France's churches are burning – and no one seems to care

2025 -  rance's churches are under attack, yet the media and political establishment are pretending not to notice. Last year, we saw blazes at historic churches in Rouen, Saint-Omer and Poitiers – each one another grim statistic in an escalating crisis. For years, we've seen Christian places of worship targeted in acts of arson and vandalism. Yet, until now, official confirmation of the scale of the problem has been curiously absent. That has changed. The French territorial intelligence service has reported a 30 per cent increase in criminal church fires in 2024. That's not a handful of isolated incidents – it's a surge. And a deeply troubling one at that.

In 2023, there were 38 recorded cases of criminal arson against churches in France. In 2024, that number jumped to nearly 50. 

The most affected regions are Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Île-de-France, and the Grand-Est.

These are not accidental blazes sparked by faulty wiring or an unwatched candle left flickering. These are deliberate acts. Yet there has been no outcry in response to this surge, no demand for action from the mainstream French press, just an unsetteling silence.

We are often told that all religions must be respected. We see swift condemnations of attacks on synagogues or mosques, but when it comes to churches, a strane silence descends. (source)

Sonja Nientiet: A German Nurse Held Hostage in Somalia – and the World Remains Silent 

Sonja Nientiet, a German nurse working for the Red Cross, was abducted on May 2, 2018, in the Zoobe district of Mogadishu while she was carrying out her work to save lives. She has been held captive ever since, and nearly seven years later, she is still not free.

On March 27, 2025, a new video of Nientiet was released on a newly created YouTube channel. It is her first public appearance since her abduction. In the video, Nientiet—dressed in a black hijab and visibly older and exhausted—speaks calm English with a German accent. 

She wipes away tears and pleads, "I am asking for immediate help to save my life and to be brought back to Germany." Her words emphasize that her rescue is a matter of life and death.  According to reports, her captors are demanding a ransom of $20 million and have threatened to hand her over to ISIS if their demands are not met. Although the abductors claim to have no links to Al-Shabaab or ISIS, Nientiet references recent events in the video, such as the attack on the Somali presidential convoy on March 18, 2025. Background sounds suggest that she may be held in a residential area, surrounded by women and children.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called the video a sign of hope for her release but also expressed deep concern over her health. A planned joint rescue operation by German and U.S. forces was reportedly canceled at the last moment due to safety concerns raised by the German Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, the official response in Germany remains silence. The Foreign Ministry continues to adhere to its policy of not commenting on cases involving German citizens held hostage. Unconfirmed reports also suggest that a local security guard at the Red Cross compound may have been involved in the abduction, though this has never been officially verified.

Nientiet's video has once again drawn attention to the serious risks aid workers face daily in Somalia. In a country where insecurity, kidnappings, and targeted attacks are common, the global audience often remains passive while victims like Sonja cry out for help.  It is time to recognize that the lives of aid workers, who dedicate themselves to helping others, cannot be taken for granted. Sonja Nientiet deserves our attention, our action, and a safe return home.

Jesus is repeatedly mocked. Time and again, Jesus is ridiculed. Major superstars like Madonna bind themselves to the cross during their shows, and Jesus is depicted in blasphemous ways in popular films and TV shows. Lady Gaga provocatively uses religious symbols and Jesus imagery, for example in her song "Judas" and controversial videos, showing mockery and disdain. Rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X, Lil Dicky, DaBaby, and Demi Lovato ridicule Jesus by depicting him with a crown of thorns or on the cross in inappropriate scenes. Cynthia Erivo, a bisexual and queer-identifying woman, plays Jesus in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Comedians like Sarah Silverman make statements such as "I hope Jews did kill the Christ, I'd do it again," while films like Habit portray a female character with a Jesus fetish, with Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, playing Jesus in shocking, inappropriate scenes. Lil Nas X plays with religious symbolism, portraying himself as a sinner descending to hell; Ethan Klein bluntly says he would "crucify Jesus again."

Even in the Netherlands, Jesus is openly mocked—for example, in a 2020 NTR broadcast where the Sinterklaasnieuws series showed a fictional place called 'Kruisigem' with a cross in the background. The reference to the phrase "Crucify Him" as the arrival place of Saint Nicholas is a disrespectful nod to the Christian crucifixion story, while mocking the Prophet Mohammed is virtually unthinkable due to the threat of violence and societal sensitivity.

Netflix, already controversial for promoting pedophilia with the film Cuties (2021), continues this trend with the animated series Paradise P.D. In one episode, Jesus is depicted as an armed figure who comes down from the cross to kill his persecutors before engaging in sexual acts with two women. These crude and pornographic images are presented as anti-gun commentary but starkly contrast with the disrespectful mockery of Christianity. While even mild satirical depictions of Mohammed spark massive public outrage, accusations of racism, and fear of violence, this blatant blasphemy against Jesus goes largely unnoticed by the media and public.

Another example is Riccardo Simonetti, the European Union's LGBTQ+ goodwill ambassador, who posed as the bearded Virgin Mary on the cover of a queer magazine. In a queer reinterpretation of the Holy Family draped in transgender flag colors, Simonetti appeared with a thick beard, white robe, and blue veil, holding a baby doll representing Jesus. This photoshoot sparked strong backlash from Christians online.

This pattern is more than just a cultural expression; it is a form of bullying aimed at the meek—those who act out of love and patience. Jesus repeatedly becomes a target of bullying precisely because he is meek and embodies values that clash with a world full of conflict and cynicism. 

