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Politics : Bush-The Mastermind behind 9/11? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Don Earl who wrote (12527)	3/11/2006 5:04:22 AM
From: GUSTAVE JAEGER	Respond to of 20039

Re: Name any European country where the top 10 politicians do not openly declare themselves to be members of the most popular local religious cult. That's precisely the difference between European countries and the US: there aren't any "popular religious cults" anymore!! Granted, the late former French President François Mitterrand came from a rightwing Catholic milieu, yet he married a Jewess (Danielle Gouze) and became the Socialist leader for about 30 years... Now, you must keep in mind that ever since the early XXth century when the French law on the separation between Church and State was passed(), the Socialist party has been the rallying standard of France's anticlericalists... Today's President Jacques Chirac makes no secret of his deep Catholic faith but his would-be successor Nicolas Sarkozy, a Jew, claims that he's been raised in Catholic schools and churches... Actually, most of France's presidential candidates are Jewish! Sarkozy, Laurent Fabius, Dominique Strauss-Kahn,... In the Netherlands, the assassinated far-rightist Pim Fortuyn was the country's most popular politician --a gay and devout(?!) Catholic (in a Calvinist country ). Belgium's political class stands even more aloof from religion. Prominent Belgian politicians are openly atheistic or agnostic: Daniel Ducarme (MR, progressive rightwing), Hervé Hasquin (MR, freemason, somehow a born-again atheist since he was raised a Catholic *). Actually, in Belgium, one's native language matters more than one's persuasion --the Fleming/Walloon criterion. But even in overwhelmingly Catholic countries such as Spain and Italy, people's relation to religion is not as vibrant and politicized as in the US --clue: Spanish MPs approve gay marriages Spain's lower house of parliament has voted in favour of allowing gay couples to marry and adopt children. The controversial decision overrules last week's rejection of the bill by the upper house, the Senate. The bill will become law in a month's time, making Spain Europe's third nation after the Netherlands and Belgium to allow same sex marriages. Polls suggest most Spaniards back the move, although two weeks ago thousands joined a Madrid rally against the bill. [...] news.bbc.co.uk Most of our churches are empty. In short, religion, whether mainstream Catholic/Protestant or fringe (Islam, Judaism) doesn't play a meaningful role in politics --at least, certainly not as US churches do. Gus () herodote.net () news.bbc.co.uk (*) hasquin.be