
Saturday, 7th November 2009
'Offensive' crucifixes
I presume the logical sequel to the recent European Court of Human Rights judgment on the removal of crucifixes would be another court case asking for the removal of the Laferla Cross at Siġġiewi and other crosses throughout our islands because they cause offence to the devil worshipers. I hope that the "learned" judges at Strasbourg had a good night's sleep after their "learned" judgment.







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Comments
Yours is the most sensible comment I've read here. I agree with you 100% and I don't see why a cross hung on a wall should be offensive to anybody - including Maltese non-believers. If they're as agnostic as they claim to be, it shouldn't bother them one way or the other.
And as such THE CRUCIFIXES STAY.
To hell with whatever a European or any other non-Maltese court decides. I do not include Maltese courts because they cannot decide in favour of a case which go against our constitution.
If you come to live in CATHOLIC Malta then you should be willing to accept Maltese traditions, customs and our way of life. Just when one, for example travels to a Muslim country, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, one has to respect that country's traditions and customs by refraining from eating, drinking or smoking in public from sunrise to sunset.
Whoever finds the crucifix "offensive" is free to leave. I guarantee NOBODY WILL STOP YOU FROM EXERCISING THAT RIGHT.
Anyway my point on what you criticised me about was that I'm in favour of the removal of crucifixes and so I fall in the "devil worshipers" category! Pff...
Is it because we are hypocrites? Cowards? Servile? Idiots?....or too smart for our own good?
How stupid can this whole thing get? The next thing might be that anything cross-shaped would be banned! Just another way of saying what Mario has said. I am sure he would apologise to anybody who thought he meant something which he did not.
You just don't get it, do you? Its fine to have a cross on a church or even in a church school and wherever is suitable, but in a democracy its not fair to impose it elsewhere, such as a PUBLIC school, which ought to cater for people of all kinds of religious beliefs, even for those of no religious faith whatsoever. I find your letter immoral on many levels, the world is not made up of God Worshipers and Satanists alone, there are many who find the entire concept ridiculous, and want none of it.
"When I think that we are talking about a symbol, the..crucifix, an image that cannot but be the emblem of a universally shared humanity, I not only feel disappointed but also sadness and grief," he said. "The crucifix is the sign of a God that loves man to the point of giving up his life for him [man]. It is a God that teaches us to learn to love, to pay attention to each man and to respect others, even those who belong to a different culture or religion. So how could someone not able to share such a symbol?
Italy now has three months to file a request for a new hearing. A five-judge panel will examine the request, officially known as a referral, to determine if it raises sufficiently important issues for a 17-judge Grand Chamber hearing about this sentence.
Only the Italian Government can appeal to this verdict, but other interested parties can file briefs if the case goes forward.
The judgement was confined just to classrooms, where you may get students of different faiths, so it wouldn't be fair to just expose a Catholic symbol. Furthermore, some parents might think it beneficial to raise their children free from any particular faith and allow them to choose for themselves when they grow up (since in any case all faiths claim to be the true one - who to believe?).
The ruling does not affect other public places, such as the Laferla Cross, since it is not a classroom (hence educational) environment, and, unlike a classroom, people are free not to go there if it bothers them.
It amazes me how this issue was irrationally blown out of proportion, considering also the fact that religion is something personal that nobody can ever take away from you if you really believe in God.
Do they think that they can dictate to us?
Do they think that we are going to remove all the statues on street corners because they are religious symbols?
To hell with them.