Mixing Politics and Religion
“It’s not for me to mix politics and religion here” were the words used by Enda Kenny as he proceeded to mix politics and religion. By calling on the Church to distance itself from the Alive newspaper’s Lisbon Treaty analysis and, in particular, from that paper’s well founded fears about the imposition of abortion and euthanasia in this country, the Fine Gael leader has added his hand to those who would muzzle the voices of conscience.
The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen has already indicated that any conscientious objection to Lisbon, which his Fianna Fáil colleagues might hold, can only be considered outside the context of the parliamentary party. And Labour’s Joe Costello has gone so far as to object to the distribution of No-to-Lisbon leaflets on the street, outside the Pro Cathedral in Dublin.
Such an approach, even extending to this interference, in the Church, by the state, should not surprise us. As Gay Byrne has so eloquently reminded us, efforts to impose a European ’superstate’ have always been accompanied by a refusal to listen to the people.
With Lisbon, it has been no different. The voices of the people are listened to only when they bleat in harmony to those of their leaders. But when the ordinary people indicate they are unhappy with the path their leaders are taking them down, then consultation processes are suspended and the will of the peoples ignored.
We need look no further than the failed attempt by France and the Netherlands to stop the EU Constitution in its tracks. When referendums went the ‘wrong’ way for its leaders, the referendums were abandoned, their results ignored, and suddenly we were told we either couldn’t or shouldn’t hold referendums, anyway! Then, the ‘incomprehensibility card’ was played as a relatively readable official EU Constitution was replaced with a relatively unreadable Lisbon Treaty, which we are now being told we should have no reasonable expectation of being able to understand.
The sort of ‘democracy’ that is being practiced here is the one we were used to hearing about in the former Soviet Union (USSR) or indeed the German Democratic Republic (GDR): you are perfectly free to express your opinion and even to cast your vote provided it accords with the wishes of your leaders, those benevolent leaders who know so much better than you what is in your best interests.
Whatever one’s views on Eurofederalism, this is no way to give birth to the new European home.
In the interests of freedom of conscience, as well as of its own credibility, the Church must resist the unprecedented pressure that is being brought to bear on it at so critical a time for Ireland and for Europe. It is time, once again, for the Church to be the voice of the voiceless.
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 and is filed under Views on News.
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Ann Says:
I agree with what you’re asking here, Donal.
In spite of what people might think, there are still many in Ireland who look to the Church for guidance – especially in a case like this which would take a lot of studied analysis. Given that the Church has appointed personnel better able to do this than the average church-goer, it is incumbent on Church leaders to guide the flock.
It still remains a matter for one’s own conscience at the end of the day, but at least the Church can see to it that ours is an informed one!
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:10 pm