers cannot be expected to live in harmony with people from a long tradition of religious, political and social liberalism. This is not about race. It is about ideology, the meanings people attribute to their experiences, and what their social framework has taught them to think of as ‘normal’. As a woman, I greatly value my European freedoms, including access to art, music, antiquities, and the right to wear whatever I choose when I attend my gay friends’ wedding. I don’t agree to surrender them to Middle Eastern imams.

    Look at the way the OIC is relentlessly lobbying the EU to replace the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the Cairo Declaration, based on Shari’a. They are also trying to make criticism of Islam illegal. So I am glad that Hungary has taken a stand.

  143. avatar
    C Popa

    In my view, Europe should be a multicultural space, where everbody has the RIGHT to their own oppinions ( to be read as freedom of expression) , no mather what the discussion is. Unfortunately, the christian values that exist through Europe are corrupted by islamic ones, and here i reffer to the positive discrimination that you can see regarding muslims. I dont say that all of them are the same, but most in the area where i live. I see muslims beating their wifes, agressing their children, stealing, and having an anti-social behaviour in general. They have rights, but no obligations, live on the social welfare and are the least integrated in the society. They’re barely speaking the language of the country that they live in for years, and their children and grandchildren follow the example that they see in the family. As result the education level of the mixed classrooms is trending down, because of political corectness and a forced morality adoption by some politicians that have completely lost contact with reality. So , if you ask me my opinion about islam in Europe, i am against it and i don’t belive that they add value to Europe.

  144. avatar
    Theorick

    Yes – many European structures have deep roots into Christianity – but for this situation to be sustained it is vital that there is a vibrant core of living faith which I fear is current!y dwindling. Our Christian status can only be redeemed as our churches are repopulated with believers!

  145. avatar
    Krzysztof

    Christian? In name only! Who (how much in %) still knows Bible or St.Aristotle/JPII Fides et Ratio, 1998? A return to an app pre-human stage in evolution is evident everywhere , first in massmedia, schools, Akademia, Church(es); a few islands of thinkers (libraries) are an exception of global stupidity; therefore, a more stupid and devilish Islam is spreading all over. Hm, just one perfect course in school curriculum on religion (the philosophy of science) would resolve the Problem (of Stupidity) once for ever; only in 20th cent we have the perfect divine tool of G.CAntor, B.Russell, K.Godel or A.Tarski to end Old Tradition(al) debates on religion and philosphy(ies). Have you not known it?

  146. avatar
    sadegh

    I think our world is world of multiculturalism & we can not tell this area has Christian or Jewish or Islamic content. we most accept multiculturalism

    • avatar
      Julian

      So is America … right?

  147. avatar
    Sendi Martina

    What stupid and provocative question is this? Seriously. Let’s debate something worthwhile for once…

  148. avatar
    Enric Mestres Girbal

    From Cyprus to Iceland and from Gibraltar to Finland, Europe’s roots are christians, BUT the generations “born” in the 1968 flower power, peace and love, are destroying them…They prefer to kneel to Islam then stand for christian civilisation.

  149. avatar
    Dominique Couturier

    C’est un continent de diversité culturelle et linguistique. Entre les Vikings, les Basques, les Sardes ou les Andalous, quoi de commun? L’être humain est HUMAIN, de l’Orient à l’Occident, du Sud au Nord.
    Et les “chrétiens” ou “musulmans” qui viennent nous sommer de prendre parti pour une religion ou une autre commencent à sérieusement gonfler les HUMANISTES.
    Demain, si j’ai le courage, je dirai la même chose en italien, espéranto ou anglais.
    ———————-

  150. avatar
    Dominique Couturier

    Le christianisme est souvent une superstition comme une autre. La spiritualité c’est différent, et cela peut se référer à toute façon intelligente de vivre une “religion”. Les gens intelligents sont capables de se respecter au-delà des différences spirituelles ou religieuses.

  151. avatar
    Isabel Faria

    The question should not be so much about religion but about values. In an area such as the EU there should be a set of values and zero tolerance for who ever does not integrate them. Some religions do not comply with these values.

  152. avatar
    Athanasios K Devetzidis

    State business are for the state and Church for the Church. But, religion especially in the Eastern Orthodox living tradition cannot be considered private and individual, it is a social event! Generally, there are some areas of the public sphere that social values of Christianity are alive. Fortunately and thankfuly, I say. It is also encouraging that there are also areas that there is a way of desecularization, which is also welcome. It’s true that there is a need of resourcement in original Christian values such as philantrhopy, philadelphia, respect of nature. A task that both Clerical and State institutions must promote and implement through Arts, Education and Culture, for a better and inclusive future for all.

  153. avatar
    akdev.weebly.com

    State business are for the state and Church for the Church. But, religion especially in the Eastern Orthodox living tradition cannot be considered private and individual, it is a social event! Generally, there are some areas of the public sphere that social values of Christianity are alive. Fortunately and thankfuly, I say. It is also encouraging that there are also areas that there is a way of desecularization, which is also welcome. It’s true that there is a need of resourcement in original Christian values such as philantrhopy, philadelphia, respect of nature. A task that both Clerical and State institutions must promote and implement through Arts, Education and Culture, for a better and inclusive future for all.

  154. avatar
    Anamarija Musa

    How is this even a question? Its built upon Christian values, sense of justice. Whole civilization of Europe, architecture, jurisdiction, legislation, and rest of its foundation has a deep connection to Christianity. This shouldn’t be a question at all.

  155. avatar
    Charles Vee

    Yes it is… there is the Middle East where Muslims can live in the dark ages there and enjoy their Sharia law there. They are welcome here in Europe but no Burkas or Mosques here please!

  156. avatar
    Ion Frantzeskakis

    Europe is a fortunate continent where religious doctrines have been replaced in the course of our long and painful history by values, laws and principles. We should not allow our own fears or the agression of the other side to move us backwards from the present secular concept to a religious private club!

  157. avatar
    Elias Tenkanen

    The funny thing is, that there have been Muslims in Europe for hundreds of years. Blind fear of some group of people is stupid. They are all criminals? Well, uh, no. Some are. But so are many “natives”. Categorizing people based on religion is pretty dumb.

  158. avatar
    Virsta Gregory

    for the first time I see this question on public space, although christian roots of our continent should be one of the principles of EU…

  159. avatar
    Elias Tenkanen

    Christian values indeed form the basis of Europe. Among those values is also helping those in need. Discrimination and hate is ISIS business.

  160. avatar
    Nuno Oliveira

    I am fiercely European but agnostic, according to the majority of opinions here I should give up my citizenship. Ironic that so many then accuse muslims of fundamentalism. #potkettleblack

  161. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO , we should make research on it and ask people for their opinion . I am sure over 50% of EU citizens think that EU is not a Christian union . I believe over 65% of EU citizens never pray to God not go to the church . It is important to tell that because some people wants to implement some special justice because they think we should have some “Christians rules” . They use religion to win elections and to damage our democracy . Some percentage of people think no religious people should not have right to example become president , politician , police and similar government jobs. Atheists should become kind EU untouchables – dalits .

  162. avatar
    Manuela Mc Moura

    Europe is a continent that respects HUMAN Rights…The ethnic background is immaterial.RELIGION is something PRIVATE and personal and should be kept there.But I do not want anyone forcing their beliefs on me!

  163. avatar
    Lamborghini P.

    Not all. I’m a Christian, but I want a secular Europe.

  164. avatar
    Wendy Harris

    Europe, in fact the whole world, would be a better place without religion. Proud to be an atheist.

    • avatar
      George

      Wendy, atheism is a religion as well. It is a system of belief. So not sure what you mean when you say you are proud of it. Do you mean it is somehow better than others. How does this sound: “I am proud to be Muslim”?

    • avatar
      Bernadetta

      Irena, thank you for your comment. When people from christian countries move or visit other countries they are expected to respect that country as visitors or newcomers. Christian countries through freedom and acceptance of others views are hurting themself. They allow newcomers and visitors to change the nature and character of their own country to their detriment.Christian country should stay christian and if visitors want to live within their own religion and culture they should go back and stay there.. Europe paid big price to retain christian status and defended itself through centuries against outside attackers to be what it is now. Let it keep it this way. Only through christian values it will continue to progress to a better future.

  165. avatar
    Bita Nahal Peace

    No!!! Europe, in particular England, has been turned to money worshiping Buddhist country!!! At least for the last 30 years.

  166. avatar
    Valentin Rotaru

    It was. It is fortunately becoming a scientific one….eventually… Still clearely a cristian one though

  167. avatar
    Adam Bxcz

    European Union has one major problem of unability to transform It into conservative or more liberal europe. Both regulations should have It place in Eu regressive leftism is destroying Eu. That way we should have even harsher deportation laws than USA. Reason is the recent rape scandal in multiple countries and quiet allowance of so called sharia law oh yes because we are facing democratic crisis. I SAY bring ukrainians chinese, japanese, koreans but dont just bring aby People because we all know rape is a part of islamic culture abd islam is AGAINST Human rights

  168. avatar
    Tobias Stricker

    The point is that Europe is agnostic! That is the difference to the rest of the world! It is the difference between reason and believe in bronce age mythology.

  169. avatar
    Fabian Casanas Perez

    I like Europe to be french in that sense, based on division of powers and human rights. My opinion, a spaniard living in Scotland who doesn’t speak french. Greetings!

  170. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    Europe developped it self on the basis of christian value.each of our village has a temple or a church. And i prefer these christian values to the free mason values which intend to replace nations religion and family by this stupid world village project

  171. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    Europe developped it self on the basis of christian value.each of our village has a temple or a church. And i prefer these christian values to the free mason values which intend to replace nations religion and family by this stupid world village project

  172. avatar
    Enric Mestres Girbal

    Thanks to corrupt politicians and capitalists, Europe is becoming agnostic. The golden ox is winning over the voice of Christ. Soon, the crosses in the flags will be changed by croisants.

  173. avatar
    Fekete Zsombor

    – Is Africa a muslim continent? Is Asia a buddhist one? Is this question necessary?
    – What are the ideological / religious alternatives? Is this a religious question or more about the lost identity of Europe?

  174. avatar
    Vitaliy Markov

    historically, europe had elements of christianity, judaism, and islam. modern europe is based on ideas of human rights, democracy, science, and tolerance. and it should stay that way

  175. avatar
    Steph Wave

    Unfortunately Europe is a capitalist continent, so it has entirely lost evangelical christian roots

  176. avatar
    Doru Adonis Izuel

    Now it still is ! In the future it might not be … I have no way of telling the future. But i think Europe should be secular, allowing religious freedom for everybody, while religions should stay only as personal beliefs not interfereing with the political life.

  177. avatar
    Nikos Themelis

    The question is tricky: Is “Europe a christian continent” in what way? If we talked about “christian” in a sense that the majority of people think of themselves as “christian” then i suppose yes,for many centuries now. If on the other hand,we talk about Europe as christian in an ethical of behavioural way,then not so much.
    Supposedly “christian” nations has slavery until fairly recently for example,they exploited the people and natural resources of other nations,nowadays they use other nations as debt colonies ready for looting,bomb other countries, discriminate against other cultures,people, they close borders refusing help to refugees fleeing war,poverty etc…
    There is nothing “christian” in today’s europe.
    Oh,and by the way,the word “Europe” is the latinised version of the Greek word Ευρώπη.

  178. avatar
    Ignacio Rodríguez Gómez

    Europa es cristiana! Ha sido desde siglos la religión mayoritaria, con influencia judía. La cristiandad es la única de las religiones que se ha adaptado y la que ha defendido la igualdad, libertad y el estado de bienestar.

