Home >> Europe >> European Union  Email  Print Will Europe's “capacity to act” and a “return to its Christian roots” present a danger to religious freedom? Lorna Thomas - 11/17/2009 During its ratification process, the Lisbon Treaty (Reform Treaty) was seen by many, including one of the original Constitution's creators, former French president Giscard d'Estaing, as being the old Constitution, simply with a few changes. German Chancellor Angela Merkel once told members of the European Parliament “The substance of the Constitution is preserved. That is a fact." while EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso stated "We have a treaty that will give us now the capacity to act."
Europe's "capacity to act" will indeed be strengthened by the Treaty's introduction of the two posts of President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs, allowing Europe to powerfully speak and act as one on the world's stage.
The current 6 month rotating Presidency becomes a renewable 2 ½ year term of office, but its dissolution also does away with safeguards against a possible dictatorship forming in the future.
At a working dinner on the 19th November 2009, EU premiers and presidents hope to decide on who will hold the new top posts in the EU created by the treaty. One name mentioned over the last years is that of Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime-Minister of Luxembourg.
In the past, French President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested both Tony Blair and Jean-Claude Juncker for the role of Europe's first President, although some analysts believed Juncker, whose contributions to Europe have been endorsed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to have been his first choice.
At a ceremony in Berlin in February 2008 where Mr Juncker received the German Citizen award for his “outstanding service to the European unification process”, Merkel lauded him, as “a stroke of luck” and “an asset” for Europe, instrumental in making the European unification process irreversible.
In November 2009, Norbert Lammert, an ally of Merkel and speaker of the German Parliament told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper: "If the criteria for choosing the first president are experience, reputation, competence and profile, then we don't need to look any further, because nobody meets these requirements more perfectly than Jean-Claude Juncker."
Noted for his federalist views, Juncker both championed the Lisbon Treaty and was a key architect and signatory of the Maastricht Treaty. In 2007 Juncker told Le Soir, a Belgian newspaper that he supported public debate n the treaty - except in Britain.
"Britain is different. Of course there will be transfers of sovereignty. But would I be intelligent to draw the attention of public opinion to this fact?"
"There is a single legal personality for the EU, the primacy of European law, a new architecture for foreign and security policy, there is an enormous extension in the fields of the EU's powers, there is Charter of Fundamental Rights."
Chairman of Eurofin, the EU's group of finance ministers, he is also known as "Mr Euro", largely responsible for clauses on economic and monetary union eventually giving rise to the Euro.
He is an editor of the German Christian orientated publication, Rheinische Merkur together, with others including Steffen Heitmann, former Saxon justice minister and ordained priest who ratified an historic Concordat between Saxony and the Vatican governing church state relations and was Chancellor Kohl's choice for German President in the 1993 elections. Heitmann was forced to withdraw because of his xenophobic views and relativism of Germany's past. It is not unlikely that his influence will be strongly felt in the new Europe.
The Charlemagne Prize, a citizens' prize for "distinguished service on behalf of European unification", was not only awarded to the Euro in 2002, but also went to Mr Juncker in 2006. After adoption of the constitution was previously stalled by the French and Dutch with a “No' vote in 2005, Chancellor Merkel received the Charlemagne Prize on 1 May, 2008 for her role in "overcoming the crisis of the EU and in recognition of decisions pointing the way to the advancement of the European unification process."
Charlemagne was crowned by the Pope as Imperator Augustus by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800. Not only is he considered the founding father of both French and German monarchies, but is known as the father of Europe with his empire uniting most of Western Europe for the first time since the Romans. He attempted to consolidate Christianity throughout his vast empire even by brutal means – acceptance of “the cross” being enforced by means of the sword.
He invaded Saxony where many resisted conversion to the Catholic church. 4,500 people were beheaded in one incident. He also led campaigns against the Muslims.
Charlemagne fought campaigns with his legendary sword “Joyeuse” (Joyful). Some legends claim it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus (Spear of Destiny) within its pommel. With claims that it was used by a Roman soldier to stab Christ while on the cross, the Lance was credited with mystical powers, and was repeatedly associated with rulers of Europe, including Charlemagne and Hitler, gaining their power when acquiring it and losing power once it was no longer in their possession.
President Sarkozy has in the past called for a closer relationship between church and state and has written a book on the subject. Both the late John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI issued calls for a return to 'Europe's Christian roots' - yet too often Europe has been drenched in blood, all in the name of Christianity.
While there has been much talk about a global financial system and security system, moves towards a global political system and religious system could also be hastened and enforced.
For all the wars that have been fought in the name of Christianity, for all the blood that has been shed in order to bring about "conversion", when Christ told His disciples to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, neither Christ's disciples nor His church were ever commanded to physically harm or kill in His Name those who do not accept the Gospel. He commanded His disciples to merely “shake the dust off their feet”, as a witness against them. They would one day be judged by Christ Himself, as the righteous Judge of mankind in the day of judgment.
“And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”
KJV: Mark Chapter 6 :11-12
How much less blood would have been shed in the name of Christianity, had that one instruction of Christ been followed by the Church. Will we again see blood flow in Europe and beyond its borders because of religious persecution? It has happened before in Europe. It can happen again.
Particularly should church and state be merged in a powerful new Europe and freedom of religion not be tolerated.
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