Since Jesus declared Himself to be meek, some perceive Him as a sissy-type character. Nothing could be further from the truth. To many, "meekness" suggests the idea of passivity, someone who is easily imposed upon, spinelessness, weakness. In the Greek New Testament, "meek" is from the Greek term praus. It does not suggest weakness; rather, it denotes strength brought under control. The ancient Greeks employed the term to describe a wild horse tamed to the bridle. In the biblical sense, therefore, being meek describes one who has channeled his strengths into the service of God.

Males who perceive Jesus to be a sissy are often the same ones who will not join the French Foreign Legion to gain mental and physical strength. And lack of restraint (perversion, gluttony, pride, sloth) exposes them to be spiritually weak as well. Self-discipline is a trait that belongs to the strong.

"Being a Christian isn't for sissies. It takes a real man to live for God — a lot more man than to live for the devil." - Johnny Cash

An old school martial artist can be challenged by a thug but will not cause excruciating pain because he knows his strength. This is strength under control. It's about making honorable decisions and taking responsibility, bearing the solitude of leadership.

But the double standard is glaring: it seems 'safe' to bully Christians because their faith calls for tolerance and forgiveness, while mocking Islam is often seen as more sensitive due to sometimes violent reactions from that community. This bullying of Christians is a current reality built on a long history of mockery and persecution.

What stands out is that respect for Jesus and Christianity is treated very differently in many parts of the world compared to Europe. In countries like North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Libya, and Somalia, the Bible is completely banned; possessing or reading it can result in severe punishment. In other countries, such as China, Iran, Eritrea, Malaysia, Morocco, and Singapore, the Bible is strictly regulated and may only exist through official channels. This contrast becomes particularly striking when people from these countries come to Europe—coming from cultures where Christianity is prohibited—only to encounter a Western society in which it can be openly mocked and ridiculed. While Muslims often enjoy protected status regarding their holy texts due to fears of social backlash or violence, the Bible and the Christian faith remain vulnerable to ridicule, satire, and cultural contempt. 

This highlights how deeply ingrained the double standard is: gentle convictions, whether concerning people or faith, are exposed to harassment and disrespect in many contexts, even when their source of strength and love lies precisely in protection and patienc

 Bullying and Meekness Among Animals

It doesn't stop with humans. This tendency to bully also targets the most vulnerable animals—the meek who have no chance to defend themselves. Take the chicken, the most exploited animal on earth. Jesus also called himself a hen who gathers her chicks (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34), speaking of his meek, protective nature. Sadly, the meek—people who do not fight but love—are the hardest hit by bullying and injustice. Chickens spend their entire lives in overcrowded, dark cages with no daylight or space to exhibit natural behavior. Their existence is one long torment, from rubbing against each other in cramped spaces to having their freedom taken away.

Cows-gentle, meek animals-are subjected to harrowing practices. They are forced to become pregnant repeatedly, after which their calves are taken away shortly after birth so the milk can be used for human consumption. Many cows end up as so-called "downer cows," animals that cannot stand anymore yet are still slaughtered despite their suffering.

Lambs and calves, innocent and vulnerable, are separated from their mothers to serve the meat and dairy industries. This is pure bullying culture: the tormenting, mistreatment, and exploitation of the meek who have no voice.

A tragic example of meekness and injustice toward animals is the Falkland wolf, also known as the warrah (Dusicyon australis)
When English sailors landed on the treeless Falkland Islands in 1690, they encountered this gentle predator – who greeted them friendly and stole their food without showing fear. The animal, the only native land mammal on the islands, was seen as a menace and was easily killed by humans. Despite hundreds or thousands of years of evolution, it could not adapt to the sudden hostility of humans. Eventually, it was completely wiped out in 1876, just 43 years after Charles Darwin predicted its extinction. This wolf stands as a poignant symbol of how meek creatures become victims of human fear, misunderstanding, and bullying. 

A Disturbing Political Compromise

On 7 May 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa - former leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and, since late 2024, interim president of Syria - was officially received in Paris by President Emmanuel Macron. What makes this visit all the more disturbing is that under his leadership, Christians in Syria are actively persecuted. There are confirmed cases of murder, intimidation, forced displacement, confiscation of Christian property, and attacks on churches. For example, on 22 June 2025, the Mar Elias Church in Damascus was struck by a suicide attack that killed several worshippers, and in parts of Idlib and Aleppo, Christian families were driven from their homes and their churches destroyed.

The Forgotten Persecuted Christians

It is also notable how many Christians passionately engage in conflicts such as Gaza and Ukraine, while giving no attention at all to the millions of Christians worldwide who are persecuted, discriminated against, and killed for their faith. According to Open Doors, about 340 million Christians face severe persecution annually. This means that every day on average 13 Christians are murdered for their faith, dozens are kidnapped, and hundreds are harassed or imprisoned.

This meek group of people is completely ignored in the public debate and remains in the shadows, while they are precisely the victims of bullying by extremists and authoritarian regimes.

A World Full of Bullies

What is at play here is nothing less than a culture of bullying: people who act from meekness and love are bullied and attacked, both in religious expressions and in the treatment of animals. We see it reflected in the way media, entertainment, and even public institutions mock Jesus. We see it in the way millions of animals are abused, confined, separated from their young, and mercilessly killed every day. And we see it in the ignoring of the suffering of persecuted Christians worldwide.

In short: this world is dominated by bullies—people and systems that oppress and belittle the meek. Whether it concerns mocking Jesus, ignoring persecution, or mistreating innocent animals, true strength lies with those who love and remain meek. Recognizing these facts and standing up for the meek is the first step toward true justice and respect.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth