'Secularism' in Europe Vexes Vatican

[Sandpiper]

`Secularism' in Europe vexes Vatican

Fri Nov 5, 9:40 AM ET Top Stories - Chicago Tribune


By Liz Sly Tribune foreign correspondent

Surveying the world beyond the cloistered walls of its Roman enclave, the Vatican (news - web sites) sees much to worry about: Terrorism, war, AIDS (news - web sites) and poverty are ravaging the lives of many of its constituents around the globe.

But of all the ills afflicting the modern world, none is causing deeper concern than the rising tide of what Vatican officials call "militant secularism" washing over Europe.

The symptoms of that have been piling up fast recently.

In traditionally Roman Catholic Spain, a new socialist government is aggressively promoting legislation that will permit gay marriage, facilitate abortion and speed up divorce.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&e=8&u=/chitribts/secularismineuropevexesvatican

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Yeah, well it gives me HOPE! (and maybe a destination)

[Owl]

3. My thoughts exactly!

-Owl

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. I'm telling the Vatican to FUCK OFF!!!!

The Vatican supports child molesters, yet they said it was wrong to support John Kerry because he is Pro-Choice!!!

As a Catholic, I am telling them to FUCK OFF!!!

:grr:

[Anakin Skywalker]

4. If I were Italy...

Italy should cut the Vatican off and sell it to any next door neighbor willing to buy or trade. :)

[funky_bug]

6. The Vatican is a seperate from Rome

It's not part of Rome - they are their own territory. My husband just applied for dual citizenship in Italy. I'll let you know how socialism is, compared to our um... "democracy."

[Anakin Skywalker]

15. Ah. I forgot that.

Thanks for the correction. I won't forget facts about Poland though. :)

[makhno]

7. Here's an idea

How about they ship the Vatican to the US and we ship the UN to Rome? Then everyone'll feel right at home.

[ze_dscherman]

5. Militant secularism???

Just because people get a CHOICE to marry, to have an abortion, or to divorce? No one prohibits a christian to practise his faith in Europe.

But these very christians for a long time have used any means to force their believe on anyone else. Like not let gays marry, like not letting people get a divorce.

I respect the faith of others, but about the Catholic church should just shut up.

Europe will not give up the secularism we have fought for since more than twohundred years.

[progressiveBadger]

8. I get the feeling that Europians know first hand...

what happens when religion governs a nation.

[girl gone mad]

12. It's just terrible..

when people start getting rights, isn't it?

[eurolefty]

9. yawn

Senile pedophiles rambling. Whatever.

[hatrack]

10. Pedophilia, Conspiracy, Coverup Vex World

See ya, JPII.

[Tempest]

11. The last time Christians ran Europe

It was called the Dark Ages.

[Nicholas_J]

13. I find it odd that the VAtican is so heavily focused on

Their policies against gays, and theirpolciies against abortions, as these are things that are either barely mentioned in the bible or not mentioned at all. There is not one single sentence in the bible that indicates that abortion is at all wrong, and only three sentences that mention homosexuality at all, and one of really refers to cross dressing, and not sex. The quotes that are used to oppose abortion require a very far stretch to come up with the interpretation against abortion.

Yet one can note, that the governments of Europe have made real a very great deal of the social gospel, The hungry are fed, the homeless are sheltered, the poor are cared for, the sick are healed.

The many Christian Democratic Parties of Europe have taken the social gospel to heart, and brought it to bear in the polcies of the governments of all of the nations of Western Europe.

I think that it is the illness of the pope that has resulted in the social conservatives of the Church in focusing on these issues thatr have only minior and minimal scruptural basis. On the other hand, they may also be willing to focus on them in the Vatican because they need to have little concern about social justice and care for those who are less fortunate, becasue it is taken care of far beter in Europe than it is in the United States. The average Italian who may merely be nominally Catholic would not tolerate homelessness at all and if it even began to appear in the smallest way, would be demanding that the government do something about it. In fact, insist upon it. So in the country with the nearest level of poverty of all the nations of Western Europe is in Italy with one third of the rtate of poverty as in the United States. And even thoise in poverty nrever do without the minimal essential of live. Food, shelter and free health care. Their definition of poverty as well is at a higher income level than in the U.S. So people who in the U.S. not considered poor would be in Westrern Europe. The income that is used to define povery in the United Staets is shmeful fomr any industrialized nations. But those voters lack one thing when it comes to their values. The have no shame whatsoever.

[Amigust]

18. Their gay bashing is a thin veil to cover the protection they've

given for years to pedophile priests. imho

And their opposition to abortion is a necessary adjunct to their prohibition on mechanical/chemical forms of birth control, which, imo, must be based on a very old decision to try to populate the world with Catholics. Heaven knows, however, they've killed plenty since then just by forbidding condoms (AIDS). As part of the American Taliban in the Bush administration, they will continue their killing campaign by promoting abstinence only in sex education and AIDS programs, withholding vital information on condoms for AIDS and pregnancy prevention.

[bleedingheart]

14. The Inquisition, The Holocaust, The Burnings of Protestants..I think

the Europeans have had enough religion...

[jjanpundt]

16. Go Spain!!! Wow their new government

is truly awesome! The Roman Catholics have had a stranglehold on Spain for nearly forever. I remember reading an article in either the Guardian or on BBC news where the archbishop of Spain accused the government of trying to return the country to the dark ages. I thought he was totally whacked, but I guess he had his orders from the Vatican.

[Amigust]

17. Europe not Taliban enough to suit them

[Darranar]

19. Excellent news. n/t