Europe Returning to Pagan Roots

NewsMax ^ | May 30, 2003 | Fr. Mike Reilly

[Hugenot]

NewsMax.com's religion editor, Fr. Mike Reilly, sees a disturbing trend in the latest news from the European Union.

Zenit News is reporting on the new Constitution for the European Union and the news is not good.

"Drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe, which, nourished first by the civilizations of Greece and Rome, characterized by spiritual impulse always present in its heritage and later by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment, has embedded within the life of society its perception of the central role of the human person and his inviolable and inalienable rights, and of respect for law. ..."

Do you get the sense that there's something missing from the preamble? What "spiritual impulse" are they referring to? Could it be the Irish druids, who worshipped trees? Or perhaps the Norse gods like Thor and Loki? Maybe they mean ancient German legends about Siegfried coming from Valhalla.

Are these the "spiritual impulses" that united Europe, or rather was it something called Christendom?

"It borders on the ridiculous that the Preamble should make nominal reference to the Hellenistic and Roman component and jump directly to the 'philosophers of the Enlightenment,' omitting the Christian reference without which the Enlightenment is incomprehensible," Josep Miro i Ardevol, president of the Convention of Christians for Europe, said in a statement.

In an interview on Vatican Radio, Cardinal Roberto Tucci, a member of the executive council of the radio, said that "It was not a question of adherence [to Christianity], but of recognizing the historical fact of the enormous influence that Christian culture has had on European culture."

"The most unifying factor of Europe, which has been Christian culture, is missing" in the Preamble, he said.

The draft continues, "Conscious that Europe is a continent that has brought forth civilization; that its inhabitants, arriving in successive waves since the first ages of mankind, have gradually developed the values underlying humanism: equality of persons, freedom, respect for reason. ..."

Where do they think these values come from? What other civilizations espouse these values? The fact is that it was Christian culture which civilized and united tribal barbarians into what was left of the declining Roman Empire, which would eventually become modern Europe. That is why every modern tyrant has seen the need to attack and suppress Christianity.

This does not bode well for Europeans who treasure freedom. If our rights come from men, then men can take them away. Our founding fathers were wise enough to acknowledge that "man was endowed by his Creator with certain inalienable rights. ..."

Sadly, the leaders of Europe lack that insight.

[GaConfed]

It's a common ruse for would be tyrants to head for the cover of the pedantic tall weeds when they are in danger of being exposed for what they are.

[nopardons]

BTT

[ffusco]

I gotta brush up on the classics!

Have you seen Titus? Thee doth recommend it though it be not ( hehe) historically accurate. I love Taymor's ability to contemporize the story .

[ffusco]

I forgot to add Plague to Juvenal's rant list.

[GaConfed]

And I have to read further about Juvenal. We brushed over him in a class I had a while back, but in a very superficial manner. Have just started reading Tacitus for the first time since being a student at St. John's College. Had forgotten what a good story teller he was and able to stick to the truth as he knew it at the same time.

Haven't seen Titus yet, but will very soon. Did you see Gods and Generals? If so, what did you think?

[nopardons]

Yes, you did. LOL

You've also managed to leave out Augustus' laws on marriage and office holding.

Ovid's chatty little tome " THE ART OF LOVE "...a cross between Playboy's advice columns ( though his was MUCH less purile and obscene ! )and today's self-help books, is well written, funny, full of some much needed grooming tips for men (wash and brush your teeth before a date, have clean fingernails, etc. ), and still usefull today.

[ffusco]

Fratre,
It's on my list. I'll ping ya.

[TheAngryClam]

Carthage was a Phoenician (Middle Eastern) city in North Africa.

Stick to the European pagans.

[TheAngryClam]

It fell off as areas became more urbane and sophisticated.

Take a look at the coasts of the U.S. and the leftist control of most of our cities and you'll see a similar thing.

There is nothing new under the sun.

[American in Israel]

I don't really see the problem- Christianity is just a neutered, tired religion.

For a "neutered, tired religion", it sure seems to be breeding prolifically. It is the fastest growing religion on earth currently and is taking China and Russia by storm.

