Vatican in 'religious freedom' farce

Today's El País carries an interesting story about the Vatican. Apparently, the Pope and his Cardinals are concerned about the gradual erosion of the Catholic Church in Spain. Nick Lyne writes that the Pope made an address to Spain's top priests yesterday "in which he accused Spain of promoting a secularism that "restricts religious freedom." "What His Holiness is referring to is the gradual shift in Spanish society (once the most fervently and dogmatically Catholic country in the world) toward the general secularism which is present in the UK, France and across Europe.

The Pope has a short memory. Spain's pro-Church laws have long made religious freedom difficult in Spain. The Inquisición and now Opus Dei were both founded in Spain and both worked to support both Rome and authoritarian regimes in Madrid. Most recently, the Roman Church openly supported General Franco's illegal war of treachery and murder against the democratically elected republican government, and the long years of repression, fear and Catholicism which followed.

Spain, whilst keen to avoid a public row, is now ready to say "thanks for your opinions, but shove off" to Rome.

Meanwhile, the pro-fascist AVT (Association of Victims of Terrorism) attacked a senior Socialist minister on Saturday at a demonstration designed to show solidarity with victims of terror.

The ultra-right have long infiltrated the victims of terrorism groups because they are full of people who are scared and angry - the ideal prey for fascists. What is worrying is that the social division between left and right in Spain seems not to be improving. What with clashes between religious and secular, socialist and (at the very least) conservative, Spain still feels like two separate countries. The PP, with their sophist arguments, are a hateful bunch, but the Socialists don't seem to be doing much to stop them orchestrating this sort of violence.

Mending the wounds caused by the dictatorship in Spain must now be a priority for all citizens.

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January 25, 2005 | Filed Under 'Terror' 

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