There is a battle going on in Europe as they try to write the first constitution for the European Union. It's the same battle that was fought over the American constitution during its writing and ratification, over whether it should include references to God and/or Christianity. The US Constitution, of course, has no references to God or to Christianity, which was considered a major flaw in the document by many of the fire and brimstone preachers and political theocrats of the late 18th century. They put forth proposals to change the wording to declare official fealty to God, or to declare the US a Christian Nation. The anti-separationists of that day thundered that this would bring down the wrath of God upon us all, but they lost the votes on all of those efforts and the constitution remained free of all such references, despite over a century worth of efforts by the National Reform Association to change it.
The EU is now struggling with the same question as they write their constitution. As the WorldNutDaily reports, the anti-separation crowd is led by the Vatican and the predominately Roman Catholic nations like Poland, who want the EU constitution to make explicit reference to "Christian values". Pope John Paul has publicly called for "a clear reference to God and the Christian faith to be formulated in the European constitution." Yeah, that's a good idea. It's not like Europe has any sort of historical experience with what happens when you entangle church and state. Torquemada ring a bell, Pope?
It's stunning to me how myopic these people are. They're trying to find a way to unite 25 countries with a multitude of languages, cultures and religions. Obviously the best way to do that is for the largest religious group there to demand that the constitution endorse their religion and not all the others, right? As the EU considers adding Turkey, a primarily Muslim country, what better way to foster good diplomatic relations than to declare Christianity to be the religion of the EU? These people are not content to believe what they believe and live their life, they are obsessed with having official governmental declarations and support for their beliefs. And I predict that their obsession will prove to be a major stumbling block to the efforts to build the EU.
May be the solution would be to declare ALL religions to be official in Europe!
May be the solution would be to declare ALL religions to be official in Europe!
The solution is to declare a separation between religion and the government that guarantees religious freedom for individuals and keeps the government out of the issue. The problem with Europe is that you have two extremes - theocrats who want officially Christian governments and anti-religious authoritarians, as in France, who want to prescribe private religious belief in the name of "secularism". That irritates me. I am a secularist myself, but what France does is not secularism, it's authoritarianism. They believe the government has the right to tell people they can't wear religious clothing or can't build a Mosque, which I oppose entirely.
I hope the issue mobilises people to vote in the referendum on the constitution, in those countries that are holding one. I for one will vote against if any reference to God, or any weasel-wording substituting for a reference to God ("Judeao-Christian tradition" and all that) makes it into the text.
Remember that Jesus (scripture) says "without me you can do nothing". I would erge those who have any sense of history to consider not to do without God in their constitution. You will reap what you sow. If you deny God you will be cutting yourself off from the creator of the universe. The very God who holds all things in being. You would be effectively be casting out LOVE for God himself is LOVE.
I would not be game to venture into any constitution without putting God stronly in the Picture.
Remember that Jesus (scripture) says "without me you can do nothing". I would erge those who have any sense of history to consider not to do without God in their constitution. You will reap what you sow. If you deny God you will be cutting yourself off from the creator of the universe. The very God who holds all things in being.
Well I have a sense of history. I have enough of a sense of history to know that this very same argument was made in America when our Constitution was written and ratified, that the lack of reference to God would bring down the wrath of God upon us. Guess what? They were wrong. So are you. Not putting empty words about God in a constitution does not "deny God". Only individuals can either believe in or not believe in God.