The 'Middle East' and Beyond: Revolution Rocks the World

What does all this really mean?

The world is being rocked by a revolutionary storm. No one knows how far it will blow or how long it will last, but it is sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East. When we look at the path of this storm and the damage it is leaving in its wake, it is clear that we are witnessing a major historical event that will change the world.

P>KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - The world is being rocked by a revolutionary storm. No one knows how far it will blow or how long it will last, but it is sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East. And it has already moved beyond the region. When we look at the path of this storm and the damage it is leaving in its wake, it is clear that we are witnessing a major historical event that will change the world. Many questions come to mind. I will explore one of them in this article. Will there be more or less freedom in the world when it passes?

The revolution began in Tunisia after a young man set himself on fire in response to harassment by the police. His name was Mohamed Bouazizi, and he died on January 4, 2011. This event sparked weeks of riots and toppled the 20 year regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who fled the country.

Then on February 11, President Mubarak of Egypt stepped down as a result of intense pressure from mass demonstrations. This event made history in itself, and it gave us our first glimpse at the strength of the storm.

The current center of the storm is in Libya, where civil war has broken out between its long-standing ruler, Moammar Gadhafi, and rebel forces. A NATO coalition and the United States have since entered the fray in support of the rebels.

In Jordan, thousands reportedly took to the streets. King Abdullah responded by firing the existing members of his government and appointing a new prime minister. Although this move by the King was not unprecedented, it seemed to quell the demonstrations, but the calm proved to be a burning ember which has flared up again.

It is much the same in Yemen. The President of Yemen is Ali Abdullah Saleh. When it was first rocked by revolt, he said he would not seek re-election when his term ended. As a result, the situation seemed to settle down for a while, but the people have taken to the streets once again and appear determined to force Saleh's immediate resignation.

Tens of thousands are reported to have revolted throughout Iran. However, the Iranian government apparently crushed the rebellion--at least for now. Thousands of protestors have also demonstrated in the nations of Dijbouti and Bahrain. The situation in Bahrain has gotten worse, and the demonstrations continue. And unrest recently spilled over into Syria where security forces are estimated to have wounded hundreds and killed about 60 demonstrators. In an attempt to prevent escalating unrest, the Syrian Cabinet has resigned.   

Minor protests have also plagued Saudi Arabia since late January, but the number of protestors surged in March. According to one estimate, about 4000 protestors demonstrated in the city of Qatif. Although King Abdullah has not offered political concessions, he has promised financial aid to his people amounting to approximately 11 billion dollars.

There are also lesser examples of unrest in many other countries: Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, and Oman. Unrest has also spread to other African countries as well. It is even reported to have spread to countries in other parts of the world. Some of these countries may surprise you. For instance, Bolivia in South America, Albania and Serbia in the Balkans, Kazakhstan in Central Asia, Greece, India, and China. Unrest has even reached Western shores, where tens of thousands protested in the state of Wisconsin in the United States and hundreds of thousands protested in the United Kingdom. .

Many believe that Islamic fundamentalists may be the cause of this storm. According to Lloyd Grove of The Daily Beast, the Egyptian Tycoon Shafik Gabr said, "There are Islamic forces and movements that wish to change the Middle East, creating Islamic States, caliphates, in which Shariah (law) rules." During Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said that all these protests are a sign that "an Islamic Middle East is taking shape." And Hammam Saeed, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, called for Arabs to topple leaders who are backed by the United States.

It is not certain at this point if Islamic fundamentalists are the cause, but it appears they have been emboldened and are much better positioned to capitalize on the storm than those who seek democratic reforms and greater freedom. Christian persecutions have not abated. There have been some brutal murders (Shahbaz Bhatti and Fr. Marek Rybinskithe), and the Copts have suffered attacks by the Egyptian army and a mob of crazed Muslims. And it appears that the Muslim Brotherhood was the winner of Egypt's constitutional referendum.

It also seems strange that NATO forces and the United States are supporting the Libyan rebels. This is strange because an article in the Telegraph reported that the rebel commander, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, says he fought against us in Afghanistan, and he recruited men who fought against us in Iraq. Furthermore, the Muslim Brotherhood supposedly supports him, and members of al-Qaeda, whom he calls good Muslims, have joined forces with him against Gadhafi.

Consequently, the actions of some Western leaders could be undermining the chances for democratic reforms and greater freedom. The tycoon, Shafik Gabr, may have given us a possible explanation. He indicated that while Islam is an oppressive force in Muslim countries, the rise of anti-Christian secularism is becoming an oppressive force in the West. I agree with him. Secularism is not freedom's friend. As secularism has become dominant in the West, we have lost much freedom. There are many examples that support this claim.

