Secular Europe Campaign September 2011

The Secular Europe website has a summery of information of the privileges the Vatican enjoys.

It's easy to fall into the Dan Brown style of conspiracy thinking about the Vatican, but recent history has shown that it can't be trusted, and is a blight on the human race. Of course some people will always defend it, no matter if it be child abuse being the fault of modern society, Nazi gold,  or lies about condoms in Africa.

 

Why March? For the promotion of:

• freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech


• women’s equality and reproductive rights


• equal rights for LGBT people in all the European Union


• a secular Europe – democratic, peaceful, open and just, immune to the clandestine influence of privileged religious (or other) organisations


• one law for all, no religious exemptions from the law


• state neutrality in matters of religion and belief

 Opposing:

• the privileged status of the churches under Article 17 of the TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union)


• the special status of the Vatican in the United Nations


• state-funded faith schools


• the economic privilege and political influence of the Vatican

The Campaign has a number of Videos up on YouTube   This one from Stephen Law is my favorite and pertinent to everyone in regards to religious based education.

Nearly 20,000 people attended the Protest the Pope rally in London last year protest against the State Visit of Pope Benedict in the UK,to demand an end to religious privileges and ask that European institutions remain secular.

The Internet (well mostly Facebook) is slowly drawing people together, protesters and activists are coming together and sharing information like never before. Secularists, Humanists and Atheists are finally finding a voice, and realising they can make a change for the better.



‘Secularism is the only way to protect people of all different religions and those with none. It is vital that everyone who believes in liberal democracy and who values human rights comes on the march in September to show their support. If you want to defend women’s rights, children’s rights, the rights of gay people, human and reproductive rights, then march with us this September and let people see that we object to the influence of religion within the law and on the state.’  - Marco Tranchino coordinator of the Secular Europe Campaign

Want to get Divorced in Malta, well not yet.

                                      

There is only one European Country that does not have a divorce law, and it's Malta, unsurprisingly Pope Benedict XVI  praised Malta’s stance against abortion and divorce, during a visit last April. Malta is about 96% Catholic, and usually the only time anyone actually hears about Malta, is when the Knights of Malta appear in some sort of historical or less likely modern context.

On 28 May 2011 Malta will have a referendum if they should have a divorce law. The local Humanist are for it, and as usual the dark age Catholic Church is against.

The referendum question in English is as follows:
Do you agree with the introduction of the option of divorce in the case of a married couple who has been separated or has been living apart for at least four (4) years, and where there is no reasonable hope for reconciliation between the spouses, whilst adequate maintenance is guaranteed and the children are protected


Malta is still big on Billboards, and here is one for the YES side

 Personally I am on the YES side.


 Divorce is a declaration of independence with only two signers. – Gerard Lieberman