Only for two major battles won by Christian Kings in 732 AD and 1683 AD the dominant religion in Europe today would be Islam. This assertion has been made by many reputable historians, both Christian and Islamic, down through the ages. The avowed intentions of the commanders of defeated Islamic armies in above battles were to convert all of Europe by the sword to their religion. We owe a debt of gratitude to both Charles Martel, King of the Franks, and John Sobiski, King of Poland for turning the tide.

When John McGrath presses the panic button and suggests European cultures will be swept aside by Muslims “who embrace a doctrine that denies freedom of conscience and freedom of speech” (Irish Examiner, Letters, September 10), he not alone underestimates the resilience of host nations, but also denigrates the principal of refuge.

Philip Jones (Letters, September 9) says that those opposed to mass immigration from the Middle East into Europe including Ireland are motivated by “hatred and then racism.” Concerns about mass Muslim immigration have nothing to do with racism since Islam is not a race.

Europe is currently under pressure with the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants/asylum seekers.

This week we had World Suicide Prevention Day and one key message that has been popularised is: “It’s ok not to feel ok; and it’s absolutely okay to ask for help.”

It is unusual to see Molly Malone push her barrow in Beijing, instead of Dublin. But there she is in the capital city of China.

While it is understandable that the plight of migrants and refugees should somehow be sorted out, especially that of genuinely persecuted people, there is a common and mistaken thread throughout media that migrants are somehow neutral ideological agents or hopefully people who seek to embrace and support the ideals of liberty of the free world.

Much has been made in the media and by western leaders – most recently taoiseach Enda Kenny - of the so-called Islamic States’ unpleasant habit of beheading prisoners and destroying ancient monuments.

I don’t think that any nation should fear taking in a few thousand asylum seekers on compassionate grounds. There will be a small percentage of undesirables among them, but on the whole it will be a positive move.

Instead of building wire barricades and sending boats back to Northern Africa, Europe urgently needs to put mechanisms in place to ensure routes to safety for people fleeing for survival.