Europe Returning to Pagan Roots

NewsMax ^ | May 30, 2003 | Fr. Mike Reilly

[Hugenot]

NewsMax.com's religion editor, Fr. Mike Reilly, sees a disturbing trend in the latest news from the European Union.

Zenit News is reporting on the new Constitution for the European Union and the news is not good.

"Drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe, which, nourished first by the civilizations of Greece and Rome, characterized by spiritual impulse always present in its heritage and later by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment, has embedded within the life of society its perception of the central role of the human person and his inviolable and inalienable rights, and of respect for law. ..."

Do you get the sense that there's something missing from the preamble? What "spiritual impulse" are they referring to? Could it be the Irish druids, who worshipped trees? Or perhaps the Norse gods like Thor and Loki? Maybe they mean ancient German legends about Siegfried coming from Valhalla.

Are these the "spiritual impulses" that united Europe, or rather was it something called Christendom?

"It borders on the ridiculous that the Preamble should make nominal reference to the Hellenistic and Roman component and jump directly to the 'philosophers of the Enlightenment,' omitting the Christian reference without which the Enlightenment is incomprehensible," Josep Miro i Ardevol, president of the Convention of Christians for Europe, said in a statement.

In an interview on Vatican Radio, Cardinal Roberto Tucci, a member of the executive council of the radio, said that "It was not a question of adherence [to Christianity], but of recognizing the historical fact of the enormous influence that Christian culture has had on European culture."

"The most unifying factor of Europe, which has been Christian culture, is missing" in the Preamble, he said.

The draft continues, "Conscious that Europe is a continent that has brought forth civilization; that its inhabitants, arriving in successive waves since the first ages of mankind, have gradually developed the values underlying humanism: equality of persons, freedom, respect for reason. ..."

Where do they think these values come from? What other civilizations espouse these values? The fact is that it was Christian culture which civilized and united tribal barbarians into what was left of the declining Roman Empire, which would eventually become modern Europe. That is why every modern tyrant has seen the need to attack and suppress Christianity.

This does not bode well for Europeans who treasure freedom. If our rights come from men, then men can take them away. Our founding fathers were wise enough to acknowledge that "man was endowed by his Creator with certain inalienable rights. ..."

Sadly, the leaders of Europe lack that insight.

[Antoninus]

Christianity was a disaster for Europe. It was only through turning to the traditions of pagan Rome, such as the Roman Catholic Church and most of the early kingdoms (for example, the Goths that ended the Western Roman Empire were more "Roman" in their habits than the Eastern Empire soldiers that came to retake Italy), that civilization survived.

That explains why the cities of Sicily and Italy were so quick to throw open their gates to Belisarius and his meagre army of 10,000 Greeks in defiance of the Goths and their hundreds of thousands occupying the land.

Also, civilization really only survived in Byzantium during the Dark Ages. Your noble barbarians nearly extinguished it in Western Europe. If not for the efforts of the Pope at Rome, some monks in Ireland, and Charles Martel at Tours, there's no reason to believe that the civilization of the ancient world would have survived at all in the West.

That you refuse to give Christianity its historical due is an act of supreme cultural ingratitude on your part.

[Antoninus]

Not to mention the laws of Europe (the civil code is a direct descendant from Roman Law) and well, in a good part, those of America.

You, of course, neglect to mention that Roman law was a horrible mish-mash until Constantine, Theodosius, and Justinian (all Christian emperors) came along and regularized it. Indeed, it is the Justinianic Code that much of European law was based.

[DensaMensa]

}Christianity is just a neutered, tired religion.

No, not the religion. Only the pathetic leaders.

[arasina]

Yes, let them return to worshipping Baal and throwing virgins, babies and other innocents into a pit of fire! That's what makes a country great, right? /s

[Destro]

As if the pagans threw out the baby with the bath water.

Let's hear it for that old pagan doctor Hypocrites whose oath banned abortions....

