Werner Schultz

Cross with the Church

THE federal region of Bavaria has always had a special position in Germany. In general people there are Catholic and 'firm in belief' to the tip of their toes. By law there was a crucifix hanging on the wall of every classroom in all schools. Now the Federal Constitutional Court has finally prohibited this practice - and caused an outcry among Catholic fundamentalists.

The Christians, however, must be prepared to answer the question as to whether they are applying double standards, as has so often happened before. What would happen, for example, if it were decided in a class with 70% Muslim pupils to hang a Koran Sura next to the blackboard? There would be a storm of protest roaring through the Christian West - even though one line written in Arabic would nowhere near have the same effect on little children as does a tortured man on a cross.

The churches in Germany will have to face the fact that they are becoming the concern of a minority. The decision of the Federal Constitutional Court was overdue and will have consequences -for example, regarding the state-organized collection of church tax in Germany, a practice which happens nowhere else in the world.

The Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands and other organized freethinkers must prepare themselves for hard disputes and confrontations. We should be the ones who encourage people to push through their right to freedom from religion in state schools and other places. This means that in the worst case there will have to be carried through various lawsuits/trials in order to sue for the right of non-denominational people.

In this whole discussion, we should not forget that we are not only talking about the symbol of the cross, but that the true issue is the fact that the churches are trying to impose their promise of salvation on to people of different or no belief. Up to this day the church dignitaries have never given up their privileges out of belief in democracy, instead they have been torn away from them with great difficulties. And let us not forget that the Catholic Church is calling itself an organization which is not democratic.