Euro Theo-Cons Ready to hit back at Secularism

The battle among European Christians to restore God's place in the new European constitution has continued to rage on. Currently secularists have seemed to have gained the upper-hand, however a backlash is expected by Euro experts.

A schism appeared as the new European constitution was being drafted and written up. Eight of the twenty-five member nations of the EU protested, along with support from the Vatican, however, their pleas were ignored and Europe's Christian roots got no place in the newly written document. A general statement referring to the "cultural religious, and humanistic inheritance" was all that appeared.

The 'New Europe' has seen many victories for the secular supporters, and a vast contrast can now been seen between the routes taken by the seemingly more and more secularised Europe, and the recent American Republican victory of President George Bush, where religious and moral values were seen to play a vital role in the final outcome.

Michael Mertes, a former editor of the liberal Catholic Rhineland newspaper said, "Given the different national traditions in the EU, rigid secularism has become a lowest common denominator."

Across Europe a new secularist movement seems to be rising. In Spain, Jose Luis Zapatero’s Socialist government has been seen to have pushed back greatly the influence of the Catholic Church.

In Holland, a new populist and militant secularism has emerged with intolerant views being projected regarding Islam and immigration.

In Poland, a traditionally Catholic country, fear has spread speedily that EU membership will bring about Godless bureaucrats from Brussels who they fear will want to liberalise the Polish policies on abortion, which are the most restrictive in the whole of the European Union.

In Austria more than 90% of the population are Catholic, however, fewer than 12% regularly attend mass, and the influence of God in the country seems to be continually diminishing. The government party, the Christian Democrats requested that a preamble be added which stresses for Christianity to be central to the constitution. However, the reference was scaled down greatly to include simply a reference to "the Creation", and the Social Democrats and Greens want this to be scrapped altogether.

Amidst the seemingly continuing wave after wave of secularist victories across the continent, many experts have seen a light. Experts have predicted that the secularists may in fact lose the war due to the growing influence of the new East European countries and due to the amount of 'Church-bashing'.

The Czech Republic, which many describe as the least religious country in Europe, have even stated that they would like God in the new EU constitution. In addition the ten eastern European countries that were introduced into the EU in May raised the Catholic population to almost 60%.

Polish representative, Aleksander Smolar said, "This extreme secularism dominating life in the EU is completely indefensible."

Italian candidate, Rocco Buttiglione was withdrawn from his nomination to be EU Commissioner after he expressed Christian views regarding homosexuality. At a meeting in Vienna, Josef Szajer, the Deputy Head of the Hungarian opposition party reacted with outrage to the Buttiglione decision.

“Why is it that a Catholic man can’t become an EU Commissioner, while a former communist can?” He asked.

A New York sociologist, Jose Casanova, whilst writing about the culture clash in Europe warned of a new "intolerant tyranny" of the secular majority, which assumes that its views are "progressive, liberal and modern", whilst at the same time condemning its opponents as "reactionary, fundamentalist and anti-modern."

The Catholic Cardinal from Germany, who has a huge sway in the say from the Vatican, and who is an aide to the Pope complained that secularism was "starting to turn into an ideology that imposes itself by way of politics and does not leave space in public life for a Catholic and Christian vision."

He told an Italian newspaper, "A struggle does exist. It seems almost indecent to talk about God in private life, as if it were an attack on the freedom of those who do not believe."

The Archbishop of Munich, Friedrich Wetter commented on the Buttiglione affair, "This is Kulturkampf (conflict of cultures) dressed up as liberalism and tolerance. Today it would not be possible for the Christian founding fathers of a united Europe, Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman, and Alcide de Gasperi, to become EU Commissioners."

Mr Buttiglione has now promised to begin a new European project. He reported, "Lots of people are calling me, from Italy and also from Spain, Britain and Germany, asking me not to let these issues drop but to carry them forward with political and cultural initiatives. I too am convinced of the need."