Does anyone else feel this way?

Gerard Barry wrote:
practicing Christians

The Islamic conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries brought Muslim armies into parts of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal), North Africa, and the Mediterranean islands. In 711 CE, the Umayyad Caliphate from the Arabian Peninsula invaded the Iberian Peninsula, and within a few years, they established the Umayyad Emirate of Cordoba, which later evolved into the Caliphate of Cordoba (929-1031 CE).

From the tiled courtyards of Granada to the rebuilt mosques of Sarajevo, Islamic civilisation has left a quiet yet enduring imprint across the European continent.

Berlin, Germany: Where memory meets migration
Berlin might not be the first place that comes to mind for Islamic heritage, yet the German capital is home to deep-rooted Muslim communities and historical landmarks. The Islamic Cemetery in Berlin-Gatow dates back to the 18th century, and the city’s museums include Islamic artefacts from across the world.

Maria Laura Curzi wrote:



Well, there's a rarefied feeling in the air. On one hand, it isn't clear to me if the cause is politics/politicians, tech/AI hype, the excessive misinformation/disinformation surrounding us, or all of that altogether. On the other hand, I don't really know how to explain it. I seem to be unable to find the right words. All I know is that the mainstream narrative (whether it is political, technological, economical, or social) feels ugly, unempathetic, dehumanized, and dehumanizing. Like I said in another comment:


And it also seems this ugliness is a sort of desired playground for trolls. They seem happy to keep the trash talk going forever, like the endless, useless ChatGPT replies leading nowhere.
They are masters of distorting anything written/spoken to turn it into the trash talk they love too much, just like it happened with this topic. It started as an opportunity to reflect about the current world's feelings and its wording/narrative, but it ended in a group of roast comments deserving a trash bin.

Harmful and dehumanising narratives on migration have increasingly permeated political movements, media and other forms of public discourse in many countries. Such narratives have used migrants as scapegoats for deep-rooted societal problems and fears, often for political or financial gain.

Maria Laura Curzi wrote:
It's incredible that people with studies in *foreign languages* working as translators between cultures have such an ugly way to talk about foreign people. It's truly repulsive.

Paulo Roberto wrote:

I think most of our disagreements aren’t about what we say, but how we say it.
Every so often, when we try to make a point, we may come across as aggressive and confrontational, as if saying: “You think the issue is this, you (some name-calling), but the real problem is that.”

I agree with most of the posts shared here, such as:
- Trump is doing a horrible job, and we should care because this impacts people around the world;
- Massive uncontrollable immigration is bad;
- These people are migrants because of Western (elites) aggression and economic exploitation;
- Wealthy people are fomenting hostilities between different groups as a distraction, for example, migrants versus natives.
All these are real problems, and Sarah Elisabeth is Pontifex Maxima.

[Edited at 2025-09-11 13:54 GMT]

Baran Keki wrote:


Are you a practicing Christian, Barry? Or did you lose your faith long ago because of Father O'Wanker's wandering hands when you were an altar boy?
Could a childhood trauma like this account for your leaving your native Ireland, joining the ranks of racists in Germany and spewing out right-wing propaganda on a translators' forum of all places?
Lord, indeed, works in mysterious ways...

Gerard Barry wrote:

Needless to say, some wealthy non-Western countries such as Japan also have very limited immigration.

Yasutomo Kanazawa wrote:
... the Japanese government is welcoming more immigrants.

Jean Dimitriadis wrote:



This, absolutely agree. It‘s quite appalling.

Tom in London wrote:



Anyone who can say that with a straight face doesn't know anything about European culture. or any culture.






[Edited at 2025-09-12 17:10 GMT]

Gerard Barry wrote:
I dare say there are currently more practicing Muslims than practicing Christians in some Western European countries nowadays.

While I have nothing against Muslims as individuals

surely you can understand why some native Europeans may feel threatened by this and might not be very happy about their own culture being diluted?

I'm afraid you are naive and not really living in the real world.

Gerard Barry wrote:
..... Maybe you're the one whose knowledge of European culture and history is a bit lacking, Tom.

Gerard Barry wrote:
That relates to Spain, which had a long Islamic influence, as did the Balkan countries. Funnily enough, they were quite glad to get rid of that influence and drive the Moors and the Turks out. Islam's presence in most European countries is a relatively recent phenomenon. Maybe you're the one whose knowledge of European culture and history is a bit lacking, Tom.