One of the main projects I’m tasked with this semester is to empirically analyze Islam in contemporary Europe since March 11, 2004. To do this I’m using World Values Survey data. Doing this as someone who is biased against Islam is particularly challenging, which is why I am undertaking this study; I want to prove to myself that I can be objective despite my biases. And wouldn’t you know it? The facts don’t fit my beliefs. Instead the facts have forced me to adopt better beliefs.

I’ll be writing up a brief post about my findings in December, but for now I leave you with a quote from my research that perfectly sums up my findings.

Secular Europe is not becoming more Islamic; instead, Islamic Europe is becoming more secular.

All it takes is a little security and a few new freedoms, and radical Islam melts away like butter.

Of course, radical Islam is still a thing in Europe, but it’s the product of something else, which I will address later.