  179. avatar
    Abraham Sánchez

    It is not even a secular continent. In some parts of Europe, being Christian could mean being marginalized. Trust me, I know what I am talking about…

  180. avatar
    Sebastien Chopin

    Of course it is… its silly to think otherwise… If it wasn’t we wouldnt still be reading the same authors, following the same programs at school as 50 years ago… what a ridiculous article…

  181. avatar
    Krzysztof

    Knowing The Scientific Semantics (after Alfred Tarski,1935, of Warsaw-Lvow School of Logic) would clarify a (debate)mess.The term “Christian” means what? Just to be formally baptized? I think it is meant just a state or union (UE) has a law trying to follow Christian(Bible,Aristotle-es basic values. If the present UE general population is ignorant like in Dark Ages (Middle Ages) on science, philsophy and theology; therefore, we have another TV dumb debating show. To remind: in 1905 (and 1915) Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity resolved the old conflict Copernicus@Gallieo contra RC/Vatican@Ptolomey followers once for all; there is not an absolute movement of anything (Earth or Sun or stars) but it depends on the reference system (an observer); consequently, “what moves around what?’ is a wrong question! Who cares still? Analogically, discoveries in (biblical)hermeneutics and the foundation of logic as applied to any science and any (axiomatic) system has resolved all past controversies.I smell it is too abstract for UE “graudates”

  182. avatar
    Dr. Shaukat Anjam

    I think Europe is no more a Christian continent. It has some social, cultural and democratic values as to show Christian behaviour but Europe is basically and secular continent today in 2016. Christianity is a minority faith in Europe in the sense that The Word of God call what Chrsitianity is. I believe Europe is not going back to her real Christian values, neither it is going to embrace any other religious values. May God has His mercy upon Europe.

  183. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    Of course yes. Constantin clovis,charlemagne all the european monarchies were christian…all our laws issued by republicans even most of our revolutions are based on christian words…

  184. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    We toletate others religions provided they fully respect our laws,our culture,our traditions and adapt to them…we shall never adapt ourselfes to foreign ideology and religions

  185. avatar
    Tasos Serres

    yes,europe,our common mother is cristian continent.And all of us will never forget or forgive all those people that fight against european cristian identity.The stracture of europe is based in cristianity and the greek-roman culture.

  186. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO , young EU citizens are for over 70% atheists . Religious are for the most old , uneducated village folk. THE BIGGEST BLUFF IN HUMAN HISTORY IS THIS : Number of no religious people . Number atheists and no religious people is not 1 billion it is over 3 billion . Just one example China , Japan and Korea have more atheists than they are Muslims on the Earth but for some reason you can’t find it in statistics . Next Religion in Germany : More than 38% of the population is not affiliated with any church or belongs to some other religious body. The same is for the rest of the EU . UK : Whilst a majority of citizens identify as Christians, when asked “Are you religious?” in the National Census 2011; 29 per cent responded Yes vs 65 per cent No, 6 per cent did not know. US : Over the same period, the percentage of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated – describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – has jumped more than six points, from 16.1% to 22.8%. http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/
    http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/files/im/b2wAQ1W.png

  187. avatar
    Julia Hadjikyriacou

    People use the word Christian for behaviour that does not cause harm to others. Any action or decision that causes harm or suffering no matter what religion or non-religion the person has is what is undesirable. Therefore some TROIKA and IMF decisions cause human suffering, or the banking and economic system causes human suffering, or profit-insatiability of corporations all cause human suffering, or are ‘unchristian’.

  188. avatar
    Ivaylo Ivanov

    The only true religion is Science. Everything else is just philosophies that suck people dry.

    If a person obeys the law, he can worship everything and everyone, even the Jedi!

  189. avatar
    João Roque

    Of course it is, our thought, our laws, our behaviors are deeply based in the christian religion even if we are not christians. Being christian peoples has merged intesively with our concept of people and with our cultures

    • avatar
      Temple

      Europe is moving to a more secular society and it allows people to freely believe on what they want. If they don’t want to have a religion then they are entitled to. But its roots are Christian, there is no doubt about that.

    • avatar
      ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᛋ : ᚹᛟᛚᚠ

      Oh, there is much doubt about that. Christianity wasn’t born in Europe, it was brought there. The cultures in Europe had other beliefs. Denying these as a part of the European identity is a demonstration of ignorance.

    • avatar
      Temple

      The question is not asking the origins of Christianity. The question is asking whether Europe is Christian. The cultures in Europe were mixed with beliefs from Germanic tribes etc. No one is denying other origins. Europe certainly was more Christian in the middle ages but now it seems to be moving to a more secular society.

  190. avatar
    Leonard Prifti

    Yes it was, but already are three little countries in Europe that are mostly Muslims, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo,

  191. avatar
    Pedro Cav Cav

    Our roots are christian, obviously. If we had to pick one identitarian religion to characterize Europe, it would be christianism.

  192. avatar
    Andrew Lally

    15th century?
    Columbanus predates that by several centuries!
    And was acknowledged as the first European by Robert Schumann.

  193. avatar
    Alexander Goossens

    The native religion of Europe is not christianity. The true identity of Europe belongs to the classical era. Europe and all the traditions were christianized. The process of christianization was much more terrible than the current process of islamization. You can make horrible things, maybe it is necessary sometimes, but if you win the war you will always have the support of the majority part of the civil society.

    • avatar
      M.

      God fobid! Europe or in fact European Union.. not secular at all. Get your facts right! Find out what the stars on the unions flag were based on. The original statut of EU. France is secular.. yes. Have you been around actual Europe?
      Please.. which country does not celebrate Christmas with lights on the streets Christmas trees etc? Go to Spain, Italy, Poland or Ireland and tell them they are secular.. hahaha

  194. avatar
    Szilard Szedlar

    Snother theme for debating . Is the water wet ????

    If we loose our roots we loose all of our existence.

  195. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    I understand your point juan . Amb just islamophobic m to me islam is not compatible with our laws . Read the Coran

  196. avatar
    Sebastien Chopin

    Of course it is…historically.. but then again its now also beyond that…Leave religions to the backward continents… (We’ll manage it all from the Vatican with an app..)

  197. avatar
    M.

    It is interesting how some ppl who come originaly from Muslim countries are unhappy with our laws and culture and want to introduce Sharia law in Europe (I had a conversation with male Muslims recently about it). Why would Islamic culture, values and law be good for European countries? If you like the Europe as it is… integrate and asymilate to Our laws. If you don’t like it and you want Islamic values and laws.. move to a country that follows Islam as national rule.
    It seemed simple enough to me. The weird thing was: these men want white girls, open sex whenever they want, European freedoms, financial stability etc. that the Europe provides… but they want their Muslim rules and values at the same time..
    So.. We just couldn’t agree on how THAT world would look like.. U CAN’T HAVE THE CAKE AND EAT THE CAKE. Once you have devoured the lovely, yummy cake… you can’t have it again and That was something these guys COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.
    Ideas anyone?

  198. avatar
    Andrian Marinov

    Europe was and will always be a Christian continent. The time will come when we will get rid of the “liberalism” and “multicultarism” that the islamophils controlling our countries are trying to teach us.

  199. avatar
    Jerry Gleeson

    I think a lot of the people claiming here that Europe is a Christian continent, don’t understand what the word Christian means.

  200. avatar
    Murali Krishnan

    Majority will be Atheist. Religion is what is believing in primitive answer for physical and life worlds. If Science cannot answer all questions that doesn’t mean what religion said are true. If science fails answering then it will remain unknown or unanswered. Only fools will accept theist’s/religious answer. Definitely there will be a minority who yet believe in God, Satan, Ghost etc.

  201. avatar
    Jan Majta

    It depends which out of three things you mean. Being Christian, agreeing with whole teaching or agreeing with major principles. The last one for sure is.

  202. avatar
    Francesca Signori

    No doubt. Despite countries secular government which is out of question, art, culture, and tradition are deeply influenced by Christianity,

  203. avatar
    Andrew J Chandler

    Secularism is simply the belief that Church and State should be separate. It’s a belief which developed through the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe, and was strongly held by Christian ‘dissenters’ or ‘nonconformists’ in the Netherlands and England, some of whom set sail for ‘New England’ and ‘New Amsterdam’ (New York). Since the seventeenth century, these churches and groups have held their belief in a broad toleration of faith and conscience extending to people of other faiths (Jews in Cromwell’s England and Muslims in Bethlen’s Transylvania). State religion is in decline, but ‘disestablished’ Christianity continues to hold, or even increase in membership.

  204. avatar
    Richard Renckens

    It is part if our heritage, and therefore embedded in our culture whether one is religious or not. Same Goes for greek philosophers

  205. avatar
    Gabriele Mogni

    Christianity is integral part of European culture and heritage, just think about all those Cathedrals and renaissance paintings….. you don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the contributions that Christianity made in shaping western civilization….

  206. avatar
    Dionìs KC

    No matter what, I think Europe shaped Christianity more than the other way around.

  207. avatar
    José Bessa da Silva

    I would say european culture ie heavely influences by religion, specially Christian and Pagan. There are exceptions. I do not think this is the case in Albania, Kosovo, etc!

  208. avatar
    Luis García

    not. Rather the opposite, the fight against the religions and traditions. That s the difference.

  209. avatar
    Toni Muñiz

    Yes, and those not christian always respected christianity. Unlike the new migrants being forced on us.

    • avatar
      Joao

      Can we extend that thought to “theism” only? ;)

  210. avatar
    Costi Ciudin

    yes it is, great religions shape civilizations and the European one has been shaped like this by Christianity, in which democracy originated (and it isn’t me who claims that, it is one of the most famous atheists in Europe who said that democracy originates from Christianity, namely F. Nietzsche – this is probably why modern atheist movements renegated him)

  211. avatar
    Julia Hadjikyriacou

    In this present age it would be wiser for the EU to associate and abide by values rather than a religion. Values and ethics would benefit the people of the EU and the people globally if only the EU enforced an ‘Ethical Europe’ like the logo on this posts image states. Take ethical action first then earn your Ethical Europe label.

    • avatar
      Joao

      You took the words out of my mouth Julia. Well said.

  212. avatar
    Rácz Tivadar

    Being an european, it almost means necessarily to be a christian. Since you’ve opened the gates of Hell, I easily recognise, that I am an unitarian and proud of it!

  213. avatar
    Joao

    “Is Europe a Christian continent?”
    “Is Christian identity ‘embedded’ in what it means to be European?”

    Two very different questions, and one of these is quite bias. What’s supposed to be an “European” exactly? A citizen of the European continent, or a citizen of the European (future to be) super state/country??

    I’m only citizen of the European continent and don’t intend to be anything else than that. So is the Christian identity (whatever that might be…) embedded in the citizens of the European Continent? I guess yes, until a certain point. But lets say that the supposed “Christian values” are nothing else than human values and common sense. So can we say that the European continent is somewhat of a human values oriented system (some would say secular..)? We could… if we keep the TV on and the social blindfolds on. But the reality is quite different…

    Europe, start putting words in practice for a change. Equality. That’s a value right? Why does the church doesn’t pay taxes like everyone else? Hmm….. I wonder…

  214. avatar
    teejay

    Religion has no place in the 21st century. While it should not be banned, I think that it should never be taught in schools or be promoted by the state. Nearly all wars and suffering can be directly attributed to religion so states should have nothing to do with it whatsoever. It is a wicked construct from a bygone age. Europe needs to move on.

  215. avatar
    Krzysztof Ciuba

    A wrong (scientifically) question! One can ask about an individual but not a nation or a continent or a state if it does at least in general follows the Dekalog in law. If 72% acknowledges themselves Christians, then the majority is still Christian; how they in practice follow the teaching of Jesus Christ is another story. At the same time so called UEParlament introduces anti-Christian (and Bible) laws on abortion, euthanasia or homosexual “marragies (a semantical horror term according to St.Aristotle’s (divine) logic; therefore we have again a contra situtation to the(absolute/divine) principle of contradiction (of St.Aristotle,also in Matthew 5:37),i.e. in practice UE is not Christian but Devilish

    • avatar
      Philip Morgan

      ‘The culture of death’…

      ‘Human Rights’ certainly falls on its own sword when the most vulnerable and defenceless living beings – inside women – are not protected with any automatic right to live.

