I have been saying for years that Europe is heading into dark and dangerous waters. Most people seem to think I’m nuts. I used to describe the developing confrontation as a global conflict between “Knowledge and Ignorance.” And I have warned people not to underestimate the power of ignorance, especially on a vast scale.

What I had always been talking about is the conflict between societies that are open, inquisitive and progressive, and societies that are closed, suppressed and regressive.

This article, about a Dutch academic discussion on the issues of Islamism, is one example of the way that conflict is progressing.

I am an optimist, or at least I try to be one. I am sure that in the battle between knowledge and ignorance, knowledge eventually wins. But that does not mean that there aren’t major setbacks which lead to dark and desperate times. The Dark Ages of Europe are one example of such a setback.

The fact that this battle between knowledge and ignorance, or between free thought and mind control is typically fought with reason on one side and religion on the other is simply something that I will note here without further comment.