The most concrete example I can think of is the rise of a police state in America over the past couple of decades. In America, the police can barge into our homes under the pretense of a "wellness check," and drag us off to jail with virtual impunity. In addition, children are treated like criminals and arrested. The elderly are tasered and beaten. Parents are arrested for disciplining their children. Children are taken from their parents and put into state-run homes. We are accused of sexual abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, psychological abuse--every sort of abuse imaginable.

People must submit to indecent x-ray imaging and highly inappropriate pat downs before they are allowed to get on a plane, and these practices are expected to become commonplace. It was reported that Janet Napolitino, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, referred to people who protest against these new, invasive screening procedures as "domestic terrorists." On another occasion, she classified pro-life activists and veterans, among others, as possible terrorist threats. Yet, she calls real acts of terrorism, "man-caused disasters."

As if this is not enough, it seems our government is looking for more ways to police us. For instance, Obama said we need a civilian national security force as powerful as our military. Last year two state representatives from Chicago wanted the Illinois National Guard to police their city. In addition, some cities have created a new kind of police force, the "green police." Their job is to go through our garbage. Based on statements made by President Obama during a conference on the prevention of bullying, it appears that he intends to use the federal government to police our children.

I realize there are serious and legitimate problems that we need to deal with in our society. It is not my intention to downplay real problems. However, the examples I have mentioned do not refer to these problems. They refer strictly to the government's attitude toward the public. It has changed. Although many in positions of authority do not approve of this change, it has occurred throughout all levels of government. America is becoming a police state. 

There are many other examples. Some of them may be more important than the ones I have mentioned, but the point is the same: the more secular we have become, the more freedom we have lost. The authorities are to keep their hands off us and our children! We are not criminals or animals! While we have not suffered nearly as much as those living under tyranny, this is the kind of degradation and abuse that sparked the revolution in Tunisia. So if Gabr is correct and Islam and secularism are both oppressive ideologies, then what hope does the world have for freedom after the revolutionary storm passes?  

I believe we Catholics are that hope. But to be that hope, we have to be confident about who we are. Christianity offers society a consistent, ordered, rational view of reality and human nature which promotes high moral standards. Catholics understand the human person and freedom better than most. As such, society desperately needs us to defend the dignity of the human person and true freedom.

There are different aspects of freedom. However, the most important one is freedom from sin. And from this flows political freedom. Spurning God, adultery, abortion, same-sex marriage, lying, cheating, and stealing do not reflect freedom. True freedom is the power to be who we are meant to be, who God created us to be. We are most ourselves when we are most obedient to God's will for us. Sin is disobedience to God's will for us, and it prevents us from being ourselves. To the extent that we are not ourselves, we create oppressive societies.

Therefore, before we can defend the dignity and freedom of others, we must first nurture dignity and freedom within ourselves. The surest way to nurture these qualities is to make a good confession and avoid sin. It is also important to go to Mass more often and daily if possible. The Mass is where Christ's redemptive work continues in the world, where his grace and power flows most freely, and where the true fight for the freedom of souls is being fought. When we attend Mass and receive our Lord worthily in the Eucharist, we are united to his continuing work and are able to carry his grace and power into the world.

Catholics are being called at this time in history to stand up and lead, not to lord it over others, but to serve others in truth and love. Some of the ways that we can accomplish this work is to learn our faith and live it and become informed about what is going on in our community, our nation and the world. We also need to become involved in civic organizations and the political process. If we are able, we need to get on school boards, county commissions, and state legislatures. We might even consider running for some other political office. Of course, we will have different opportunities depending on our circumstances.

Politics could be a second career choice for many Catholic retirees. Retired persons have much experience and wisdom that can make them good leaders. I have no doubt that an army of dedicated retired Catholics battling the forces of oppression could change the course of history.

This brings me back to what Shafik Gabr said about Islam and secularism being oppressive forces in the world. His comment may explain why Christianity is under such fierce attack today. Christianity is the most powerful force for freedom in the world, and if freedom prevails after the storm, it will be because Catholics (and our orthodox brethren) answered the call. It is ironic, but we are the best hope that Islamic fundamentalists and Western secularists have for their future.
 
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Michael Terheyden was born into a Catholic family, but that is not why he is a Catholic. He is a Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. However, he knows that God's grace operating throughout his life is the main reason he is a Catholic. He is greatly blessed to share his faith and his life with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

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