      It’s pick-and-choose-Convenience-check-boxes for morality as far as Western politics is concerned – convenience before care equals hypocrisy. There are, however, many people who make up the Christian population, in Europe. Severely negative figures are likely to be manipulative scare tactics contrived by the secular media, which prefers sensationalism over truth, for obvious reasons.

      Europe has been Christian as early as the first century – the rich blood of martyrdom runs deep through the earth, as if it were travelling through tree roots of unlimited growth, extending in reach right across the globe, with a force of love so strong that no dried out surface can forever hide the pulse. And the cracks in secularism begin to show.

      Christianity is madness to most of those who don’t believe. And though ‘free-choice’, in the agenda-based way it is understood is, in essence, selfish and therefore evil, the general understanding in western ‘civilization’ – I feel brave using that word – that we should not force others to believe but allow people to find their way home is a gift handed down to us to be grateful for. A civilization that is not empirical, hateful, dominating, vengeful or oppressive (compared to some places in the world).

      …what secular-minded Europe tends to forget is that the freedom to be able to make conscious decisions for the good of ourselves and others is thanks to the spread of Christianity through the ages and it being so very deep-rooted in rightful living.

      And this is exactly what makes militantly secular motives and free-choice agendas so hypocritical: because they abuse the very foundational structure that allowed them the ability and opportunity to live a happy life in the first place, which is compassion for, and preservation of, life. All life.

      There are 1.2 billion Catholics in the world today before counting the number from denominational branches of Christianity. Nothing to worry about in the long run.

      Thanks.

  216. avatar
    Gian Marco

    It is a human continent, no matter what imaginary friends’ supportrs may think

  217. avatar
    Matej Zaggy Zagorc

    Let’s be fair. Christian or not, it has played a major role in the development of Europe. And I can’t really say that it was for the best.

  218. avatar
    Costi Ciudin

    our laws, our civilization, our moral and ethic code, our behavior, our holidays, the names of many cities, hoods and streets, they all scream the same answer to this question: YES!

  219. avatar
    Richard Renckens

    The Christian religion as we know it is highly influenced by plato. Our laws and values are build in Christian (ergo platonic) values. So i would say europe is a Christian and greek continent.

  220. avatar
    Christopher Arimont

    Why don’t you stop asking deviding questions and start asking unifying ones? It’s the European Union and not the European Division…

  221. avatar
    Ändy Bill

    Weird article, especially the nothing-saying comments of the think tank member; why then are christian countries in afrika so Different to those in Europe?
    It is way too ambivalent to answere it with such a simple answere like the author does. I am a bit diappointed from this Website.

  222. avatar
    Raul Machado

    Europe’s Religious Roots were neither Judaism nor Christianity, but Paganism…..

  223. avatar
    Raul Machado

    If Europe should be a Christian continent like now in Poland? I would say, NO THANKS!!!!!!!

  224. avatar
    Kate Traditionog

    What Of Kind Christianity The GOD Own Or The White Supremacy Own That Accept Other People Apart From Blacks?

  225. avatar
    Jurre

    What a ridiculous question…… Personally I think religion should never have a claim to territory. Aside from this, such statement would be historically incorrect. Europe is, and has always been, a continent of many civilisations, religions, ideologies and peoples. To be frank I think historically Europe is, by far, the most multicultural of continents. Each culture has contributed to our ‘identity’ in some way. Romans and Greeks gave us philosophy, architecture, scientific theory. Christrianity gave is writing and preserved (or hoarded) much knowledge through our darker days. (And before Christians start to think them holier than thou, also a lot of bloodshed). Vikings gave us seafaring and navigation. Islam Rennesaince gave us mathmatics, medicine, scientific theory, astronomy and architecture. Traders from China gave us gunpowder. Humanism gave us rationalism, secularism, equality and many others. I’ll stop the list here because I think I’ve made my argument well enough.

    Saying Europe is a Christian continent is a selfish, ignorant and divise thing to say. In this particular case, Islam has for a long time been a part of Europe and will remain to be so. So let’s turn to more constructive debates.

  226. avatar
    Wolfgang F. Müller

    From a theological point of view one of the central christian belief is God becoming a human in Jesus Christ. This momentan of incarnation can br understood as intergrate Impulse for secularism inside Christianity.

  227. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    ‘Europe’ is a multi-faith continent, only arrogant EU’ers claim it is a Christian one.

    • avatar
      nando

      Just as the UK is a multi-faith island and only the arrogant claim it has nothing to do with the Church of England… and Christianity.

  228. avatar
    Mihail Bidzhov

    It is and ti will stay as Christian continent

  229. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    Commission doest not like it but yes…..commission and the new free mason lobby wants to destroy nations and religion to make of us a quiet submissive consumer……then goldman and qacks with the treator Barroso Will rule the world…..

  230. avatar
    Krystian Krawczyk

    DRAWING INSPIRATION from the cultural, Judeo-Christian and humanist inheritance of Europe, from which have developed the universal values of the inviolable and inalienable rights of the human person, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law,

    BELIEVING that Europe, reunited after bitter experiences, intends to continue along the path of civilisation, progress and prosperity, for the good of all its inhabitants, including the weakest and most deprived; that it wishes to remain a continent open to culture, learning and social progress; and that it wishes to deepen the democratic and transparent nature of its public life, and to strive for peace, justice and solidarity throughout the world,

    CONVINCED that, while remaining proud of their own national identities and history, the peoples of Europe are determined to transcend their former divisions and, united ever more closely, to forge a common destiny,

    CONVINCED that, thus ‘United in diversity’, Europe offers them the best chance of pursuing, with due regard for the rights of each individual and in awareness of their responsibilities towards future generations and the Earth, the great venture which makes of it a special area of human hope,

    DETERMINED to continue the work accomplished within the framework of the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the Treaty on European Union, by ensuring the continuity of the Community acquis,

    GRATEFUL to the members of the European Convention for having prepared the draft of this
    Constitution on behalf of the citizens and States of Europe,

  231. avatar
    Dean Plassaras

    Christianity is a roman invention for ruling an empire. And yes Europe unfortunately is based on roman brutality and deception.

  232. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    If you don’t know the answer. ..you don’t know history and are culturally ignorant. This is dangerous.

  233. avatar
    Marco Bianchi

    This is what it is supposed to be. Sadly “thanks” the ideology that has become dominant in the continent, Christianity is seen as something we must get rid of, while others, bringing in their culture and religion, are the most welcome and have the right to impose their costums on us and this is fine because this is “respecting the others’ culture and identity”!!
    Europe is commiting suicide by embracing this crazy politically correct policy that, on the one hand, humiliates our own identity and, on the other makes the foreign communities strong and makes them feel like they can do whatever they want and turn this continent into something else just to suit their own customs and traditions.
    There is this idea that by eliminating our own identity immigrants will integrate easily but this is a complete nonsense.

  234. avatar
    Chris Pavlides

    Church is the oldest political party on the continent. Doesn’t matter the segmentation :Orthodox or Pope. Bankers and their global concepts can not compete with their thousand years of deeply rooted dominance since its became key part of tradition & culture..

    • avatar
      MP

      Who will decide on it?

  235. avatar
    Thijs Voets

    Of course not, Christianity was imported from the Middle East. The only true European religion is the divine belief in Thor, Freyr, Poseidon and Baba Yaga. We lost that belief long ago. #makeeuropepaganagain

    *sarcasm intended*

  236. avatar
    Thijs Voets

    Of course not, Christianity was imported from the Middle East. The only true European religion is the divine belief in Thor, Freyr, Poseidon and Baba Yaga. We lost that belief long ago. #makeeuropepaganagain

    *sarcasm intended*

  237. avatar
    Sebastien Chopin

    Depends how you see it… obviously from a political point of view it has historically been Christian since the Romans stopped feeding them to the lions… From a literary point of view I can really only give you the French and British side of this… but Shakespeare as much as Moliere had clear Christian influences… and you probably wouldn’t understand half of their books if you don’t have a Christian culture…What do the Portuguese and Spanish have to say about Coelho and Cervantes or whoever they get off on? Finally when you go on holiday in Europe… and you like to visit things outside Greece and Italy (and even then)… most castles have some sort of Christian influence unless you’re in Seville or visiting the Alhambra…

  238. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, much of the old soviet union, large parts of the Balkans and large parts of the EU are Muslim so claiming ‘Europe’ is Christian is not only wrong it is ignorant of the facts.

    • avatar
      MP

      Large parts of Europe? Where do you want to draw the boundary of Europe? So who is ignorant?

  239. avatar
    Pedro Castro

    Most of europe, to the best of my knowlage and experience is secular but with cristian heritage.

    • avatar
      MP

      The mistake Europe makes is that it never claims that it is Christian continent. IT says Europe is SECULAR!. whereas, Middle East distinctly & unmistakably says it is an ISLAMIC COUNTRY! Period. Therefore, the secularism will be the downfall of Europe as far as ISLAM is concerned. Simply because ISLAM does not tolerate other religions wherever they are in Majority!

  240. avatar
    Michael Šimková

    These religions really are a mental disorder and an impediment to human progress. “Europe” is also Zeus, Neitszche and Marie Curie. Unless you want to turn Europe into a convent get off this reactionary religious discourse.

  241. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    Europe, its culture, its tradition is predominantly Christian, unless one wants to rewrite the facts. Ignoring the past or trying to pretend it was not so does not a lucid argument make.
    Now, should Europe be just Christian, and ignore all the poets, thinkers, philosophers, and other religious concepts that have shaped the quilt that is Europe today? Of course not.
    So let us move from a religious perspective on to a human perspective. Shall we?
    But let us not pretend the past did not happen!

  242. avatar
    nando

    Europe, its culture, its tradition is predominantly Christian, unless one wants to rewrite the facts…
    Ignoring the past or trying to pretend it was not so does not a lucid argument make.
    Now, should Europe be just Christian, and ignore all the poets, thinkers, philosophers, and other religious concepts that have shaped the quilt that is Europe today? Of course not.
    So let us move from a religious perspective on to a human perspective. Shall we?
    But let us not pretend the past did not happen!

  243. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODERATORS FOR BREACHING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. REPLIES MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

  244. avatar
    Stefania Portici

    ragazzi noi in Italia siamo in lutto nazionale per i terremoti, morti , città rase al suolo ! Di che religione è la UE ? Ce lo stiamo chiedendo ! . A Bruxelles qualcuno si interessa per i problemi del rischio sismico ? I nostri soldi li diamo alla UE , li vuole e li prende ma poi ci lascia morire cosi ?

  245. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    Europe is a continent where woman if raped do not have to bring 4 male witness to obtain justice so stop importing muslims and their barbarian culture

  246. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    Europe is a place where man can drink a beer after a football game and do not get lashed unconsciously about it so stop importing sharia enforcers

  247. avatar
    Hector Niehues-Jeuffroy

    There is no sensible answer to this question since Europe is not a country and Christianity can thus not be its state religion. Christianity is the most important religious influence on European culture, but it is not the only one. According to UN data, roughly 75% of Europe’s population (including Russia) identified as Christian.

    • avatar
      MP

      Whatever be its identity. But what i certainly don’t want is the Islamization of Europe. Muslims will have same comparable rights as non-muslims have in Islamic countries. This is the only way, we can define equality! Be it Islamic equality.

  248. avatar
    Georgi Krestanov

    Its the Christianity – who make Europe unit – but Merkel , Soros , Clinton and industrial capital for profits will destroy them

  249. avatar
    Dimitris Orfanoudis

    A christian Εurope must keep its identity and culture and history as it transformed through the centuries. Multicultural socities must be banned..

  250. avatar
    James Harris

    It has a Christian heritage, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a Christian continent, even if the majority of its population were themselves Christian. It is secular, and all the better for it; through reason and empathy there’s no reason to assume we wouldn’t have developed the same (or better) standards of morality and justice, in fact we may have developed them sooner.

