MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

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November 12, 2009

Religion/govt. divide

Italy would do well to follow the recent ruling of a European court of human rights that the display of crucifixes in Italian public schools violates religious and educational freedoms.

Even in the United States, where government is restricted from making a “law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” we have long discussions and various opinions about what that means.

But as the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that should mean that government does not give even the appearance of endorsing any religion.

Not every country has reached that understanding. Italy, which is home to the Vatican and head of the Roman Catholic Church, defends the crucifixes and crosses in public schools as cultural symbols.

That may be true, but as the European court ruled, they are undoubtedly Christian symbols in public schools that are increasingly populated by children whose faith is not Catholic, let alone Christian.

The free exercise of religion should not be prohibited in any country. Of course, many Western countries complain about religious restrictions in some Muslim countries. Those restrictions are wrong and not in their best interests. They only lead to greater restrictions, breed prejudice and often violence, and constrain the flow of new ideas and growth.

This issue won’t be resolved easily in many countries where religion mixes with government, as it did in Europe for hundreds of years and still does in the Middle East. However, the best policy is the policy stated in our First Amendment.

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