Continued Controversy Over Crucifixes in Italian Classrooms

Catholic World Report ^ | 11/29/21 | Paolo Fucili

[marshmallow]

The longest-running battles over crucifixes in Italian classrooms are undoubtedly legal ones. And a recent ruling has caused an uproar in the media, and is likely to spark new clashes rather than promote a truce.

The crucifix has long been a central and most venerated Christian symbol, expressing a variety of beliefs and truths about the life, death, and Passion of Jesus Christ. Considering that it represents the torment and suffering of Christ, it is perhaps not surprising that crucifixes objects of ridicule and insults. This in fact often happens in schools in Italy.

“In Italy, there is a regulation, dating back almost a century, which provides for the display of the crucifix in classrooms,” explains jurist Filippo Vari, professor of Constitutional Law at the European University of Rome. And “although that law was approved during Fascism, even in the Republican era it was considered important, and was appreciated at a popular level.”

Despite this, it is not uncommon to read news about crucifixes being vandalized, desecrated, or mocked by pupils and students. Probably, given the excuse of their young age, they may “not know what they do” (Lk 23:34), as Jesus said on the Cross, invoking forgiveness for his executioners.

But Adel Smith, founder of the Muslim Union of Italy, was about 40 years old when, as a guest on the longest-running political talk show on Italian television’s number one channel RAI1, described the crucifix as “a little cadaver hanging from two sticks.” For many years this gentleman of Scottish and Egyptian origin, who grew up Catholic then converted to Islam, led a high profile battle against the display of crucifixes in public places in Italy, such as schools and courts.

However, many voices of the Italian Muslim community, mostly consisting of immigrants, criticized his polemics as well as his...............

[Lurker]

“who grew up Catholic then converted to Islam,”

There’s your problem.

L

[nyc1]

I so enjoy reading about how minorities demand that the majority culture change to accommodate them.

The Muslim by way of Scotland and Egypt can find a Muslim country to live in. He has plenty of options.

[Jamestown1630]

I have a crucifix on a wall in my house. but it’s a reproduction of an old Celtic one, so I guess it doesn’t count...

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

If the muzzies don’t like the Cross, ship them back to muzzieland.

[blueplum]

just a random wiki page shows 43.4 million Italian religious and 40 million are flavors of Catholic with less than 1/4 million islamics, mostly non citizens, and the rest various flavors of Jewish, Hindu or Protestant.

Islamics need to diminish Jesus, because they want their guy to be the definitive big cheese prophet who speaks for God instead. That’s why they don’t pick on Hindus or Buddists or ancestor or tree worshippers as much when Christianity is around. Gotta push Jesus into the back row first by declaring Christians infidels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Italy#Freedom_of_religion

[leaning conservative]

My mother taught me:when you are in someone’s home you go by their rules & when you are in another country you respect their customs, way of life, & traditions.

It’s actually common sense. I would never dream of going to a Muslim country & telling them to change.....their country, their laws & rules. Seems like lots of people never got that memo.