  251. avatar
    Andrew J Chandler

    Europe’s heritage is also Muslim, in Spain and Hungary, even if you don’t include Byzantium/ Turkey, and Judaistic, across the entire continent.

    • avatar
      Printo K Mathew

      that’s only time because of invation..but they were not natives….and later we had retained the Christian lands……..that’s the dignity…………

    • avatar
      Andrew James Chandler

      The Moors and the Jews had lived in and around southern Europe and the Mediterranean for centuries and especially in Spain, where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together until the Habsburg inquisitions. Equally, northern Europe did not become predominantly Christian until the eleventh century. Previously it was largely controlled by pagan Scandinavians and north Germanic peoples. Charlemagne’s ‘Christendom’ was the stuff of later myths and legends.

  252. avatar
    Eduardo Galhardo Campos

    Yes We are Christians!
    Sadly leftist maedia never mentions that we have DEEP roots:
    Just one GOD (Juish contribution); DEMOCRACY, BEAUTY/UTILITY and SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT (Greek contributions);
    ROMAN LAW and COMMUNICATIONS/EMPIRE idea (Roman contributions);
    The CROSS and the BIBLE (The Book) of a Christian GOD spread through all the Peoples in Europe.
    And our Ships from the RIMLAND (Portugal, Spain, Holland, England, etc) Armed with all these DEEP rooted PRINCIPLES sailed to India, the Americas, Africa and Australia. These were our Frontiers –
    I do hope the next FRONTIERS will be DEEP SPACE.

  253. avatar
    Belamie Versco

    Europe is a continent of freedom of choice, where people can choose to follow whichever religion they want, or leave it. As long as it doesn’t become a dictatorship for non-believers any religion is fine.

  254. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    Europe is still a place where women marry who they want and are not sold by their families like sheep and catles like in the Islamic… It is not so much about saving the human civilization from.Islam

  255. avatar
    Mariana Giozova

    Yes, Europe was christian, is christian and will be christian. But we should take christianity seriously. Most muslims read quran, pray to their allah, europeans should back to their real God.

  256. avatar
    René Aga

    The main religion is still christian. Also cultural: example the many cathedrals, monastries, abbeys (making unique beers, cheese, etc). Europe as a political entity is secular with freedom of religion, which is part of the Universal Human Rigths. And also religions as well as the atheists have to respect them.

  257. avatar
    Benno Hansen

    No.

    European gods include Zeus, Odin etc. Jesus is Middle Eastern.

    Modern European ideas are democracy, liberty, equality etc as developed since ancient Greece (technically), the French revolution etc.

  258. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    EUROPE MUST NOT BECOME ISLAMIC, just a small sample of what Europe will become under Islam https://youtu.be/YCfrhi7I178 … so if Europe is Christian or not it does not matter… it could be made only by hindu or atheist who respect the western civilization… thus not by muslims

  259. avatar
    Toti Iliev

    What was the religion in Europe 1500 – 2000 ago? Christianity was forced long time ago. Every tribe / nation had their own Gods and religion back then – Bulgaria, Greece, Northern Countries and so on

    • avatar
      Yasmine

      Toti, Christianity incorporates many of the pre-Christian religious elements present in Europe: the human god, the image of mother and child, many churches are built on pagan worship sites etc. Its novelty was to introduce love and sympathy for fellow humans regardless of their ethnic origin.

  260. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    The Denial of Reality on steroids continues : A couple at a German music festival have been attacked by a knifeman who witnesses claim was heard shouting “Allahu Akbar”.

    A 66-year-old woman, believed to be the other victim’s wife, is said to be fighting for her life.

    The other victim – a 57-year-old man – is seriously injured however he still managed to overpower the man who was then arrested by police officers in Oberhausen.

    The attack took place just after 7pm on Saturday evening.

    Police officers say the suspect is a 26-year-old from Duisburg, Germany.http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/germany-stabbing-knifeman-shouts-allahu-8722043#ICID=sharebar_twitter Should the EU become more of a Islamic Continent ?

  261. avatar
    Luchian Mdm

    The Denial of Reality on steroids continues : A couple at a German music festival have been attacked by a knifeman who witnesses claim was heard shouting “Allahu Akbar”.

    A 66-year-old woman, believed to be the other victim’s wife, is said to be fighting for her life.

    The other victim – a 57-year-old man – is seriously injured however he still managed to overpower the man who was then arrested by police officers in Oberhausen.

    The attack took place just after 7pm on Saturday evening.

    Police officers say the suspect is a 26-year-old from Duisburg, Germany.http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/germany-stabbing-knifeman-shouts-allahu-8722043#ICID=sharebar_twitter Should the EU become more of a Islamic Continent ?

  262. avatar
    Roger

    It’s not really a continent, but aside from that it’s only historically shaped by Christianity. To call it ‘Christian’ now is misleading. Some countries in Europe are overwhelmingly non-religious, or lapsed religious. Active Christianity is not in evidence in such places.

  263. avatar
    Ben Yedder

    I totally agree that we call Europe is embedded in Christianity. Christmas, Easter and other public holidays evolve around a Christian calendar for the obvious while deep own thougts and art are influenced by Christian ethics, be negatively or positively.

  264. avatar
    Ben Yedder

    I am not a native of Europe nor a Christian but as an outsider I perceive Europe as basically and culturally Christian.
    Turkey has been trying to force the gates of Europe but it is still denied and quite strongly – under the leadership of Sarkozy – access to the club under the pretext of its human records but really because of religious tradition.

  265. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    Our beloved brothers and sisters, who argues against Christianity and its contributions to the world….I strongly recommend that, they must visit the non Christian cultured nations and societies in the world they must live the life there for a long period. so, that could help them to realise the reality. and the exact source of civilization for this light full modern world. any way I don’t believe it has come from the sky directly. off course it has a source. even our aiethiest and other non belivers are going to the pub, night club with your boy friend and girlfriend and enjoying the liberty and the individual freedom only its bcz of the Chrstian lands…..no where else.even if you say india japan and china , s.korea all are have same styles BCZ ITS ADAPTED not culturely or naturaly evolved there. and will you get the same rejoice as you do in the home Christian land? why now a days lattin American coutries are becoming the more attractive places for entertainment..? its because of the christan positive vibe and culture. even the coutries like japan. s.korea, india etc adapted the europian law to their constitutions….that means indirectly christain laws means civilized laws that’s why even comparitivley they are developing and doing well even though they are not aware about it. if you have doubt take the muslim nations? how the laws there? how the life thre? leave the current economic status of economic few middle east coutries……only short lasting bcz of oil. why don’t you people go iran , afgan pakistan to talk about the individual freedom? and they are not acting aginst fanaticism ?why they are not dare to talk about and the human rights in the middle east muslim coutries? don’t you have nonreligious friends there?? why all these infedils are darely able to criticise Christianity without understanding its properly from a cloudy mind and lossed humane heart? yes they can do that that is only becz the Christians are civilised. its not bcz of their comments are true. see what happen to charley hebdo? did anything happened when they draw Christ in comic way? but what happened when they drawn mohammad? so dear ones even if we enjoy the brightful world now its only because of Christianity…..even if we are sinners we don’t need to ingnore this truth because to justify or satisfy our own crisis with our consciousness. so while we enjoying the fruit let us be aware that which tree giving it and lets preserve it for giving the fruit always. or you tell me brother and sister and make me understand what is the source of these civilised laws?(if u say Greek the Greek Philosophers were in connection with Christ on those days-check the history) who taught the world to be compassionate to the inmate and other fellow being? who taught to liberate the oppressed? who taught the charity? who brings the equality? who using the education as the best weapon to bring more light to the world apart from Christian missionaries? who made it accessible to everyone? who developed these form of educational system? who is standing always along with the marginalised and working for the upliftment of them? who is enabling the governments to do the best for people by giving the correct directives? who raises the voice for individual freedom and human rights and which countires,,,,,,,,afgan?iran? Pakistan? india? china? korea?? where ever a disaster, why only Christian nations are reaching there first no other newly rich Coutreis…why? why only Christians have this much wisdom, compassion, love , concern and more over action on these founded values. and all the European citizens life and personal values the Europeans nations laws and policies are strongly attached with these Christain Morales and values that is the only thing which makes Europe so attractive and beautiful…..that’s the only thing Europeans are lives like humans not like animals. so Europe is the light of the world, what make europe the light of the world is Christianity. always lets work with the route cause…..why the bomb blasting is more in france now a days? why the germanise crime rate is increasing now a days? hail for Poland and hungary let them leave in peace for ever with their living lord……why we are not hearing about a bomb blast in brazil or any other lattin American coutires? I think that’s bcz of the land of the little lambs and the great sheppered is guiding them from the top of big hill in rio. lets learm from it. may the south America will be the light of the world the Europe will be the dark continent due to the all these infedils aitheist and barbarian migrants…………..

  266. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    many of says that paganism in Europe before Christianity….then think about how was the Europe and its peoples life iin paganism …that’s the matter and how after christaianity…….see the differebnce and choose the best

  267. avatar
    Onabanke Onabamiro

    Europe is a Christian Continent and will always be. Bible prophecy says that it will be that Tree that will give covering to all manner of fowl- ie, other races and religions- as Jesus is very very accommodating but it is the potion of Jesus Christ as the Father gave it to him. Europe therefore is the “home of Christianity” and will always always be just as Mecca is home to Islam. Just as Christians can’t go to Mecca and change it to a Cathedral or Abbey, so can no one change “Christian Europe.”

  268. avatar
    MP

    I prophesie downfall of Europe due to false political correctness. Muslims will flourish under the cover of “Secularism” in Europe. On the other hand, non-christians will never be able to flourish in “Islamic Countries” simply because they openly say, “It is an Islamic country and the Islamic law & sharia shall prevail”. Therefore, with Secular idea, Europe is lost against the onslaught of Islam in Europe. Muslims will repsect the laws so long as they are in minority. As soon as they overtake the population then one can be dead sure that Islamic laws will be implemented. What happens to the “Secularists” who then are in minority? Do you honestly believe that you will enjoy the same rights which you use to have few generations back? It will be an Utopy! Think about it.

    • avatar
      Krzysztof

      99%. UE is now an intellectual garbadge; there are still Liabraries but who reads now? Only (dum) TVScreens rules. Universities, Churches, School teach childish correctness; few proofs: I cannot post a comment on both “right” and “left” Massmedia”.Why? If I expose the stupidity of “right” not knowing Biblical hermeneutics and “left” not knowing St.Aristotle, more: the IQ of Allah and Mohammed (in ex. sura 59:76 “no Muslim can touch holy Quran” when one can now v.easily use it for a fire in Florida and elswhere just to buy and read to learn its IQ BS (there Christian God is of the sect, Colloridians (3 gods: God/Allah, Jesus and Mary), Jesus did not die on a cross – one has a choice not to follow him or anyone but at least his 3 years and death are recorded in NT and pagan,Roman sources chasing even Jesus family in Nazareth in 90’s A.D afraid of another uprising. These EU massmedia against me: TAblet (UK), HuffPost (Allah IQ case),Zenith (VAtican, theIQ of Pope), CAtholic Agency in Poland, also right in UK and France (undermining the truth of Medjugorje to a PhD expert, in quite good: Le Demon: mythe or realite?). Build then an (Noah) Ark, a Tsunami will wipe them out esp.in Warsaw and Brussells: August 6, 2014 on my pilgrimidge to st.RAdegund,Ausstria, the tomb of blessedF.Jagegerstatter,anti-Hitler hero, from London on bicycle I was stoped at EU Headquarter and Museum because I wore a Chrisrtian Cross and a shirt with anti-Devill message: ” Solidarity” Exodus 3, 14 ( in Hebrew), 08.1980-08.12.1991: the UE brains couldnot hold it and …understand it and treat if as Propaganda! I have an official excuse of an Offical there on my e-mail as a proof

  269. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    yes. even in now days in Europe the administration is democratic. that means majority’s opinion must get respected. but whats hapening actually? the majority of europeans don’t want secularism in Europe( all the survey studies are reporting, even in france 80% doesn’t belive that secularism will work) also they don’t want Islamic culture or seed of islam in Europe, but the authorites are not concerned about the citizens will and they are just implementing blind policies very impulsively without taking a collective opinion. they are not prudent in their duty which the people have given to safeguard the nation and the citizens……how we can call this as a democratic ruling? what a contradictory is this? and people are not reacting too……so I think something is wrong in the europian democracy now days……there is a big gap between peoples and leaders…..so the Europe may become like some Asian democratic coutries after sometime. because in those land peoples doesn’t know that they have the power, they are giving the power to leaders to act according to the majorities wish and they do not know that the leaders are supposed to serve the citizens. and off course the leaders are thinking that they are the king and all citizens should serve them…….and leaders are buying vote by cash from individuals……so” the price of democracy is internal vigilance” so we have to re think and react if the democracy is not in the right maaner in our society. the democracy in constitution will not work unless the citizens are not becoming the executives of the democracy…….

