From the BBC:
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy.
It said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child’s right to freedom of religion.
The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education.
If Soile Lautsi is so averse to her children seeing a crucifix in school, perhaps she should home-school them to ensure the expunging from their education of all vestiges of Christianity, even though it underpins the human rights to which she believes she is entitled.
Or she could move to an explicitly secular state like North Korea.
Soile Lautsi is not an Italian but a Finnish mother. Finns are known to be the most allergic to religion and aggressive in banning it from everywhere even though 80 per cent of the population actually belongs to the national Evangelical Lutheran Church. What a joke!
Comment by Hans — November 3, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
Well I do not know we Finns are like that, Hans, but I do know that Soile should have kept her mouth shut or move back / away from Italy if she personally does not like the way things are over there – this whole case was a shame to Finnish people. I’m not a very religious person myself, but it would never cross my mind to try to do anything like what Soile did. When in Rome, etc.
Comment by Markus — November 3, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
I’m a Finn and not shamed of what she did, why should I be anyway? You have a freedom of speech and also freedom of religion…
Comment by Finn — November 3, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
Well, I’m Italian and, like the overwhelming majority here, I don’t want the crucifix removed from our schools.
The European Court has no right to impose its views on us: we already had, back in 2005, a ruling by the venetian Court stating that the Crucifix is not only a religious sign but also a symbol for the Italian culture, history and culture; one year later, the State Council – against another protest from this woman – ruled that the Cross represents deeep and wideley shared values of our civil identity. Those in Strasburg think they’ve been appointed everybody’s masters.
Comment by Paolo — November 3, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
Im an Italian living in Canada, i don’t go around telling Canadians what they should do to accomodate me more. I chose to move and live here. It is my host country. This woman has taken advantage of a country housing her. If she doesn’t like her surroundings she should move back to where she came from.
Or better yet, move to an Arab country and try to abolish muslim symbols on the school walls, see how far she gets.
If you choos to move to a country be ready to accept their culture and don’t attempt to change it to suit your needs.
Ingracious in the least
Comment by Cv — November 3, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
Rome is most revered by Catholics since the birth of Christianity. The only country surrounding the Holy See. It is the duty of every Italian to safe guard catholic principles and values.In my country India worlds largest SECULAR republic where Christianity is only 3percent of the population, and all of our Catholic Schools have crucifix in classrooms.But even though 60%+ are from Hindu and other religious background but most take it as sign of respect and Godliness.Then why in Italy a predominantly catholic state for over 1700years is there a problem. Soile Lautsi must confess before the court that her main aim is to get the 5000 euros.
Comment by Neil — November 4, 2009 @ 4:14 am
Deleted
Comment by Ironmistress — November 4, 2009 @ 8:37 am