Secularist Europe Silences Pro-Lifers and Creationists

[Aptrgangr]

Secularist Europe Silences Pro-Lifers and Creationists


From the desk of Paul Belien on Sat, 2007-06-23 18:53

Last week, a German court sentenced a 55-year old Lutheran pastor to one year in jail for “Volksverhetzung” (incitement of the people) because he compared the killing of the unborn in contemporary Germany to the holocaust. Next week, the Council of Europe is going to vote on a resolution imposing Darwinism as Europe’s official ideology. The European governments are asked to fight the expression of creationist opinions, such as young earth and intelligent design theories. According to the Council of Europe these theories are “undemocratic” and “a threat to human rights.”

Without legalized abortion the number of German children would increase annually by at least 150,000 – which is the number of legal abortions in birth dearth Germany. Pastor Johannes Lerle compared the killing of the unborn to the killing of the Jews in Auschwitz during the Second World War. On 14 June, a court in Erlangen ruled that, in doing so, the pastor had “incited the people” because his statement was a denial of the holocaust of the Jews in Nazi-Germany. Hence, Herr Lerle was sentenced to one year in jail. Earlier, he had already spent eight months in jail for calling abortionists “professional killers” – an allegation which the court ruled to be slanderous because, according to the court, the unborn are not humans.

Other German courts convicted pro-lifers for saying that “in abortion clinics, life unworthy of living is being killed,” because this terminology evoked Hitler’s euthanasia program, which used the same language. In 2005, a German pro-lifer, Günter Annen, was sentenced to 50 days in jail for saying “Stop unjust [rechtswidrige] abortions in [medical] practice,” because, according to the court, the expression “unjust” is understood by laymen as meaning illegal, which abortions are not.

Volksverhetzung is a crime which the Nazis often invoked against their enemies and which contemporary Germany also uses to intimidate homeschoolers. Soon, the German authorities will be able to use the same charge against people who question Darwin’s evolution theory.

Indeed, next Tuesday, the Council of Europe (CoE), Europe’s main human-rights body, will vote on a proposal which advocates the fight against creationism, “young earth” and “intelligent design” in its 47 member states.

According to a report of the CoE’s Parliamentary Assembly, creationists are dangerous “religious fundamentalists” who propagate “forms of religious extremism” and “could become a threat to human rights.” The report adds that the acceptance of the science of evolutionism “is crucial to the future of our societies and our democracies.”
“Creationism, born of the denial of the evolution of species through natural selection, was for a long time an almost exclusively American phenomenon,” the report says.

“Today creationist theories are tending to find their way into Europe and their spread is affecting quite a few Council of Europe member states. […] [T]his is liable to encourage the development of all manner of fundamentalism and extremism, synonymous with attacks of utmost virulence on human rights. The total rejection of science is definitely one of the most serious threats to human rights and civic rights. […] The war on the theory of evolution and on its proponents most often originates in forms of religious extremism which are closely allied to extreme right-wing political movements. The creationist movements possess real political power. The fact of the matter, and this has been exposed on several occasions, is that the advocates of strict creationism are out to replace democracy by theocracy. [...] If we are not careful, the values that are the very essence of the Council of Europe will be under direct threat from creationist fundamentalists.”

According to the CoE report, America and Australia are already on their way towards becoming such undemocratic theocracies where human and civic rights are endangered. Creationism is “well-developed in the English-speaking countries, especially the United States and Australia,” the report states.

“While most curricula in Europe today unashamedly teach evolution as a recognised scientific theory, the same does not apply to the United States. In July 2005, the Pew Research Center conducted a poll that showed that 64% of Americans favoured the teaching of intelligent design alongside the theory of evolution and that 38% would support the total abandonment of the teaching of evolution in publicly owned schools. The American President George W. Bush supports the principle of teaching both intelligent design and the theory of evolution. At the moment, 20 of the 50 American states are facing potential adjustments of their school curricula in favour of intelligent design. Many people think that this phenomenon only affects the United States and that, even if it is not possible to be indifferent to what is happening on the other side of the Atlantic, it is not the Council of Europe’s role to deal with this issue. That, however, is not the case. On the contrary, it would seem crucial for us to take the appropriate precautions in our 47 member states.”

Though one may disagree with people who take the Book of Genesis literally (believing that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh), surely secularist political organizations telling people what they may or may not believe, constitute a far greater threat to human rights than religious institutions telling their faithful how to vote. In the voting booth people are free to do what they like, whilst in contemporary Europe people are no longer free to publicly voice their own, deeply felt opinions in public.

In Germany, believing abortion to be as murderous as the holocaust is a crime, and educating your own children is a crime too. In France, saying that “homosexual behaviour endangers the survival of humanity” is a crime, and so is the distribution of pork soup to the poor. In Belgium, speaking out against immigration is a crime.
In the latest issue of the Dutch conservative magazine Bitter Lemon the Dutch author Erik van Goor writes that European courts are silencing conservative and orthodox citizens. Freedom of speech no longer exist, says van Goor.

