Britain must stop ignoring its child rape gang scandal 

Clifford Hill responds to the widespread sex attacks in Germany on New Year's Eve.

This was the headline news in Germany that has shaken the nation which has opened its borders to more than 1,000,000 migrants and refugees during the past year. It is particularly disturbing for the President Angela Merkel whose personal policy has been to provide an open door for those escaping the war in Syria and Iraq. She has been foremost among European leaders in expressing compassion, both in deeds and in words, for the victims of the violence and atrocities causing so much suffering in the Middle East.

The reports from a number of German cities show that similar incidents occurred to those in Cologne where it is reported on the BBC News website that "around 1000 young men arrived in large groups, seemingly with the specific intention of carrying out attacks on women."¹ More than 100 women have reported being subjected to sexual harassment and have complained that the police deployed outside the Central Station to control the New Year crowds did not come to their aid.

Organised Harassment

Newspaper reports say that the police were overwhelmed by the crowds of aggressive young men, many of whom were intoxicated, who surrounded women and girls intent on making sexual advances. There have been numerous reports of girls suffering unwelcome assaults that have left them traumatised. The Hamburg police said that many similar incidents had been reported on New Year's Eve and similar reports from other German cities indicate that this was part of an organised event.

The attacks have been particularly disturbing news for Angela Merkel, who has been foremost among European leaders in expressing compassion to refugees fleeing war-torn nations.

Link to Migrants

The most disturbing fact to come from these incidents is that many of the young men involved were migrants or asylum seekers. Many did not even speak German or English. The inevitable conclusion from this is that Germany has been foolish in taking so many newcomers in such a short period of time and not providing for their acculturation into German society.

It would be very sad if the events in Cologne and Hamburg triggered widespread anti-migrant activities, but it is hard to see how such sentiment can be avoided in view of the public outrage at the attacks upon defenceless women and girls simply out to enjoy a New Year party atmosphere.

Lack of Cultural Understanding

This is a clear demonstration of the danger of policies devised by well-meaning politicians who have no understanding of the culture and social values of Islam that have moulded the upbringing of these young men. To them, women on the streets, scantily dressed and not under the authority of a man are nothing more than prostitutes and are therefore fair game.

Well-meaning politicians in the West may have no understanding of the cultural and social values that will have moulded the upbringing of these young men.

In Islam, all women are second-class citizens. In Saudi Arabia they are not even allowed to drive a car, let alone appear on the streets unaccompanied by a man. Legally their testimony is not equal to that of a man and they do not have equal human rights. A girl who is raped in a town can be stoned for adultery because it is assumed that she should have cried out for help, therefore she is guilty of complicity. The men often escape punishment.

Inevitable Repercussions

Until European leaders study the teaching of Islam they will continue to blunder by forming policies that can only lead to violent confrontation and social disorder, even if they successfully filter out the migrants who come into Europe with the deliberate intention of carrying out acts of terrorism.

Until European leaders study the teaching and culture of Islamic countries, they will continue to blunder with policies that foster social disorder and not successful integration.

The New Year events in Germany will have repercussions throughout Europe and we can only hope and pray that the German authorities will act quickly to instigate educational courses to teach their one million newcomers about the Christian heritage of Europe and the social values that are rooted in our faith.

What is God Doing?

Prophetically, we have to ask the question of whether God has sent all these people of North African and Arab descent as the 'rod of his anger', in judgement upon Europe for the way we have scorned our spiritual heritage and despised our Christian birthright - as he sent the Assyrians against Judah in the time of Isaiah. On the other hand, it may be that in his love and mercy, remembering the faith of our forefathers, God may be sending this great influx of Muslims into Europe as the greatest opportunity for evangelism we have ever had.

After hundreds of years of missionary activity in North Africa and the Middle East, our Western missionaries have made little impact. Could it be that God is allowing the terrible conflict in the Middle East as the means of opening up those nations that have been closed to the gospel for hundreds of years? The major question we have to face is: does Europe have sufficient commitment to the gospel which declares that salvation is only to be found in the name of Jesus? And can the churches in Europe rise to the challenge to be witnesses for Jesus, forthrightly and fearlessly showing his love and declaring his word? The future of world peace may depend upon the answer to these questions.

References

1 Germany shocked by Cologne New Year gang assaults on women, BBC News, 5 January 2016.