Posted on 05/30/2006 9:23:46 PM PDT by Murtyo
WARSAW, Poland — Poland could be Europe's first "red state".
"New evangelization"
It was the late pope's fervent hope that the intense spirituality of his native Poland would spark a "new evangelization" of Western Europe. During most of his papacy, there was scant sign of that happening. But more recently Poland has emerged at the fore of a fledgling movement to restore Christian values to Europe.
Beginning in 2003, the Polish government led the push — ultimately unsuccessful — to include some reference to Christianity in the new EU constitution.
Aleksander Kwasniewski, the reformed communist who was Poland's president at the time, told a British newspaper that "there is no excuse for making references to ancient Greece and Rome, and to the Enlightenment, without making reference to the Christian values which are so important to the development of Europe."
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Last year, the Polish delegation to the European Parliament made waves by setting up an anti-abortion display in the corridors of the parliament's headquarters in Strasbourg, France. A scuffle ensued when guards attempted to remove it.
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"We follow the teachings of the church and the advice of the bishops," said Piotr Slusarczyk, a spokesman for the League of Polish Families, a conservative Catholic party that was behind the anti-abortion display.
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(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Those Poles!Always making trouble. (numerous Russian leaders)
Poland ping!
BUMP!
Best thing Poland could do for its long term survival would be to tell the EU to stick it.
I think that Poland may be a big help to the EU. If poles have larger families - averaging 3/4 kids, instead of other nations 1 to 2 - there maybe hope that Europe won't become totally Islamified within 2 generations. These people then have the ability to help other nations rediscover themselves. I'm no fan of the EU, but I think that free trade and easy movement of people in Europe is good.
Now there going for 3/4 kids? I never was able to find that 1/2 kid that was running around loose all through the 60s when everybody knew that the average family had 2 1/2 kids per household.
Shoot! Wrong their there they're going to have to make me quit posting or redesign this dumb keyboard.
you got me.
IIRC, the birthrate in Poland is not that high - recently on FR was posted an article with some statistics on European birthrates. But my memory could be playing tricks.
Actually It's one of the lowest in the world.
I think their birthrate is like 1.38 per woman. If they get it above 2.1, then I'm convinced that the Poles are returning to their Christian roots.
I think It's rather about economy and a few other factors not connected with religion.
In the last few years, I have become convinced, quite sincerely, that it may be only Poland that will save Europe once again (a la Jan Sobieski at the Battle of Vienna). God bless the Polish people.
Thanks. I believed I remembered that much from that article, but I was not sure.
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