“While many in the West still idolize the second-hand fighters for free speech, such as [Ayaan] Hirsi Ali and Theo van Gogh, the true victims of curtailment are deliberately kept under wraps. Hirsi Ali, [Pim] Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh were not curtailed by the state or by court, Johannes Lerle is. The former voiced mere opinions – expressions of a public opinion which one may or may not value or believe. The latter – Dr Lerle – shows that what is at stake is not merely opinions, but a moral order which is being questioned; a reality of life and death which is at risk.”

Hirsi Ali, Fortuyn and van Gogh did not defend Europe’s traditional Christian moral order. People such as Johannes Lerle and Christian Vanneste, the French parliamentarian who was convicted for “homophobia,” do. The latter are being persecuted by Western Europe’s political regimes – a phenomenon which is ignored completely by the Western mainstream media, who participate in the persecution.

Update
A quote from Reuters, 25 June 2007:
Europe’s main human rights body on Monday cancelled a scheduled vote on banning creationist and intelligent design views from school science classes, saying the proposed resolution was one-sided. […] Guy Lengagne, the French Socialist member of the Assembly who drew up the report, protested after the Parliamentary Assembly voted to call off the debate and vote, and [approved a proposal of the Flemish Christian-Democrat Luc Van den Brande] to send the report back to committee for further study. […] Deputies said the motion by the Christian Democratic group of parliamentarians also won support from east European deputies, who recalled that Darwinian evolution was a favorite theory of their former communist rulers.

Secularist Europe Silences Pro-Lifers and Creationists | The Brussels Journal

[Milesian]

"You're a Creationist, and I have to stop you"
- Stephen Jay Gould to his debating partner, a proponent of Intelligent Design

No-one will ever convince me that these Neo-Darwinists are doing any true service to the cause of science. These are narrow-minded, dogmatic, militant athiestic materialists misusing science as a veil of respectability for their own dark, shabby agendas which have little to do with the true pursuit of knowledge.

Their unproven theories are now being made a legal requirement to believe in.
Mankind must now be allowed to think they have an inner nobility of spirit, a higher calling than base consumerism. There is no God, no eternity, no hope of anything better. And the sooner that the human cattle realise they are simply souless animals like the beasts in the fields, the better.

[Milesian]

According to the Council of Europe these theories are “undemocratic” and “a threat to human rights.”

But legally requiring people to accept a theory is not "undemocratic" or "a threat to human rights" ?

Without legalized abortion the number of German children would increase annually by at least 150,000

Oh dear, that would mean no more need for immigrants to keep the labour force viable. How awful

On 14 June, a court in Erlangen ruled that, in doing so, the pastor had “incited the people” because his statement was a denial of the holocaust of the Jews in Nazi-Germany

That makes no sense. He is comparing one event to another.
Where in that statement did he deny the holocaust?
It would be nonsensical in this context to compare one situation to one which he is claiming didn't exist.

an allegation which the court ruled to be slanderous because, according to the court, the unborn are not humans.

De-humanisation of victims. Oh my, isn't that what Nazis do?

In 2005, a German pro-lifer, Günter Annen, was sentenced to 50 days in jail for saying “Stop unjust [rechtswidrige] abortions in [medical] practice,” because, according to the court, the expression “unjust” is understood by laymen as meaning illegal, which abortions are not.

Here is a rather diabolical attempt to equate morality with the secular law of the land. To think that politicians of all people could for a second be the arbiters of morality would be amusing if it were not so sinister.

Volksverhetzung is a crime which the Nazis often invoked against their enemies and which contemporary Germany also uses to intimidate homeschoolers. Soon, the German authorities will be able to use the same charge against people who question Darwin’s evolution theory.

Orwell's Thought Crime is now a reality.
You are now legally required to think certain ways and believe certain things.

“While most curricula in Europe today unashamedly teach evolution as a recognised scientific theory

This is false. If it were taught as a recognised scientific theory (which is perfectly reasonable) then it would also admit the teaching of rival theories.
However, it does not. Evolution is incorrectly and unscientifically taught as recognised scientific fact, not as recognised scientific theory (which is what it actually is)

[Red Skull]

I agree that Darwinism should be Europe's official ideology. Although I think abortion should be allowed.

[Milesian]

Originally Posted by Red Skull

I agree that Darwinism should be Europe's official ideology.

Why? Why would you want a theory taught as if it were fact?
I'm a Christian and believe in God, but I don't want people to be legally required to believe in God. Why would you want to force people to legally believe in materialism?

Although I think abortion should be allowed.

In a continent whose people are dying in greater numbers than they are being born, don't you think that is somewhat detrimental (before we even consider the ethical aspects of infanticide) ?

[Milesian]

Originally Posted by Red Skull

Although I think abortion should be allowed.

Oh wait, it's because otherwise immigrants wouldn't be required, right?

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by Milesian

Their unproven theories are now being made a legal requirement to believe in.
Mankind must now be allowed to think they have an inner nobility of spirit, a higher calling than base consumerism. There is no God, no eternity, no hope of anything better. And the sooner that the human cattle realise they are simply souless animals like the beasts in the fields, the better.

Sad truth.

Mankind strives to become better and better in every aspect of life. If we are to be regarded as soulless animals (aka consumers), then where are joy, hope and happiness in our lives? It is hope and belief that drives us forward, not materialism. And that hope gives us strenght that leads to progress and finally welfare.

Nothing is forever, and the materialism isn't an exception.

[Milesian]

Originally Posted by Bardyllis

If we are to be regarded as soulless animals (aka consumers), then where are joy, hope and happiness in our lives?

Hope gives people a sense of contentment.
When people are content, they are happy with their lot.
This is not a conducive atmosphere for a strong economy.
People need to be ambitious, forever discontented, striving for more, working harder, spending more money. People cannot be allowed to have peace, because such people do not work themselves into an early grave, such people do not spend their slave wages on useless gadgets and commodities that they don't really need.

Our secular masters need to keep us deprived of hope at all costs.
They can tolerate no authority over us other than their own.

It is hope and belief that drives us forward, not materialism. And that hope gives us strenght that leads to progress and finally welfare.

This is true.
So it is obvious that they do not want us to progress.
They want to keep us down, controlled and under their heel.
We are animals, cattle, advanced monkeys, soulless workers and automatons.
We are not entitled to hope or contentment.
We exist solely to work and spend. Nothing further is required of us.

Nothing is forever, and the materialism isn't an exception.

A rotten ideology will eventually rot itself out of existence, no doubt.
But what damage it can do in the meantime

[Menydh]

Pastor Johannes Lerle compared the killing of the unborn to the killing of the Jews in Auschwitz during the Second World War. On 14 June, a court in Erlangen ruled that, in doing so, the pastor had “incited the people” because his statement was a denial of the holocaust of the Jews in Nazi-Germany. Hence, Herr Lerle was sentenced to one year in jail. Earlier, he had already spent eight months in jail for calling abortionists “professional killers” – an allegation which the court ruled to be slanderous because, according to the court, the unborn are not humans.

It is the system that should be court martialled for denying the Holocaust of Human Life?

Originally Posted by Red Skull

I agree that Darwinism should be Europe's official ideology.

I don't agree with Darwinism on a large scale. But I do agree with a selective programme of darwinist eugenics for the likes of you, so that we don't have to see immigrants with an attitude.

Although I think abortion should be allowed.

If you say this because you are in a suicidal mood, I applaud your statement. But I loathe you if the intention behind your statement is the indiscriminated mass murder of human lifes out of your materialist inferior view of the world.

[Cirrus]

I think that leftist and liberal Messianism are more harmful to Europe than Darwinism.

I'm aware of the damage caused by an excess of materialism, but why a theory developed in 1838 should be the cause of our present decadence ?

Besides, it is mainly an Anglo-Saxon debate and not very contentious here, even among Catholics (at least in France).

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by Milesian

People need to be ambitious, forever discontended, striving for more, working harder, spending more money. People cannot be allowed to have peace, because such people do not work themselves into an early grave, such people do not spend their slave wages on useless gadgets and commodities that they don't really need.

Our secular masters need to keep us deprived of hope at all costs.
They can tolerate no authority over us other than their own.

The irony is that I'm an Economics student. Every day I hear about the consumer's "needs". You know where's the hypocrisy in this? They say: "If there is no need for a certain product, we must make people want it. We must create a need."
People are indeed considered to be mindless spending machines who just blindly follow new "trends" and make sure they have newest fancy toys.
That's the whole story, and this is what materialism is all about.

This is true.
So it is obvious that they do not want us to progress.
They want to keep us down, controlled and under their heel.
We are animals, cattle, advanced monkeys, soulless workers and automatons.
We are not entitled to hope or contentment.
We exist solely to work and spend. Nothing further is required of us.

Unfortunately that's the view of the Economics and the view of people with the sick fondness for power and capital.

A rotten ideology will eventually rot itself out of existence, no doubt.
But what damage it can do in the meantime

Again I agree.
We can have no serenity if we live that way. The fact is that today's world is too fast, and is making us to adapt to its tempo.
There are always rush, anxiety and problems in our minds. Problems that need to be solved quickly and resolutely, and just because of that we cannot have peace in our lives.
There is always something to draw our attention from the things we value most, such as family, friends, religion and some small things that make us happy.

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Salaün

I think that leftist and liberal Messianism are more harmful to Europe than Darwinism.

I'm aware of the damage caused by an excess of materialism, but why a theory developed in 1838 should be the cause of our present decadence ?

It hasn't taken a few years to be implanted in the society, but it has undermined it slowly over long decades, subverting every aspect of our lifes.

Besides, it is mainly an Anglo-Saxon debate and not very contentious here, even among Catholics (at least in France).

If it had been limited to the Anglo-Saxon world. But it has spread from it and with it.