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Polish police chief removes crosses [250]
I like that approach and this is why millions of people believe in God, because there's absolutely no proof of his non-existence. Of course, you could say the same about his existence but this is the choice we're all making. I believe in God and some people don't and I personally don't have any problem with that as long as they accept my right to believe.
For me, everyone has a right to believe in what they wish, or not to believe. But beliefs shouldn't infringe upon others - if an atheist discriminates against a Catholic because of their religion, then they should be punished - and the same applies in reverse.
The issue with the crosses is that - in my opinion - public life should be completely impartial. I actually think the Americans have it right - you have the mentions of God on the money and in the Pledge of Allegiance, but you don't allow one religion to mix with public life. It seems to work.
The problem in Poland is that any attempt to remove a cross in a public place gets met with a small, vocal, angry minority that see the removal of the cross as somehow interfering with their right to believe. We saw it in Warsaw three years ago, we see it today - every incident becomes a major battle when in reality, it's a non-issue - Catholicism doesn't require crosses in public places.
true and yet if one tells me, he's a Catholic, he is one IMO. I'm not gonna even try to prove him wrong. Why would I?
You don't have to prove them wrong - all you need to do is ask them if they're a practising one ;) The RCC has rather strict rules on this to the best of my knowledge.
Know of any other 'secular' country where crosses are found in every public school, hospital, town hall and other public buildings? Where uniformed army troops go on pilgrimages, freshly knighted police cadets are blessed by priests and priests aqnde bishops areinvited to bless newly opened roads, bridges and shopping centres? WHere 93% of the people produly delcare theri Cahtolic faith.
Crosses are most certainly not found in all of those places - I don't recall ever seeing a cross in my local Urzad Miasta, nor do I recall seeing one in any prominent location in the local hospital. Perhaps it's like that in small villages, but not where I live. As for public schools - again - we have the issue that any director (who only has the job for 5 years) would face immediate opposition from a small vocal minority of parents should they attempt to take them down. Directors know that if they rock the boat, they won't get re-elected - which means a huge drop in salary. You simply cannot use peer pressure as an example of voluntary faith.
Anyway Polonius, the facts don't lie - less than 2 in 10 Poles can be considered Catholic by the rules of the RCC. 93% means nothing - most people in Europe were baptised. Doesn't mean that they're religious at all, as witnessed by the Church attendance figures here.
The bottom line is that dingbat Church-bashers can rant and rave all they want about 'separation of church and state' or 'secular state', neither of which are contained in the constituion. Above all, such notions are not found in hte hearts and minds of the sons and daughters of Mother Poland.
Polonius, do you actually go outside, or do you live in 1900's Poland?
