Where to Source Immigrants

 

An American

There is much backlash now against mass immigration to the various countries of the developed West. The argument is that these large numbers of outsiders are not assimilating, nor augmenting, the resident culture, but introducing incompatible cultural differences.

The solution seems simple. The developed West is built on Judeo-Christian values and assumptions. What we now call “Western civilization” is simply what was previously called “Christendom.”

If we arguably need immigrants to keep the social services solvent, and to keep us economically competitive, there are ample sources available for Jewish and Christian immigrants who would, by this logic, fit in easily and become contributing Canadians, or Americans, or Englishmen, or Germans.

Perhaps most obviously, the Philippines. Although Filipinos have already come to Canada in large numbers, there are no Filipino ghettos. Filipinos assimilate readily, attend the local churches, and keep the laws. So too with Korean Christian immigrants. So too with Lebanese Christians. You do not see street riots, or demands for special treatment, or the changing of laws.

And note, importantly, that these groups are racially diverse, not “white.” Skin colour or race is not the issue. 

Another large group available: Central and South Americans—historically Christian, and interested in emigration for economic reasons. The US is concerned, legitimately, about illegal immigration, but, that said, Hispanics or Latinos do seem to assimilate within a couple of generations.

Regrettably, Christian immigrants from the Caribbean or from Africa do not seem as readily assimilable. But it is not because of race per se. It is because they tend to have a chip on their shoulder against “white” people due to the popular narrative about slavery, colonialism, and the struggle for racial equality in the US and South Africa. Their self-identity is deeply involved with the “African” group identity and with being alienated from “whites.” They import racism. 

So, if we must have large-scale immigration, it should be from historically Christian lands, or of historically Christian or Jewish minorities elsewhere. “Historically,” because otherwise it would be easy for desiring economic migrants to convert nominally to Christianity to gain entry.

Western Civilization

 

What exactly is “Western Civilization”? What makes it distinct from “Eastern Civilization” or “Middle Eastern Civilization,” or come other civilization? 

Not that it is Western, certainly. Australia and New Zealand are part of “Wesrern civilization,” and New Zealand is further east than any of the lands of “Eastern Civilization.”

Which tells us that “Western Civilization” is a euphemism. What we are referring to is Christian Civilization, Christendom. “Eastern Civilization” is founded instead on the principles of Confucius, while Christendom is founded on the Old and New Testaments. Morocco is not a part of Western Civilization, as far west as it is, because it is founded on the Quran and Shariah law, not the Old and New Testaments. Indian Civilization is not “Western” because it is founded on the Vedas as its bottom line.

This being so, if Christian civilization rejects Christianity, it collapses; it ceases to be. Not instantly, but inevitably. And that is the way things are going.

It is from Christian doctrine, from the New Testament, that we get the “self-evident” truth that all men are created equal. “Self-evident” is a con; Jefferson originally wrote, correctly, “sacred and inviolable.” Locke explained: it is not that it is self-evident; it follows from one divine creator and one act of creation. As the Levellers chanted in the English Revolution, “when Adam Delved and Eve span, who then was the gentleman?” In any polytheistic culture, there is no idea of human equality. Often the king claims exclusively divine ancestry; there are castes.

It is from Christian doctrine that we get the idea of human dignity and human rights. Human dignity follows from the claim that man is made in God’s image: so each man contains that divine spark. Human rights follow from the dogma that man was created, in the Garden of Eden story, to exercise free will and choose the moral good. He must therefore at all times be allowed the widest possible freedom of choice. The individual, in short, mut be free.

It is from Christianity that we get the idea of a separation of church and state, of freedom of religion, and of checks and balances on civil power. In pagan cultures, or in Islam, the civil power is also the religious power. There is no question of challenging the actions of the state, or of holding some non-state-sanctioned religious belief. This separation of sacred and secular spheres is succinctly expressed by Jesus in the New Testament: “render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s; render unto God what is God’s.”

And on it goes. Kick the Christian foundation out from all these assumptions, and there is nothing to support them. Sooner or later they are questioned, then no longer honoured. We are seeing this in real time. Nor will there be anything that magically appears to  replace them—any other foundation or set of general principles to which we can appeal in case of conflicting interests. We will no longer be able to do anything together: civilizational collapse.

Perhaps some new civilization might rise from the rubble. That might take thousands of years.

I Was Afraid of This

Chora Church in Istanbul has been converted into a mosque. This is one of the most historic churches in Christendom.