  270. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    Those who are socially and politically sensitive, for them its so funny to think about the secularism and democracy in Europe and how can it work together!!!
    for example, France….studies are indicating based on the current birth rate in france after few decades the majority of french citizens will be muslims and the native French people become minority probably they will be Christians and few agnostics and aeithists. till that stage French might be secular in border line. after that imagine…..a democratic election(probably the last democratic election in French history) all muslims are voting to their party…..muslim party will come in rule…democratically…..and then the majorities opinion may to implement sharia law…..offcourse the govt may claim or answer to hungary or to poland that time we are implementing the majorities wish….yes then sharia law will be implemented democratically!!!……….then you know what is sharia?? right?? then democratically they will remove secularism…….democratically the official religion will be islam…….democratically the womens must wear head scarf…..in the public just like in Saudi now…….democratically non muslin people are not allowed to practice any non Islamic faith in public ……may be home churches might be allowed lets hope for that……democratically the pubs and nightclubs might be closed…..the native french may not be eat pork and drink wine and bear toooo…….democratically no more public romance and love…..that might be criminal offence…..democratically all churches and public squares will fill with the half moon sympols…istead of christain and europian arts…..the French missionaries may left with two choice either convert to islam or to get beheaded and the nuns may left with two choices too either marry a muslim man or convert to islam. So gradually and immediatly a big transformation has done like the guest become the host and the host become the refugee not even a guest !!! ……wow oh god so nice it will be. I am only feel concerned that ….will all our agnostic and aiethist brothers and sisters will enjoy the same rights and freedom of expression in that days???…………in the same way how they criticised Christianity and argued Europe is not Christian!!!!? may be I think on that dyas they can claim Europe is not Christian then offcourse we can agree and support them too……if they say that with this same enthusiasm……!!!

  271. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    and few europian leaders are claiming that they support migrants for the economical reason and to get more human resources to labour. that’s true the economy needs to flourish and it should sustain…..but why they want to recruit only and more from middle east muslim countires….??? when we have lots off qualified and skilled workers in india, philipines and in lattin American coutires ,those who are ready to move abroad for work. why the europian leaders or firms are not recruting from this nations and cultures wchich will not harm and threaten the europian socitey and ciulture and the integration will be more easy and fast……so concept of secular society may work well too…..since all are believes in common accepted individual and social principle…….and they have proven in their nations that they are secular and they respect all and everybody will live with their indivial freedom. so we can be very dare when we recruit from those nations……which has already proven their soceity and culture and religion and nations are not threat to world and others. so without any risk we can recruit them for work……bcz all individuals inner values minght be same……….for instance…..currenly in Europe all the reported crimes from the migrants side is only from the muslim migrants……not even a single crime doest reported from a non mulsim refugee or migrant, why?? since there are lots of Christian and Kurdish migrants and refugees. or anybody can show anywhere in the world a muslim majority nation is running secularism in well manner, with their genuine intention not because of the western influence and force……….???

  272. avatar
    Printo K Mathew

    Europe was compassionate and humanitarian all the time and it is and it will be.
    now the only problem in this refugee and migration crisis the strategy and policy of approach is not healthy. we have to work with the route cause of the problem if we need the right solution. why only in the middle east coutires the political unrest is more and all the time? what is the reason? I don’t think it is because of they are lacking wealth or material standards. economically the poorest countries are being in peace even though they are fighting with poverty, illiteracy etc but no political and non ending unrest like in middle east nations…..why? then what is the route cause of the problem? lots of scientists and researchers are there in the world why nobody is looking into this phenomena with a research mind???? since all are very keen to find solutions for different problems in the world. why all the Christian, buddist, hindu and jew nations are in peace even though they have lot of other domestic adversities.??? why only our middle east brothers and sisters are suffering like this for centuries??? what the problem? what the reason for that problem?? for example, whenever individuals are in difficulty normaly all of we are in a low mood and will become mentally very soft with others and ourself……!! our all little pride and all will go away and we will become little more humble. but if we observe the refugees those who are trying to stresspass the borders……how is their mentality even in their this difficult time? why they are getting aggressive with the expected hosts in borders?? if we were in their position will we do the same thing while we seek help from others?? its very clear its not because of the frustrations……if we keenly observe they don’t even have a change in the facial expression from their innate nature……just imagine there was a political unrest in south America and the refugees are starts coming to Europe a plenty….what might be the europeans approach and response? there might be a unity in response, possibly everyone will say yes we have to help them…..why? probably Europeans don’t want to fear about anything because of the south americans migrants as we have it now towards the middle east people why?? so the problem is not the willingness to help, the problem is to whom we are helping and how we are helping and what will be the consequnces and is it the right way of helping???? it is the matter of strategies in our unconditional help…….the same medicine may not work for all the deceases…..so something needs to change basically from individuals side that may need some homework too to change something from the heart and mind……which others cant intervene, bcz its the individual freedom has given by god. so we can make anyone aware about anything but needs to change or not depends on them…..but what kind of people we need to join in our society is deciding by ourself only …..not by others. and when lot of people are saying that we all the humans are same, we have to say very specifically and clearly that biologically in terms of hands , legs, blood color. cells in blood ,hair colour etc in all these we all humans may same but not in terms of what values and morals individuals are bearing with them , their thinking patterns , behaviour, attitude, mentality, perception and understanding about the world and life etc will be very different so we cant say that we all are same. so we have to check based on what factors we are being united and what kind of people may able to integrate with us. as we aware about that the all problems’ reason is lack of sense or knowledge….and based on this awareness if we want to try to change others through awareness creation and help them unconditionally……..we can do that….but imagine after all our this attempt if they are not ready to change willingly after knowing everything, like which is good and which is bad. just because of evil attitude and ego, then what we can do with them?? so in this case exclusion may work……….so let them realise and resolve their own problem and the reason we have done our part…………..rest of the thing god may do. but if we are not being sensitive in all these matters and we are blindly doing some blunder or supporting few non prudent policies…….we are indirectly taking part in the fall down process of our well civilised system and nations and continent, which is made by our forefathers by several centuries through the brave heart fighting and hard work for the justice and peace in more humanitarian way………so we must not be the thank less to them. the maximum reward and salute which we can give to the (those who developed this from society for us live in dignity and freedom) only by being prudent in our individual and social actions..in the matter ….which will affect our civilised society.

    • avatar
      Jean-Pierre Rosa

      I would hardly say so, as most people are non-practicing. I’d say Portugal along with the rest of Europe is secular, traditionally catholic.

    • avatar
      João Pedro Alves

      greek and russian orthodox church, luthreran in germany angilcan in UK

    • avatar
      Nadia Dereguardati

      ???? poor soul! you are totally ignorant about the past!

    • avatar
      Miro Šarić

      And you are totally living in it, history is a good teacher, bad advisor

    • avatar
      Miro Šarić

      Pff, any further details about it? Like evidence or something, or you are just one of those modern agnostic haters?

    • avatar
      Jean-Pierre Rosa

      “Always be” ? You seem confused or out of touch.

    • avatar
      Miro Šarić

      you seem ti be denaing the obvius

  273. avatar
    Bronco Petrović

    Yes! Even though im agnostic we are built on Christian values & culture. Thats why muslims wont fit in

    • avatar
      Nadia Dereguardati

      it was IMPOSED BY MENACES, BY THREATENING PEOPLE, BY KILLING AND ABUSES!! IT IS WRONG TO LINK THE WHOLE CONTINENT TO A DEMONSTRATED “REAL DECEPTION”!

    • avatar
      Barbara Szela Lesniak

      Nadia Dereguardati Why are you shouting? You’re not very tolerant of opposing views, are you?

    • avatar
      Jean-Pierre Rosa

      Both religions are built on the same principles and extremely similar. Be quiet.

    • avatar
      Imre Bártfai

      That is an extremely vague statement.

  274. avatar
    Nadia Dereguardati

    what are you trying to do??? it’s the wordt mistake to do by linking a Whole area to a wrong yheological already demonstrated to be the most … “DECEPTION”! i DISAGREE TO FOUND A WHOLE CONTINENT OVER A REAL DEMONSTRATED “DECEPTION”! … before putting publically such declarations, study first! the history of this continent…!!!

  275. avatar
    Pan Sol

    Human rights and democratic values are first , religion last, so no matter which religion or god believe a person who respect democracy

    • avatar
      Barbara Szela Lesniak

      OK – does it mean Islam values are the exception? In general, Muslims don’t respect the values you’ve mentioned – and I don’t mean what the Koran says.

    • avatar
      Pan Sol

      Muslims are ok, but the fanatic islamist no, i can live with all kind of people of all religions, but not with someone who believe that if he kill me he goes to paradise

    • avatar
      Jean-Pierre Rosa

      Barbara Szela Lesniak in “general” they do. You seems confused or just ignorant.

    • avatar
      Pan Sol

      why Rosa, i know many muslims are ok normal people whom i trust completly, same time i know many christians i don’t trust even my sheet

    • avatar
      Pan Sol

      is a wrong discussion here about religions

  276. avatar
    John Keogh

    Would it be better to ask if Europe is a religious continent? Religion plays an important part in identity.
    It has occurred to me that the influx of Muslims into Europe may be kick starting a revival in Christianity or at least in spirituality.
    Because most Muslims are quite devout and practice their religion on an everyday basis, Christians seem to be becoming aware of how much they themselves do NOT practice theirs.
    Ironic, no?

  277. avatar
    Nadia Dereguardati

    and even the picture .. demonstrates how IGNORANT you are about “Mary”!!! .. it was an obliged choice of the papacy for erase the memory of the far more ancient devotion to “ISIS” !!! please, please, please !!! study before writing such questions!!

  278. avatar
    Karlo Definis

    Guy’s we’ve been over this one, continents do not have religious preferences. It’s like asking a car if it’s diabetic… Hint: Try asking about the driver.

    • avatar
      Miro Šarić

      Maybe.. But there is statistics, and people like to mingle it everywhere, politicans especially

  279. avatar
    Jason Picci

    It is officially, but in reality there is a Gesuit, Khazarian and crypto-Islamic alliance to keep Europe (and the World) in a state of perpetual division (and war).

  280. avatar
    Marko Martinović

    I m not Christian, but most of west was built on Christianity influenced by Ancient Greek phylosophy. So yes

  281. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NOOOOO !!! I tell you the truth what I know about religion . I went to the gymnasium in Croatia , Zagreb and I could find out that over 90% of students do not like church , church is just old village to them . I spend some time in Germany and I could find out that Germans are just religious like people in Zagreb , maybe less than that . I went to University in Stockholm and Oslo and I could find out that only Muslims are religious and others keep it just like tradition, I spend one year in France and I could find out that great majority of French hate religion . I spend one Year in Australia and I could find they are the same . I meet many Americans and they told me they do not care for church . The only people care about Religion are Muslims and few percentage Christians fighting for power and money using religion , they created spider and they have good life with Good . The US is the atheist country : A study from LifeWay Research, a part of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the world’s largest providers of Christian products and services, reveals that as many as 66 percent of young adults stop attending church regularly between the ages of 18 and 22. Some youth leaders’ predictions are even higher, putting the estimate at 65 to 94 percent.
    http://collegian.tccd.edu/?p=10454

    • avatar
      Αλέξανδρος Γεροφώτης

      Wow you are trying hard…you need to differentiate religion,church and morals that stem from them, not just rely on what your schoolmates told you….

    • avatar
      Krzysztof

      Well, the prediction of Apocalipse 21:22 has been finally fulfilling! To add G.CAntor,B.Russell, esp.K.Godel and A.TArski discoveries on “proof and truth” we have a situation people know or not the God directly; an (holy) institution and liturgy is for vain. An exciting apocaliptic time; sure at Chrtistmas party one meets devils who do not know science, philosophy and Bible then a confrontation is not avoidable and a sword must be used as a fianal argument against the idiots

  282. avatar
    David Wiktor

    No, because continents don’t have religious preferences. Continents are secular.

  283. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    THE BIGGEST BLUFF IN HUMAN HISTORY IS THIS : Number of no religious people . Number atheists and no religious people is not 1 billion it is over 3 billion . Just one example China , Japan and Korea have more atheists than they are Muslims on the Earth but for some reason you can’t find it in statistics . Next Religion in Germany : More than 38% of the population is not affiliated with any church or belongs to some other religious body. The same is for the rest of the EU . UK : Whilst a majority of citizens identify as Christians, when asked “Are you religious?” in the National Census 2011; 29 per cent responded Yes vs 65 per cent No, 6 per cent did not know. US : Over the same period, the percentage of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated – describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – has jumped more than six points, from 16.1% to 22.8%. http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/
    http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/files/im/b2wAQ1W.png

    • avatar
      Tancrède Montagne

      Nowadays it s more a matter of a cultural affiliation than belief

  284. avatar
    Miguel Queiroz Martinho

    I try not to glue beliefs with geography, I rather that anyone belives whather they want in anywhere places they like, really. the problem is that humans mostly belive that the 2 things are glued… generating conflicts for no good reason.

  285. avatar
    Arnoud Heeres

    Christianity is not a unified Religion. Never was, never will be. Anyway, the laws of the different countries have been far more influenced by Roman Law than Canonical Law. And Roman Law became secular already as of 500 BC.

  286. avatar
    Wendy Harris

    I would say that more Muslims actively practice their faith in Europe than Christians practice theirs.

  287. avatar
    Franck Néo Legon

    Europe is a nordic, celtic, and greek-roman continent . We have our own beliefs and wisdom, we don’t need no arabian-oriental monothéism weaken and dominate our peoples to a few’s profit.

  288. avatar
    Gabi Ionita

    Why don’t muslims accept religious diversity in their countries? Why should we accept their sharia law ?

  289. avatar
    Ray de Bono

    Europe is not a ‘ready-job’, and that is only normal. While most EU citizens can trace their origins to a Judaeo-Christian cultures, it is clear that traditions have moulded the politics and boundaries that we know today. While learning to pick and choose the best attributes of religious philosophies, we have also developed a strong secular consciousness that has helped Europe thrive and expand. The secular line of thought is a healthy one, an open minded way to look at life. Look at what has been achieved these last 100 years: Women’s rights, Gays rights, freedom of expression, freedom of movement within the EU, higher standards of living, etc. There’s a lot to be thankful for. The dear old continent has been kind to us all. However, we have reached a delicate stage in Europe’s socio-political growth; we must not allow that extremism obstructs our advancement or worst still, that it turns the clock back.

  290. avatar
    Faddi Zsolt

    In the future there will be one global attitude towards God: It is existing, but has nothing to do with islam, Christianity or other religions.

  291. avatar
    Julia Hadjikyriacou

    Better to focus on a common set of ethics and fundamental human rights in Europe and anyone who doesn’t adhere to those doesn’t belong. For example Turkey. It is not just temporary Erdogan who is the problem when Turkish citizens beat up and kill transgenders. The majority people of the whole country does not belong in the EU as freedom of choice is not an option, and people are punished for it or are killed.

  292. avatar
    Alex

    Uuuhhmm i know it is semantics but it is more correct to say that Europe comes from the ancient greek word Europe (from the relevant mythos with Zeus) instead of the subsequent latin form Europa….Debating europe=ok but at least respect the past and order of history….

  293. avatar
    Manuel Alegria

    Christianity is an European invention, but Europe nor any part of the WORLD should be named after a religion, (any religion)…

    • avatar
      Alpay Ala

      Well then Jesus was from Brussels right not Jerusalem ? 😂😂😂😂

  294. avatar
    Charles Buhagiar

    What a silly question! Apparently you forgot why our forefathers fought, risked and lost their life even for you, the establishment in Brussels.

  295. avatar
    Vincent Lia

    I thought most of Europe was united and called Roman Empire and after that The holy Roman Empire.

  296. avatar
    Jorge A Lopes

    Yes! In its roots. W/o christianity Europe wild never reach the civilizational level it reached. Look at Africa or Middle East…

  297. avatar
    João Cruz

    If there is such a thing as a European civilization, which is doubtful, one could say that “Europe” can be defined by a multitude of cultural sources, Christianity being one of the most important, no doubt. So are the Roman&Greek classical traditions, Islam in some regions, Judaism, the Enlightenment, Romanticism, Marxism, Liberalism or the secular revolutions of the 19th and 20th century, etc., we stand on the shoulders of many giants. Europe is therefore not «a Christian continent», that’s too simplistic bordering the nonsense, it’s a set of nations with diverse historical identities and with a common democratic and secular mindset.

  298. avatar
    r

    Traitors are selling our christian heritage

  299. avatar
    Adriana Lung

    Salut ! Acuma după ce Parlamentul european a avut nesimțirea și tupeul ca să disloce populații musulmane din spațiul lor existențial și să-i împingă cu forța în Europa , se mai pune această problemă ? Toții autorii acestui exod controlat de musulmani peste CREȘTINI , ar trebui trimiși în fața TRIBUNALUILUI DE LA HAGA !

  300. avatar
    printo k mathew

    COULD ANYBODY PLS EXPLAIN WHAT WE WILL DO WHEN ISLAM DOMINATE THE EUROPE????SHOUL WE CONVERT INTO ISLAM OR SHOULD WE GET BEHEADED?

  301. avatar
    printo k mathew

    Those who are socially and politically sensitive, for them its so funny to think about the secularism and democracy in Europe and how can it work together!!!
    for example, France….studies are indicating based on the current birth rate in france after few decades the majority of french citizens will be muslims and the native French people become minority probably they will be Christians and few agnostics and aeithists. till that stage French might be secular in border line. after that imagine…..a democratic election(probably the last democratic election in French history) all muslims are voting to their party…..muslim party will come in rule…democratically…..and then the majorities opinion may to implement sharia law…..offcourse the govt may claim or answer to hungary or to poland that time, that we are implementing the majorities wish….yes then sharia law will be implemented democratically!!!……….then you know what is sharia?? right?? then democratically they will remove secularism…….democratically the official religion will be islam…….democratically the womens must wear head scarf…..in the public just like in Saudi now…….democratically non muslim people are not allowed to practice any non Islamic faith in public ……may be home churches might be allowed lets hope for that……democratically the pubs and nightclubs might be closed…..the native french may not be eat pork and drink wine and bear toooo…….democratically no more public romance and love…..that might be criminal offence…..democratically all churches and public squares will fill with the half moon sympols…istead of christain and europian arts…..the French missionaries may left with two choice either convert to islam or to get beheaded and the nuns may left with two choices too either marry a muslim man or convert to islam. So gradually and immediatly a big transformation has done like the guest become the host and the host become the refugee not even a guest !!! ……wow oh god so nice it will be. I am only feel concerned that ….will all our agnostic and aiethist brothers and sisters will they enjoy the same rights and freedom of expression in that days???…………in the same way how they criticising Christianity and argued Europe is not Christian!!!!? and will be they able to confront with the Islamic authorities to separate the religion and state un a civilised way without a riot?? ahhhh we all know the generosity and civilisation of muslim leaders, so we can hope something better like a secular state under sharia law !!! but one thing you must be a muslim if u want to enjoy this secularism !!!………one thing is sure with islam secularism will not work in the world…..except islam with all other faith and religions…the secularism ….it is a beautiful concept.

  302. avatar
    Любомир Иванчев

    Europe today is a secular continent. Modern European culture is a mix of different rich, ancient traditions, both christian and pre-christian. It is very simplistic to view it only as christian or non-christian.

    • avatar
      Bahar Mi

      coudenhove-kalergi ❤️

  303. avatar
    Andrea R

    Many countries in Europe have defined themselves in the history denying power to the Roman Church (UK, France, Italy), or creating a place where many creeds can live together (Netherlands). Even though the majority of europeans are christians, a considerable part of our european history it also comes from a secularistic sentiment, a tension to reach a neutral place in order to not be dictated by every guy that says that he’s the voice of God.

    We have seen in our history terrible religious wars and from that we’ve come a long way, learning that Religion should be a private part of everyone, never getting to influence your political opinion or your social position. Europe has become, with time, a place of diversity, where all the different religions are welcomed.

    The democratic values that someone calls “christian values” are nothing but human values, common to other confessions, such as the buddhism or the Shinto. We have crossed the line where everyone calls something with the name of his own religion, and we call these supreme values with their own name, because these values are the core of humanity and we must keep them this way!

    Let’s keep Europe a place for everyone!

    • avatar
      printo k mathew

      could you please explain the source of humanitic values?/ hope u wont say it is from islam!!!

  304. avatar
    Emilio Cosentino

    4 Things made Europe: Roman law, Greek philosophy, Christian soul and illuministic scientific thought.

  305. avatar
    printo k mathew

    @ emilio
    you are exactly correct………

  306. avatar
    Sento Pop

    It is definitely a lot better to be Christian than LGBT for exemple. EU should prioritise majorities problems, not minorities first, ignorind the rights of the majority. Refugees and the poor should have priority as well, but they should obey the rules and respect the religions of the countries they are adopted by. They should not be allowed to do protests in the name of their religion.

    • avatar
      Carmine Tobiello

      You have lost your mind! I think you should go back to primary school cos clearly you have learnt nothing.

  307. avatar
    Mika Ainasoja

    😶 Of course not, we have freedom of religion, if you are not aware of it! 😮 Or do you really think all those nonchristian Europeans wanted forced conversion? 😂

  308. avatar
    Sento Pop

    EU should be concerned about the working class, about protecting their rights, about the minimum wage to be implemented in eastern countries as well. Protecting multinational companies and corporations which offer the minimum possible pay instead of increasing the minimum wages is a big mistake, which could result in more countries to wish exit from EU. Labour law is not enforced as it should be, in most of countries , especially in eastern countries. Those people are not happy about the overtime pay not being implemented or not enforced.

  309. avatar
    Serge-Arno Klumper

    It is not Christianity which best characterises Europe it’s enlightenment and the role of law. We are no longer a théocentric society but one where the human being is central. That together with rationality is what makes Europe so special in the world.

  310. avatar
    Τζινα Πολεμαρχακη

    Religion does not defines a nation ,only it’s history . Christianity has play a major if not key role to the European History and to the European way of Thinking. Paganism as well .

  311. avatar
    Ivana zubovic

    It is And will be cos it’s enrooted deeply and it’s a factum. One exmaple- in secular France the state is financing the Norte Dame church in Paris.

  312. avatar
    Bódis Kata

    Europe is a secular continent with a culture deeply rooted in Christianity and with a modern liberal society (not in the political sense). This liberalism had developed from humanism > reformation > Christianity.
    Christianity has provided the fundamentals of European values, we need to cherish this and take care of it.

