Is Secularism the Preserve of Atheists? - From Across the Pond

By Darren Collins
Op/Ed

"Secularism is no longer that element of neutrality, which opens up space for freedom for all. It is beginning to change into an ideology which, through politics, is being imposed". These are the words of the Vatican's 'Iron Cardinal', Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Seeing them on a website a few days ago, I began wondering. I wondered whether the strive towards secularism in Europe is beginning to exclude the religious, and ghettoise Christians.

Religion in Europe is very different to in North America, many of the countries were ruled by monarchs who had very close ties to the Church, and many Europeans see the Church (particularly the Holy Catholic Church) as a throwback to prior times.

We see the extreme secularism of France banning children from wearing "conspicuous religious symbols", preventing Christians from wearing crucifixes, Muslim women wearing the Hajib, and Sikh men wearing Turbans. The religious are being persecuted, persecuted because they believe whole-heartedly in God and are not afraid to show it. At this point one of the Beatitudes comes to mind,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:10)

So what is the perceived aim of secularism? Well, it would seem to me that it is to create two separate spheres of existence: Church, and State. This seems quite laudable on paper, and we can see that in America this separation does not (to a large degree) prevent people from practicing their religion. However, religion isn't something that Christians just practice on a Sunday.

Christianity is a way of being, and no Christian can ever allow the teachings of Christ to only impact upon his private life; no Catholic can allow Church dogma to stay hidden. So doesn't this answer the question I asked at the start? If secularism is a separation of Church and State, and no religious person can exile the Church from his mind, then the natural conclusion is the denigration of religion, and the proliferation of atheocracies.

Contact

Darren Collins
https://www.catholic.org , GB
Darren Collins - Student,

Email

datrex1@hotmail.com

Keywords

secularism, church, europe

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