An examination of history will show that only the Catholics (under the Pope as a king of the Papal States or Emperor over Catholic monarchs) initiated true "theocratic" states (ruled by a religious leader). The Eastern Christians actually had a seperation of church and state but they never called it that. I think the term the Orthodox use is a "symphonic relationship". The Byzantine and Russian emperors were not heads of the church but rather protectors. This is the model that later Protestant monarchs adopted.

That is my very generalized view of things.

Our constitution does just fine without the mention of God whatsoever.

[Skywalk]

Not true. Perhaps some human sacrificing cults/religions did, but one of the things that made Rome absolutely detest Carthage was its religious practice of sacrificing many young people(ie. children) every year to its god, Baal.

Sure, the Romans were proficient killers but even they had limits.

[arasina]

Check out Orwell's "1984" to get it.

Read "The Source" by James Michener to get even more.

[ArneFufkin]

If you want to know what nations will be the greatest nations on Earth a generation from now, look on the nations where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is ascendant

No religion with a doctrinal God that orders and rewards murder of innocents and suicide martyrdom is to be respected, understood or tolerated as valid.

That rabid sect needs to be neutralized without hesitation. Our civilization must be defended and preserved at any cost. We're better.

We'll see what happens. Militant Islam doesn't play any more. They have no case for violent ambush of Americans. Shoot the rabid dog stalking your family before he bites.

[Skywalk]

The Gods of Good lose in Ragnarok anyway, so no thanks. :)

[Skywalk]

Actually, as far as I know, the Phoenicians are a "somewhat" mysterious Semitic tribe that are related to, but not the direct ancestors of Arabs and Hebrews. In fact, I think it can be confidently said that they are NOT the ancestors of the Palestinians.

[Skywalk]

Who are you talking about?

The Greeks and Romans didn't throw innocents into a pit of fire! Nor did the majority of barbarian tribes. That isn't to say they couldn't be cruel, but it's not like barbarity, cruelty and torture STOPPED with the advent of Christian dominance in Europe. It took Reformation, Renaissance and the Enlightement for inhumanity to be given a name and labelled an enemy to the spirit.

Phoenicians, while a part of the ancient world, are NOT the ancestors of Europeans.

The worst civilization in history, by human sacrificing standards, remains the Aztecs. They not only killed millions during their reign, but ATE THEM. They would also drown babies as a sacrifice to the rain god. The Spanish did humanity a favor.

[DensaMensa]

} the Phoenicians are a "somewhat" mysterious Semitic tribe... I think it can be confidently said that they are NOT the ancestors of the Palestinians.

That is certainly true. The Phoenicians were a tall, often red haired Semitic tribe with a Semitic language who appeared to be not unlike todays Irish or Scandinavians. There is speculation they may have come from the tribe of Dan, since part of Dan can be traced to the region as a major sailing and shipping nation.

Danites were also traced up the major East European rivers (named after them) like the Don, Danube, Dneiper and many others. Denmark takes it's name from Danmark, the tribe (or mark) of Dan.

[ArneFufkin]

I don't know, the greats to me were Dumas, Twain and Heller.

[Skywalk]

Interesting. I've heard a few theories about the Phoenicians(among other ancient peoples) but one of the more astounding is that they successfully sailed around Africa. I've heard about them discovering America too, but I think that's a bit far-fetched.

[ArneFufkin]

I've heard about them discovering America too, but I think that's a bit far-fetched.

Phoneicians? Didn't they discover Charles Keating oiling up John McCain and Dennis DeConcini for their skin peels at Senate Spa Day?

[DensaMensa]

}Interesting. I've heard a few theories about the Phoenicians...I've heard about them discovering America too, but I think that's a bit far-fetched.

I agree with you. We all know Leif Erikkson discovered America. {ggg}.

[EverOnward]

Christianity is the greatest inspirational movement in human history.

I am in total agreement. Hope you didn't read my previous post wrong...

[SierraWasp]

"I thought, for the most part, they were still pretty much a bunch of pagans..."

Actually, in Germany, the GANG-GREEN Party are "Born Again Pagans!"

[RobbyS]

The Roman Empire was built on plunder and enslavement. Even its law, which is its greatest legacy, found its best expression in the code of Justinian.

[RobbyS]

The Civil Code comes from Byzantium, the Christian empire.