    • avatar
      Charles Vee

      …and it is Christianity that helps in being Secular. Because Christianity is a free religion. We don’t stone people for not attending to church on Sunday!

    • avatar
      Faddi Zsolt

      Hülyesègeket beszèlsz. A kèrdès arra vonatkozik, hogy keresztèny marad-e Euròpa, vagy esetleg eliszlàmosodik?

  313. avatar
    Mariana Giozova

    It is christian, but Europe should back to Christ as Lord. If someone do not like it lets go somewhere else.

    • avatar
      Iván Marsh Whateley

      you should go back to the middel ages or go to a teocratic country like… saudi arabia, or Irán 1979, afgahnistan with the talibans, or Daesh or babilonia 3000 bc… hehehehehehehehe YOU should go out if you dont like it.

  314. avatar
    Christina Kler

    Before you ask a question or right an article I suggest you learn history first and then we can talk …

  315. avatar
    Ellada Ioannou

    The question really is, ” would Europe be Europe if it was not?” would the values of Europe, such as respect for all human rights, respect and equality for women, children, gays, right to property, free speech, tolerance, freedom of persecution, etc., have been the same? It’s not a matter of discriminating against other religions but acknowledging that yes, Christianity has enabled the development of the fundamental European values.

    • avatar
      Andy Sanders

      actually no humanism has done so despite the efforts of the church to stop them. When the Cathars developed a non violent, non hierarchical form of Christianity the Church teamed up with the French nobility to have them exterminated and in exchange the nobles could keep all the plunder (minus a commission for the church). Free speech was most certainly never promoted by the Church and by no secular leader either originally

    • avatar
      Ellada Ioannou

      I agree to an extent with you but we have to differentiate between the church and Christianity. There is a major difference. A Christian believing in the values of Christianity does not necessarily mean that he is loyal to the Church which is controlled by people. I am talking about the values of Christianity not the policies promoted by the church as they saw fit to their interests.

    • avatar
      Philip Sabev

      The Church and Christian Values are an essential part of each other, you cannot have one thing while the other is completely absent.

  316. avatar
    George Ferentinos

    Europe end specifically the northwestern part of it is getting more and more Nihilistic and is moving away from the greekroman humanistic and Christian values!!!!materialism, consumerism and a sick egoism prevail!!!

    • avatar
      Iván Marsh Whateley

      christian values or more specific, christians followers are also greedy, consumerists, egoist…. just take a look at Vatican and all the luxury homes of bishops. most of them more business men and state worers than helpers of the poor. greed is something in all humanity and been christian does not wash it away just by going to the church and pray to god.

  317. avatar
    Joao Antonio Camoes

    Leading religion in Europe is rapidly changing. All studies shows us that Christhianity is still. In 25 years from now it will be the 2nd.

  318. avatar
    Velk Velkov

    Our focus should be having secular countries but yeah we do have mostly Christian traditions

  319. avatar
    Satsuma Angel

    If they ever were this is over.judging by the wave of hate and destruction they have let loose over the earth. European politics has destroyed Iraq… Europeans are bombing Aleppo… Europeans let hundred thousand ‘ migrants’ drown who have either fled European financed wars or European caused draughts and economic exploitation…

    • avatar
      rich

      They call themselves a christian nation that do not fallow the teaching of Christ.Titus 1:16 states:
      Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
      (16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him.—These bitter foes to the truth, Titus must remember, will present themselves under the guise of friends. They will rank themselves in the Christian company openly, with their lips confessing God, but in their way of life, in their acts, practically denying the very things they were so careful to affirm with their lips; in other words, taking back, withdrawing, the solemn declaration of faith they had been making.

  320. avatar
    Raffaello Bertini

    One thing: which branch of christianity? Based on which bible (you know there are different collections and different translation too) no worst thing will happen to be in a theocracy. It is probably a lie to shape masses. I think we should move on.

  321. avatar
    Charles Vee

    What a dumb question!!! It is our identity as a continent and also our culture. Why should one debate this?? Because being what it has been for the past hundreds of years since the fall of the Roman empire politically incorrect?? Because of the Muslims who decided that the grass is greener on this side and decided to come here?? Most of them illegally!!!! Please.. i’be had enough liberal talk bs! Spare me!

  322. avatar
    Paulo Especial

    No it isn’t.

    Our values derive from the Hellenic/Roman ones, not from the Christian version/adaptation of these ones.

    Besides, Europe was already Europe before the importation of that non European religion.

    And don’t forget that Europe comprise a multitude of beliefs and peoples besides Christians and these aren’t less Europeans for that.

  323. avatar
    Maria Clesiu

    Again this question?You will repeat it every month?! Some very ambiguous questions here on this site…
    Go on, you can insist, but be sure we won’t forget our cultural roots and 2500 years of history

  324. avatar
    Alvaro Loureiro

    Religion is such a righteous way to just ..hate other People…
    That’s quite disturbing and terribly sad.
    Grow up
    All that hatred can’t be healthy

  325. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    Even if people are less and less believers….our culture ,laws, behaviours are based on christianity

    • avatar
      Marc Hernández Capeta

      I quite clearly remember something called French revolution ended with our laws being based on religious principles. We may have quite an heritage coming from Christianism, but nowadays it’s only as christian as many christians there are and as christian as that people want to be by themselves. No more, no less.

    • avatar
      rich

      That is debatable since so called Christianity in Europe (part of the great Asian continent) does not conform to the teaching Of Jesus Christ.

  326. avatar
    Mihai Petru Ceuca

    YES. And we should not give up celebrating Easter, Christmas, because some crazy politicians want the vote of minorities and lure them with stupid mesures of forbiding them. Go in UAE and ask them to give up burka, see where you’ll spend the next 20 years.

  327. avatar
    gggggxxxxx

    the debate here in illogic way only few mentioning the matter why and how…..others are living in their delusion or in a clouded false assumption…………

    CHRISTIAN VALUES ARE MAKING THE WORLD BETTER NOT MUSLIM ONE. AM I RIGHT?

  328. avatar
    Krzysztof

    To remind: on December 8,1991, Yeltcin(Russian REpublic),Yukraine, and Bialorus PM’s (the rest ofUSRR “republics”was afraid on illegal meeting and to be executed by ISecretary of Communist Party, the god-Gorbatchev) to…end legally DEvil Empire (R.Regan’s term).Dec.8-Immaculate Feast in RC like many events in history on the vigil or feast of Christ and Mary: just Malta’s end blocade in 1943 and counter attack of Allies, Warsaw 1929,August 15- stopping REd Army to conquer West (Intelligence maths’s decoded info allowed for a mortal strike by gen.Pilsudski)
    Do you see again an invisible hand:YHWH(Exodus 3,14) in work? On August 6,2014 UE Museum stopped meat etrance because of wearing a ChristainCross and ashirt with the sign of Solidarity (Solidarnosc) +in Hebrew Ex3,14as a …propaganda; I was on a perfect pilrimdge from St.Thomas Morus martys tomb in London to blessed FRantz Jaggerstatter(anti-Hitler, RC ressistant, beatified by JPII) tomb in St.Radegund,Austria
    I know it is too abstract (for EU graduates)just to learn on Cold WAr era and make a logical inference on the causes of Event(events) like May 13, 1981’s assassination on JPII.
    The debates on the physical causes of material world is a tiny staff of Bible though important: a rational being seeks an absolute truth on anything. It seems UE Akademia follows agnostics and skeptics ridiculled perfectly already by St.Aristotle in 4 cent.BEfore Christ- the principles of logic are absolute(then divine)!. Do you read still ARistotle,s Metaphysics for example?

  329. avatar
    rich

    Europe is not a christian Nation because it practices a form of apostate Christianity that does not conform to the Teachings of Christ, thus it fallows and practices colonialism and racism not different from Islam that does the same.

    • avatar
      Christiaan de Vries

      A secular continent can still be a culturally christian continent.

    • avatar
      JD Blaha

      Christiaan de Vries nope.

    • avatar
      Georgi Krestanov

      JD Blaha – all non christians – out from Europe

    • avatar
      Mertkan Koca

      JD Blaha Yes. For example, here in Belgium, most of the Europeans I know are irreligious people who mock Jesus, but still, they went home for celebrating Christmas (some of them were even looking forward to it), because it is a cultural thing.

    • avatar
      JD Blaha

      Christianity is a part of the history of europe and so is Islam and various pagan belief and so on.

  330. avatar
    Borislav Valkov

    1500 years ago it was a pagan continent. Change is not necessarily bad thing if it improves the life but religion change from one that accepts segregation the state from faith/religion to one that does not and has segregation tendencies for women and minorities is not a good call.

  331. avatar
    Imanuel d'Anjou

    Europe has been populated by modern humans for about 50.000 years, and only the last 1500-1000 years we got the idea that we are somehow intrinsically Christian. So no, I don’t see any reason to believe that Christianity should be part of an European identity.

    • avatar
      Ruairí Hallissey

      Its not about whether you think Christianity should be part European identity. The question is, is it? The answer is undoubtedly yes. There is a reason we know more about the Western and Northern Europeans of last 1500 yrs than those prior and thus ascribe more weight to them in our lineage. Its because it was only after those parts of Europe became Christianized that they began recording their history in Latin.

  332. avatar
    Ruairí Hallissey

    Its heritage is undeniably Christian. The entire written history of Europe is recorded in Latin. Until relatively recently, every educated man in Europe was either a churchman or thought by one. The artistic and literary heritage of Europe is massively indebted to Christianity. Everything from musical notation to the Renaissance or Gothic literature was either produced by or strongly influenced by the Church. Things like the Crusades or the crowning of Charlemange by the Pope are seminal events in Western History. Debates like this usually devolve into the social and political but the historic record is pretty clear on influence of Christianity on Europe.

    • avatar
      Georgia Sigala

      The entire European history is not written only in Latin. The ancient Greeks may have a bigger role to play here. Perhaps the west and North parts of Europe, but certainly not ALL of Europe. And that is true for the European Union too. And no, religion is the furthest from my mind when I affirm my European identity; common total history, good or bad, plays a bigger role for me.

    • avatar
      Ruairí Hallissey

      True, that’s primarily the region I was referring to. Interesting though that the differing identities of Western and Eastern Europe are themselves largely the result of a Christian division, the Great Schism. I’m not saying you shouldn’t include the totality of European history when accessing its identity, but it seems odd that religion would be furthest from your mind when doing that given the dominance of Christianity of large parts of European history.

    • avatar
      Ruairí Hallissey

      Georgia Sigala, also I couldn’t help but point out that your profile picture is based on Catholic iconography, perhaps showing the ways Christianity is seeped into our lives as Europeans whether we are religious or not.

  333. avatar
    Francesco Manetti

    If you consider just the period between that spans from the IV c.AD to the XVII c. I could say yes. Circa 1200 years of Christian dominance. However, Europe has a far longer history.

  334. avatar
    Gian Marco

    It is a continent inhabited by people no matter if they believe in god, goddess, gods, prophets, mickey mouse, pinocchio or other imaginary creatures from fairy tales

  335. avatar
    Ivica Tkalcec

    No ! .. It is secular and it should stay like that , religions were brought to Europe with sword and fire .

  336. avatar
    Roger Bylèhn

    Yes and no I would say,

    Yes Christianity has been the state religion in all countries of Europe one time or another but while our famous art and great literature is interwoven with Christian lore/teaching but that I would call was only the high culture, made and enjoyed by the educated elite of society.

    What the wast majority of the common man enjoyed I suspect was heavily influenced by old customs and practices.
    The songs they sung, the bedtime stories they told and the other little things that infiltrated their regular days underneath the Christian teaching and is still visible today.

    I’m from the Nordic countries and are a atheist but also a big fanboy to the viking age, now that gives me a big bias towards my own ancestors religion and traditional way (for example: they still told story’s of trolls and other old myths, used old heathen sites to worship and used runescript even in the beginning of 1900) but I don’t think I’m wrong in that it didn’t work like that all over Europe.

