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.

[ffusco]

See you in Ellysium.

; )

[ArneFufkin]

Ooooops ... $15 TRILLION. That's a lot of cabbage.

[The Grammarian]

...Christianity isn't really a "religion" at all in the true definition of the word.

What exactly is the "true" definition to which you are referring?

[Joined2Justify]

"I can't deny that, but Christianity isn't really a "religion" at all in the true definition of the word. It has only become (falsely) represented as such in this last century."

Finally someone notices! Let's count how many times the Bible mentions religion... and what is the Bible calling religion? Ha!

Years, decades ago when I would see or hear the word religion, thoughts like "nobel cause" might flash upon my brain.

All religion is Evil. Always has been, always will be.

[ffusco]

Welcome Airstrip One!

[ArneFufkin]

Thanks for you gobbledygook shout out.

[metesky]

Phoenicians and Carthaginians were not Europeans.

[ffusco]

Who pissed in your tea?

[The Grammarian]

To clarify my previous post, and to answer yours, Joined: The Bible does mention religion several times (James 1:27, for example, which states that "true religion and undefiled is this"). Also, define religion for me.

Taking my cue from theologian Richard Watson, no one is exactly sure what the etymology of "religion" is. It could be from "religare," how we are bound to God, or "relegare," how we relate to God. Either way, it does not have the modern connotations that many Americans give it.

Therefore, "religion" is not evil, "false" religion is evil.

[EverOnward]

"Christianity is just a neutered, tired religion."

It appears you are a NON-Christian?

[ArneFufkin]

Some guy at a soccer riot.

I missed the gist of your Airstrip reference in the previous post.

My apologies. I should have called it mumbo jumbo, rigamaroll, hoohah, mushmouthing or jibbajabba.

[TheAngryClam]

No way- apotheosis or bust!

[TheAngryClam]

it's from religare, but not about being joined to God. Religio, religionis means "a duty" or "an obligation" - in the context of the Roman religion this describes, it's something like "Go make sacrifice X on the third day before the Kalends of March" or "Don't eat that. Ever."

[ffusco]

What about claptrap, yada yada, baloon juice and hot air?

[TheAngryClam]

Right.

Which is humorous, when I think about a very different path I might have taken not too long ago.

[ArneFufkin]

Christianity is just a neutered, tired religion

Christianity is the greatest inspirational movement in human history.

[TheAngryClam]

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

[ArneFufkin]

I like claptrap! Gumflappin' claptrap!

What was the Airstrip reference?

[ArneFufkin]

Orwell seems to be 19 years late.

Christianity had their painful reformation. Islam is a 7th Century Juggernaut of violence and chaos. The Scientologists have great gizmos.

[ffusco]

From 1984. The name used for England. Just as you proposed there wasThe Angloshere (Oceania?) Britain was named Airstrip One presumably due to US forward bases there. Cynical but true.


Cheers.