Posted on 10/26/2003 7:10:49 AM PST by July 4th
A controversy has erupted in Italy over a court ruling ordering a state kindergarten to remove crucifixes from its classrooms.
A judge in the central town of L'Aquila upheld a complaint by an Italian Muslim leader, Adel Smith.
The ruling has re-opened a bitter debate about religious symbols.
A law dating back to the fascist period requiring crucifixes to be hung in classrooms has never been fully repealed.
The BBC's Frances Kennedy in Rome says the case is set to have far-reaching implications.
It centres on a nursery and primary school near L'Aquila, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Rome.
The president of a Muslim group, Adel Smith, initially suggested that a symbol from the Koran should be displayed alongside the crucifix in his children's classrooms.
When this was denied, he took his complaint to the courts.
Catholic fury
The judge ruled that the crucifixes showed "the unequivocal desire by the state, when it comes to public education, to place the Catholic religion at the centre of the universe", in disregard for other religions.
The school has 30 days to carry out the judge's order and remove the crucifix.
The argument has shocked the Roman Catholic Church.
"Such decisions will spread intolerance towards symbols of the Christian faith," Bishop Rino Fisichella told La Repubblica newspaper.
Another leading prelate, Cardinal Ersilio Tonini, said the ruling offended the majority of Italians and the spirit of the constitution.
"You cannot remove a symbol of the religious and cultural values of a people just because it can offend someone," he said.
However one teacher's union welcomed the move, saying it was a reinforcement of the secular character of the education system.
Church and state
Several Italian newspapers have compared the case to the controversy in France over moves to ban Islamic headscarves in schools.
The decision by the judge in L'Aquila could increase tensions between Catholics and atheists, and between Christians and Muslims, said La Repubblica on Sunday.
Italy has a rapidly growing Muslim population - mainly of recent immigrants - which is put at more than one million, according to the latest estimates.
The laws on crucifixes in schools dates back to the 1920s, when Catholicism was state the religion in Italy.
Although a revised accord between the Vatican and the Italian Government ended Catholicism's position as state religion in 1984, the crucifix law has never been repealed.
However, the presence of crucifixes in classrooms is left to individual head teachers.
Last month, Education Minister Letizia Moratti said the cross should remain in state schools and hospitals.
She also endorsed controversial funding for Catholic schools.
Another leading prelate, Cardinal Ersilio Tonini, said the ruling offended the majority of Italians and the spirit of the constitution.
"You cannot remove a symbol of the religious and cultural values of a people just because it can offend someone," he said.
Oh yes you can, Eminence! Just look at what's happening in America! Wake your people up and counter this assault on Catholic Italy before it's too late!
Also, these Muslims are not obeying the Quran.
033.048: And incline not to the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Disregard their noxious talk, and put thy trust in Allah. Allah is sufficient as Trustee.
They are supposed to ignore stuff like this.
You'll find previous posts where I've said basically the same thing. It's pretty obvious.
No religion grows in a vaccuum. Christianity is Judaism plus lots of local religions. Islam is Christianity and Judaism plus a lot of primitive Arab cultural rules thrown in.
Exactly. And why don't these "human rights" groups go after the Saudis to force them to be more accepting of the practice of other religions.
Golly... I wonder WHICH one???
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