    If we now talk about if Europe is still a heavily Christian continent… well depends on if you separate North, South, West and East since there are a big difference dividing them.

    The most commonly explaining is: East and South is more religious, Central and North more secular and atheistic.

    We’re I live it’s almost a curse word to say you believe in something since the social rule is that you done talk about it, it’s seen as disrespectful and very, Very much a private thing.
    Which is why we have such problems with immigrants hos culture is deeply influenced by religion.

  337. avatar
    Radu Holenda

    My God’s name is Zamolxis. My ancestors, the Dacians, were believing in him and believed in imortality and that after death they continue live and reach the God Zamolxis. This was hapening about 1000 before Christ. Tell me now…should i be Christian or Zamolxian? 😂😂

  338. avatar
    Paulo Guerreiro

    It’s not about religion, is about culture and Respect for others. But back to the question. Not Anymore.

  339. avatar
    Jarosław Bratus

    Europa już od dawna przestaje być chrześcijańska przez sprowadzanie islamskich uchodźców jedynie jeszcze w Polsce jest z nimi spokój bo Polacy się nie dają na przekór polityce Merkel

  340. avatar
    Rosy Forlenza

    but it is also pagan continent too. but i agree it is fundamentally one influenced by judeo christian values which informs our sense of morality and there are certain similarities with the q’uran too regarding helping one’s neighbour and so on. we tend to forget that we are also informed by arabic science and medicine, the enlightenment (which we have almost smashed to pieces) but forget the old paganisms that are incorporatedd into the judeo christian traditions, from lighting candles and marking places of tragic death with flowers and so on, the green and environmental movements probably are a modern expression of a recognition that besides God or whoever, we must respect the life giving qualities of the planet.

  341. avatar
    Kianglek Tan

    Christian by heritage, secular by practice.

    Europe can’t be fit into a singular religious profile.

  342. avatar
    Mathis Gilsbach

    It is a continent formed by multicultural influences. Christianity played a major role in shaping many european cultures just as much as for example Greek and Roman philosophy and traditions. But also many pre-christian traditions (e.g. by the Celts or Germanic tribes) live on often under a Christian disguise such as Christmas trees. We even have a lot of Arabic and Persian influences from medieval times which still are present in our languages (most notably in Spanish, everyday ‘european’ words like sugar (azucar, Zucker) stem from Arabic) Other cultural traditions and artifacts (like porcellain and tea) came from China originally. Furthermore these influences mixed and formed new strains of thought and tradition, as e.g the development of secularism, the idea that church and state should be separated, the state neutral towards all religions and religions not concerned with shaping policies and decisions of the state. This idea is not fully put in place in all european societies but is nonetheless very influential until today. In that sense I’d argue that Europe is a continent with very multicultural root. Many people are Christian (in a tradition influenced by older, greek, latin, pagan thoughts), just as more and more people are Atheist or Agnostic and also there is an often overlooked influence from Judaic and Islamic thought from as early as medieval times. Europe has from early on been influenced by a diversity of sources, has changed and transformed constantly and will continue to do so. It won’t be taken over by someone but it will change and develop new ideas and traditions just as it has always done

    • avatar
      Kaled Al-frzai

      Said the guy that has an anarchy logo as a profile picture

  343. avatar
    Angel Mitkov

    Of course it is. If the politicians in Bruxel doesn’t make any effort to bring these people back homr after the war it will be a huge mistake! Bulgaria won’t tollerate the islamisation on its territory. Bulgarians have already suffered enough from the teeror of the ottomans.

  344. avatar
    John Marcogliese

    The Bible and the Greeks is Europe not are but both as a union which has defined Europe. European humanism has Christian roots .

    • avatar
      Luis García

      The Bible is jew. Not from Europa.

    • avatar
      John Marcogliese

      The point is the combination. It was transformed by Greek thought. H2O

  345. avatar
    Luis García

    Christian means catholic, it is clear….I hope is not necessary start again the war of 30 years against the heretics (protestans and similars) :)))))) really, what question is it? only in Europe the people has fightng against their own culture to reach the modernity and leave behind the obscurantism of his own traditions and religions. Have the muslims or others cultures done this too? The humility to get rid of his own religions and culture, is a european characterist. Others peoples in our world can handle a kalashnikov very well, like muslims in Kandahar, but the thinking system that allowed to invented it, is european…the process that allowed to come to invented….The chinese thinking needed the european influence to star building atomic missiles…if not, arabs and chineses would now be with their same age-old lifestyle…now, they are a threat for all of us, because the have not change his own thinking, but with kalashnikovs and aircrafts and atomic missiles. But the same primitiv way of thinking. Europe? the most hight educational people(theoretically), the germans, has created Auschwitz. Technology without humanity is horror. And this is a european, (especially from the barbarias of the north, germans and similars), strong characteristic.

  346. avatar
    Carmelo A. Costanza

    The role of Christianity has played an influential role in European history. Progressivism and secularism has played a dramatic effect on its role in society, yet Christianity is the most prevalent religion in Europe and has more of an indirect and moderate role in European society than in the past.

  347. avatar
    Kester Ratcliff

    No. A land mass can’t choose to belong to a religious tradition.

    But seriously why ask such a dog whistley question?

    The way you’ve phrased it, it can only get a straight answer from the populist far right.

    You can’t not have noticed that before you posted it. So why did you choose to do that?

  348. avatar
    kefa

    Europe was a predominantly christian continent.
    However,with the present love for ignorance young Europeans cherish,it got all potential to become burkha/hijab continent in a short period of time.

  349. avatar
    realeuropean

    It’s funny how people are afraid of becoming the victim of a middle eastern religion that has nothing in common with Europe.
    Serves these traitors right, Christianity destroyed our beautiful pagan heritage and everyone who celebrates this has no right to complain about Islamic culture and influence.
    Europe isn’t being destroyed, it was already destroyed the moment Boniface put his axe in the oak.

  350. avatar
    Timothy Sheffield

    unfortunately you have no common sense God created You & everything religion is man .True religion is to care for the helpless .what we see today is not the teachings of God but 1 person imagination sometimes forced on many with so many options to he’ll your right to think so foolish when no 1 does good. solution imitate Jesus Christ follow the ten commandments as much as possible. we are born into sin, man is rebellious explaining why you act the way you do and why so many other religions came after God spoke too many eye witnesses during the time of other eye witnesses not just one person making up stuff I love you and hope just like Christ 4 all of us to cast are idols and be saved

  351. avatar
    Timothy Sheffield

    not going off the Bible imitating Jesus but ,trusting in man’s corrupt interpretation leaves an open door for demonic imaginations in other false beliefs

  352. avatar
    Robert costanza

    Every educated man should read every religious philosophy and then follow the religion which seems true and scientific to them ,just by praying nothing will happen as in Christianity just by praying jesus every disease will be cured.then there should not be any hospital for patients instead churches should cure diseases by praying jesus.How superstitious is Christianity , Europeans should read vedanta

  353. avatar
    Gustav

    There are a lot of christians living here, but since the Enlightenment we also have a tradition of freedom of speech, freedom of religion. We believe in a diverse society.

  354. avatar
    Rumy

    Not anymore. The EU destroyed us.

    • avatar
      Pedro

      the pope has shown support for the EU on a few ocasions already… Wanna share your history of religious persecution?

  355. avatar
    Andrea

    roman, pagans, christian, enlightenment, a lot of traditions..with their ups and down… of all the traditions that make up the different countries and nations of europe (there is no “european tradition”+ i thought we surpassed theocracy and authoritarianism. But are coming back in the form or sharia laws, sharia police, sharia special tribunals, censorship and hate speech laws and more.
    The eu is pursuing a path toward authoritarianism and too many people are too deep into denial to notice.

    And the mere fact that everything i wrote before will be considered by many “hate speech”, “racism” or “bigotry” or the funniest “sovranist” is part of the problem.
    Unless the eu start to stem back from stealing people and nation’s power, public unrest in europe will only grow more and more

  356. avatar
    Sento

    Well, it was, anyway. Now, unfortunately, muslims and LGBT are trying to take over. Christianity is the largest religion in Europe. Christianity has been practiced in Europe since the first century, and a number of the Pauline Epistles were addressed to Christians living in Greece, as well as other parts of the Roman Empire.

    • avatar
      Serdar

      LGBT and Muslims may work together to undermine the Christian Western civilisation? What a great intellectualism!

  357. avatar
    Pedro

    Christian tradition but the pure religious sense is long gone and i’m glad it is

  358. avatar
    Christiaan

    assemble the fleet. The Christians are at it again!

  359. avatar
    Eggsy

    EU is work g hard to destroy his catholic roots

  360. avatar
    Chris

    Chrstianity is only for people, not for continents. Only a person can be welcome and baptized in the Holy Church. A continent cannot. Even if the continent has 1 billion residents and each and everyone of them is a devout Christian, the continent is just a continent. So Europe is a Christian-majority continent but not a Christian continent itself. There are other religions too. There are non-believers as well.

  361. avatar
    Rajesh

    a totally wrong question product of a devious mind .

  362. avatar
    Ivan

    Europe dont like Jesus thats the problem
    Delete, hide or report this

  363. avatar
    Damjan

    It was ruled by christian ideology for more than a thousand years. That sort of thing should never happen again. We are a secular democratic continent. No more dictatorship.

  364. avatar
    Riccardo

    Europe, not as a continent but as a cultural unit, is deeply shaped by Christianity… as much as it is by Enlightenment, Platonism, Rationalism and Empiricism, the so called “suspect-tradion” (extended from the ancient Greek sophists to Voltaire and Marx, Freud and Nietzsche). It has been deeply influenced by arab-muslim culture during the medieval time (both in philosophy, language and popular tradition), it has a lot of different “roots” (Greek, Latin, Germanic etc.) and at the same time is the place of creolism and cultural, ethnic and religious pluralism. Europe is at the same time the birthplace of democracy and the one of the most vicious imperialist cultures.
    Europe is a lot of things. Maybe too many things to be comprehended and embraced by one single person. That’s why we need people from all over the world to make Europe european.

  365. avatar
    Olivier

    Of course yes architecture culture democracy landscape are derivated from christianity

    • avatar
      Chris

      Democracy is from Ancient Greece. When Europe was ruled by Christianity, it was ruled by absolute monarchs.

    • avatar
      Olivier

      right. Was mornachy worse than multinational and finance dictatorship?

    • avatar
      Olivier

      I prefer to be ruled in the name of God than in the name of finance

    • avatar
      Chris

      Religion, monarchy and capitalism are inseparable ;)

    • avatar
      Manuel

      Maybe you do not know how much poverty is in a friar with vow of poverty…

    • avatar
      Riccardo

      While democracy is a greek thing, I’m pretty sure that the landscape is geographical matter ahah

    • avatar
      Riccardo

      @Chris
      I see what you did there. You read the right book my friend

  366. avatar
    Bódis

    Sure. Even atheists have lived according to the fundamental Christian values for centuries.

  367. avatar
    Enric

    Our roots are Christian but now, wih the new fashion about religion, ética and morals It,s dificult to say.

    • avatar
      Chris

      The roots of Europe are Greco-Roman.

    • avatar
      Manuel

      Classical Greek and Romans and Vikings were not European people :)
      Europe like one idea of community started after the fall of the Roman Empire.

    • avatar
      Chris

      Actually the idea of European communion was started after the atrocities of the European wars.

    • avatar
      Bódis

      You don’t have to follow every fashion.

  368. avatar
    Jurre

    NO! Labeling Europe a “Christian Continent” implies ownership of Europe to Christians and lays the basis for the ostracizing of non-Christians. While Christianity undoubtedly played a huge role in both European history and cultural values this way of labeling, while also being factually incorrect, is very dangerous and could easily be misused for a neo-lebensraum, I’d suppose if I were to label Europe as a “German Continent” a lot of people would be very angry.

  369. avatar
    Franck

    Odin, Thor, Zeus, Jupiter, Belenos, etc.

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