Muslim wins Italian court ban on crucifixes in classroom

The Guardian ^ | Monday October 27, 2003 | Sophie Arie

[yonif]

A Muslim rights advocate has scored a victory over the Catholic Church and conservative Italians, winning a court ruling that will remove crucifixes from the state primary school his children attend. "The presence of the symbol of the cross shows the will of the state to put Catholicism at the centre of the universe as the absolute truth," Judge Mario Montanaro ruled in the central town of L'Aquila.

A concordat with the Vatican confirmed in 1984 that Catholicism was no longer the state religion. And laws introduced in 1920s fascist Italy, making crucifixes mandatory in classrooms, have been interpreted loosely since then, though not revoked. The cross is still a permanent fixture in many government offices and hospitals.

The judge argued that the 1920s norms were out of date and that the crucifix culture in schools showed that the state had "not the slightest respect" for the role of other religions.

The ruling flies in the face of Italy's conservative leaders, including the education minister, Letizia Moratti, who supports the crucifix in class as a way of valuing "Christian roots". Roberto Maroni, a Labour minister and member of the rightwing Northern League, said yesterday: "This is outrageous. It is unacceptable that one judge should cancel out millennia of history."

Many teachers, however, have hailed the ruling as a sign that the education system should be made truly secular.

The court case was brought by Adel Smith of the Union of the Muslims of Italy. Of a Scots family, Mr Smith converted to Islam in 1987. In public, he termed the crucifix a "small body on two wooden sticks". He wanted Koran prayers displayed at his children's school and lobbied to have an "offensive" 15th century Giovanni di Modena fresco removed from Bologna cathedral and Dante's Divine Comedy deleted from the school syllabus. He said both showed the prophet Mohammed cast into hell.

[Pubbie]

Ah - another glorious victory for the Genocidal Arabic Moon-Devil "Allah:

[Cindy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3215445.stm
BBC NEWS: "STORM OVER ITALY CRUCIFIX RULING" (Updated)

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The law on crucifixes in schools dates back to the 1920s

A controversy has erupted in Italy over a court ruling ordering a state kindergarten to remove crucifixes from its classrooms.

A judge in the central town of L'Aquila upheld a complaint by an Italian Muslim leader, Adel Smith.

The ruling has re-opened a bitter debate about religious symbols.

Italy's Justice Minister said he would order an inquiry into whether the decision conformed with Italian law.

The BBC's Frances Kennedy in Rome says the case is set to have far-reaching implications

It centres on a nursery and primary school near L'Aquila, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Rome.

The president of a Muslim group, Adel Smith, initially suggested that a symbol from the Koran should be displayed alongside the crucifix in his children's classrooms."

When this was denied, he took his complaint to the courts.

[Wiggins]

Evil just keeps chipping away at us! Lord We Pray!

[wizardoz]

Man, if crosses are coming down in Italy... yikes.

[dennisw]

Disgusting cave in to malevolent Mohammedan members of Mad Mo's moon god cult.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Get rid of the burqas, too!

[CodeMonkey]

As I have always said about the barbaric bloodlusting cult of Islam: if Islamic culture won't grow up and enter the modern world peacefully then the modern world needs to make the Islamic world into a radioactive and epidemic-plagued, continent-spanning parking lot....

[YankeeReb]

Many teachers, however, have hailed the ruling as a sign that the education system should be made truly secular.

Yup, taking any references to God out of the classroom has just done wonders for the school system here in the US. Why not try it in the rest of the world.

[Post Toasties]

It's the Christian God they don't want mentioned in classrooms. The Islamic Moon pagan deity would probably be allowable to these cretinous school administrators.

[Prime Choice]

How can this be? Every time I turn around, I'm told that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance!! sigh...

[gcruse]

Maybe we should pray to get the Fascists back into power.
Say, maybe that would work in the US...

[Peelod]

He said both showed the prophet Mohammed cast into hell.

My mother always told me to put things back where they belong.

[m18436572]

Cripes, if they are so disgusted by it why don't they just leave ???????

Talk about your overbearing, imposing, obnoxious guests !!!!

[maestro]

UR# 5.......Man, if crosses are coming down in Italy... yikes.

Hitler and Stalin and Saaddaam Hussennn and 'OBL' (AQ) and ACLU and would 'love it'.

Pope said they worship the 'same god',....didn't he?

[hope]

Good catch!

[Salvation]

Unbelievable.

[knighthawk]

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=457657

A school in Italy has been ordered to remove crucifixes from its classroom walls in a legal case that has ignited a bitter national row.

The debate was provoked by legal action taken by Adel Smith, a Muslim leader, who did not want his two children to attend classes in a building with crucifixes on the walls.

Islam-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[OldFriend]

I would hope there was a bitter national row over this terrible decision!

[Travis McGee]

We're going to find out, sooner or later,

If Abdul will pray, to a smoking crater.