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June 29th, 2010
03:57 PM ET
Italy fights for crucifixes in classroomsEditor's Note: Click here for an update on this story Italy will fight Wednesday against a European court ruling that crucifixes in classrooms violate students' right to freedom of religion. The European Court of Human Rights found unanimously last November that the display of a particular religious symbol - such as the Christian cross - in a classroom "restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions, and the right of children to believe or not to believe." But the court agreed in January to hear Italy's appeal. Ten other European governments, dozens of European lawmakers and half a dozen non-governmental organizations have also gotten involved in the appeal.
The original case was brought by an Italian woman, Soile Lautsi, who objected to the crucifixes on the walls in her two sons' classrooms. She fought her way through the Italian legal system starting in 2001, arguing that she wanted to raise her children as secular, according to court documents. Italian courts ruled earlier that the cross was a symbol of Italy's history and culture, prompting Lautsi to take her case to the European court in Strasbourg, France. It awarded her 5,000 euros ($7,400) in damages in November. The court does not have the power to force Italy to take down the representations of Jesus on the cross, but if its ruling stands and Italy does not comply, the door would be open for others to sue on the same grounds, court spokesman Stefano Piedimonte told CNN. Leading Catholic figures expressed astonishment and anger at the ruling last year. The Italian Conference of Bishops called it "cause for bitterness and many perplexities." "It does not take into account the fact that in Italy the display of the crucifix in public places is in line with the recognition of the principles of the Catholicism as 'part of the historical patrimony of the Italian people,' as stated in the Vatican/Italy agreement of 1984," the bishops said in a written statement. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re told the leading Italian daily La Repubblica he could not understand it, and that no one with common sense could have expected it. "When I think that we are talking about a symbol, the crucifix, an image that cannot but be the emblem of a universally shared humanity, I not only feel disappointed but also sadness and grief," he said. "The crucifix is the sign of a God that loves man to the point of giving up his life for him. It is a God that teaches us to learn to love, to pay attention to each man ... and to respect the others, even those who belong to a different culture or religion. "How could someone not share such a symbol?" Seventeen judges will hear the appeal Wednesday and will issue a ruling at a later date. The governments of Russia, Greece, Armenia, Romania, Lithuania, Malta, San Marino, Bulgaria, Monaco and Cyprus are also involved in the appeal, the court said. The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights.
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Some people will object to their children seeing a tortured body on a crucifix, yet allow them to watch some Hollywood bloodbath for hours. Some people will object to their children seeing a tortured body on a crucifix, yet allow them to watch some Hollywood bloodbath for hours.
Frankly, religion does not belong in the classroom, in any country, any where in this world. It belongs in the churches......and no where else. It is a personal belief, and those of different views should not be subjected to it, in public places, outside of churches.
Hi folks, There is a big difference between religious freedom, which is the goal of separation of Church and State, and the suppression of religion in public areas. In the USA, where I live, we began our history with a proper recognition of religious freedom. In Europe, where many of our ancestors came from, persecution of religion was often practiced by governments, which imposed a state religion on their people. Those who followed a religion other than the state religion were often jailed and even, at times, executed. This is what must be avoided in a free society. But, the public expression of religion, according to the culture of the community, in no way imposes religion on anyone, nor does it persecute those who choose another religion or no religion at all. In fact, the suppression of this public expression of religion by the state is actually a form of persecution that would be unacceptable to the folks who founded our nation.
May God bless you as you seek Him.
Religion is a subject for a lot a comments, and manny criticism, and it will make to talk for a long time, but the fact is that the human been has lived with that issue for thousend of years.
"Take the previous pope's declaration that teaching evolution is consistant with teachings of the Bible. The bible was written by very ignorant people who knew nothing about DNA, sedimentary layers, continental drift, or anything else central to evolution. There's nothing in the bible about this, so how could teching evolution be consistant with the bible? The pope's declaration is just another scam designed to keep people from leaving the church."
The difference between the Darwinian and the Catholic is not that one does believes in evolution and the other doesn't, the difference is one believes it a full explanation and the other thinks it a rather insignificant explanation. You should really stop supposing you know all about the Catholic Church.
Excellent point Niel. The Bible is certainly not consistent with the teachings of evolution. This is further proof that Catholicism is not true Christianity.
What's a Darwinian? That makes it sound like people are just blindly following all and any things Darwin said. No one in science does this, there are no absolute authority figures, even Einstein got some things wrong.
"Governments will use religion when necessary to acheive their goals. "
And atheism is a theism. Governemnts will even co-opt phrases like 'freedom of religion' to justify they're crusade against religion
The reality here is not about religion in the classroom, its about devolving every region in the world (or at least Europe and America) so that immigrants can come in and set up camp. Its a typical conquer strategy: move into a region and destroy / steal their religious values/holidays. Just look at the Catholic Church, they did it and it worked. Christmas was not even a Christian Holiday but they stole it anyway to integrate themselves into the Northern European regions."
Isn't it the EU and other secular/political organizations that are destroying Catholic religious values/symbols/holidays
Why was Socrates put to death?
I would like to see pictures of Abraham Lincoln removed from American classrooms. While provoking a war to "FREE THE SLAVES", he was permitting genocide of the Native Americans.
"Students go to school to learn language, math, science, art, and music. They do not go to school to learn religion; church is for that. Religious symbols do not belong in the classroom."