Once, it was like Islam is now, full of fire and passion and global conquest, but now is nothing more than memories.

You mistake Government with Religion. The conquest of Christianity you refer to was the use of the religion as a shield for mans conquest. When the Bible was printed for all to read, that put a stop to it.

I don't really mind, either. The glory of European civilization came from the pagan parts- Rome and Greece, and their rebirth and rejection of Christianity in the Renaissance and Enlightenment .

Perhaps Christianity has been neutered in your heart, but as Aristotle said, "The function of the brain is to lubricate the nose." Romanticizing the past has it’s place, but reality is a concept too. I kinda think America and Modern Europe, built on the foundation of Christianity has surpassed the toga party and the mad max entertainment business of the ancient world.

What is actually going on is the drawing up of the sides of the battle of Armageddon. You wish to hang with the tree worshipers and the child sacrifice types, I want to hang with the Almighty God. So be it. A man has to do what a man has to do, and eat the consequences of his choices.

[ffusco]

Dear Ovid,
I never thought I'd be scribing this. I was at the games when........; )

[TheAngryClam]

I disagree.

I believe that we're in the Silver Age or possibly slightly later. Bush would be a good Vespasian (although hopefully, Bush's plan for Palestine will go over a lot more smoothly than the supression of the Jewish Revolt) after Clinton's Nero, or possibly Trajan.

Our greatest days are behind us, but we don't know it yet, and our arts are in decline. For example, take the Moon landing. It is beyond our capability to repeat without starting from scratch on rocket and craft designs. Have we produced any "Citizen Kane" caliber films lately, or only moody, not-quite works?

I'm a young man, and it's sad to think of the state that my nation will be in within my lifetime. I should probably start learning Chinese, since the Indians speak English anyway.

[nopardons]

Dear suplicant ... I see that you have neglected to reaqd the chapter in my latest book, re : What to do and what NOT to do at the Circus Maximus. When that pretty woman dropped her fan... and you did WHAT ? Oh, and heavily breathing garlic fumes into her face, does NOT an erotic afternoon lead too.Remeber, always chew on some fresh parsley, after your repast, before attempting to seduce.

[TheAngryClam]

The great days of Athens were long gone before Alexander. They ended with the city's utter defeat in the Peloponnesian War.

After that, it was doomed to be the Boston of the ancient world- full of history, museums, and universities, and little more.

[ffusco]

"Great minds...."

[nopardons]

Yes. LOL

Actually, I really WAS paraphrasing Ovid, as I nadly translated the Latin, from bits of his " THE ART OF LOVE ". His advice to women, from a man's point of view, naturally, is funny as all get out.

[ffusco]

Holy cow...I nearly wrote Vespasian was Bush in post 37. Clinton was Nero with a sax. And I was thinking earlier this week that The Lunar Landing was a good date for the height of our golden age, after our Punic Wars (ww1-2) and our Bellum Socius (civil war).

[TheAngryClam]

We'll see. I suspect the world will continue long after you and I have left it.

Of course, we could split the difference and have me look forward to Ragnarok, but that's a bit too northern for my tastes.

[TheAngryClam]

So all the talk of Jeb Bush in '08 would be appropriate?

Actually, I somewhat like to hope that we simply need a good Cornelius Sulla to set us right.

Too bad that didn't work so well the first time around.

[ArneFufkin]

Well, let's keep an eye open to welcome scurvy, leprocy and the plague back to the 'hood!

You know ... they've always been messed up over there.

The United Kingdom should become part of our United States. They'd get 10 senators, 50 House Reps, 50 electoral votes. We'd have a combined GDP of $15 billion, we'd have common language, currency, national defense, resource blessings, geographic width, common legal tradition and a legacy of freedom and courage.

Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and all of Canada west of Quebec. The Maritimes are welcome but the Francophiles can go continental. And we will use the St. Lawrence seaway without tribute.

That's the route the Brits should travel. They can't trust ANY of their "partners" in the EU. The only thing that links the Germans and French is their desire to destroy the UK.