The first universities arose under Christendom in Oxford and Bologna and Paris. Education is a peculiarly religious enterprise.
I guess if you are talking about "Christian" universities those might be considered the first. But if we are talking about places of learning you are off by a few thousand years...
The reality here is not about religion in the classroom, its about devolving every region in the world (or at least Europe and America) so that immigrants can come in and set up camp. Its a typical conquer strategy: move into a region and destroy / steal their religious values/holidays. Just look at the Catholic Church, they did it and it worked. Christmas was not even a Christian Holiday but they stole it anyway to integrate themselves into the Northern European regions.
I wish we could just call a spade a spade. you do not ban crucifixes in the name of freedom of religion. You ban crucifixes to restrict religion.
A man that puts a crucifix on the wall is not imposing his beliefs, but the man that tells another man he cannot put a crucifix on the wall is a tyrant.
"Western civilization is NOT based on Christianity but on SECULARISM,"
This is just not true
It should be. Morals are altruistic, built into our genes. We don't need a being in the heavens, or even a glorified zombie named Jesus, to behave.
rAdam82 Perhaps the word you want would be "instinctive" rather than "altruistic". And, of course, such a statement is nonsense. Humanity does not have morals built into our genes. Our history is proof enough of that. Without a code of morals, the strong take from the weak every time, as the lesser beasts do. This fantasy that humans are "born" with a sense of right and wrong is just that, as fantasy.
Lots of hypocrasy in European history. They came to the Americas, greedy and full of ambition. They stripped the Native Americans of their long standing religious traditions and way of life. The government never fully succeeded. As a resident of Oklahoma, I'm aware that many Native Americans still practice their tradional rites, as well as Christianity. It is unfortunate that many natives people still view Christianity as a symbol European oppression. Governments will use religion when necessary to acheive their goals. During WWII, Stalin temporarily took the shackles off the Orthodox church which revived the Russians' spirit and empowered them to resist Hitler. Maybe the crucifixes will come down, but the EU countries will fail at steeling Italy's soul, just as the US and Stalin failed.
It warms my heart to see Christianity being stuck down at its source and last strong hold in my lifetime. All religions are absolute lies and are nothing but a vehicle for hate, pedophiles, ego, greed, control and ignorance. Its appeal now is what it’s always been... a pacifier for weak minded people that need strength in numbers. Approx 3 billion people have died as a direct result of religious wars and persecutions in the last 10,000 years dating back to the ancient Incan sacrificial rituals. What’s been even more devastating is the impact religion has had on man kinds potential. (just imagine where we’d be today if knowledge didn’t stand still for a thousand because of Christianity) Keeping these traditions going now after all we’ve learned and subjecting your children to them is child abuse in every sense of the word. Atheists are coming out of the closet all over the world in record numbers. Finally it’s becoming socially acceptable to embrace reality. There is NO PLACE FOR THIS CRAP IN A PUBLIC SCHOOLS.. or any where else and tolerance is not that answer.. Lets learn from history just once and make it a better world for generations to come.. We are the only chance they have and they’re counting on us.
Amen brother Amen. Thanks for the comment.
The crucifix is undeniably a part of Italy's history. The mother has an opportunity to share with her son the knowledge of the history of their country as well as a knowledge of how religion has played a part in that history and who the other citizens of his country are – citizens he will have to share the world with; it seems she is incapable of separating her own belief system from that represented by an item on the wall. To want to hide all evidence of religion (particularly in a country where religion has played an significant part of society, art, music and culture) is not raising a child in a secular manner, but denying an integral element of his/her education. It is promulgating ignorance, and her response smacks of a scary behavior in dealing with history, i.e., rewrite it. If she were comfortable with her secularism, she would not be threatened by a religious artifact, but would rather see it as an element of her culture. She can present it to her son any way she wants to. Instead, she is attempting to impose her paranoia on an entire society.
Forcing children to stare at crosses all day, when they're supposed to be studying academics, is CHILD ABUSE!
I think Italy has the right idea.
The farther we have stepped away from the Lord the worse this country has become.
Praise the Lord and may He bless us!
I daresay you'd be saying the same thing about Allah had you been born in Afghanistan.
Religion as well as Christianity is what is destroying us. Protect our children from this Christian madness.
CC,
Of course the username is disrespectful. An eye for an eye. The Catholic church has always been about lying, cheating, torture, persecution, brainwashing children, and raping them. Take the previous pope's declaration that teaching evolution is consistant with teachings of the Bible. The bible was written by very ignorant people who knew nothing about DNA, sedimentary layers, continental drift, or anything else central to evolution. There's nothing in the bible about this, so how could teching evolution be consistant with the bible? The pope's declaration is just another scam designed to keep people from leaving the church.
I never really understood why some people get on their knees in front of a cross with a dead body hanging on it, or why some people worship a stone cover with a black cloth in Mecca, or why some people need to hit their heads against a wall in Jerusalem, and all are called GOD, what happened to the one true GOD that is supposed to be inside of each person?? I think the man made religion killed the real GOD and the real message of his Son. We really need to start over again, like he did 15000yrs ago, we are all lost. We really need to start over again, like HE did 15000yrs ago, we lost our ways with hate, discrimination, greedy, pride and false religion believes.