Comments for The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics

Comment on President Schulz defends diversity in Europe by Zsolt Banhegyi

Zsolt Banhegyi — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:47:00 +0000

An inspired response indeed by Mr Schulz, to a hypocrite who’s all words and no substance.
A master of rhetoric, Mr Orban himself nullifies the potential serious attention
his eloquence may elicit. Years back he said to someone who had tried to call him
to account concerning a promise, ‘mind not my words but my acts only’.
Orban’s rigid and exclusive insistence on Christianity is fully eclipsed by Schultz’s broader
- and authentically Catholic – stance. And, even, paradoxically, Mr Schultz – and not Orban –
strikes a chord that is one of the principal tenets in the fundamental laws of the Hungarian Kingdom of AD 1000, the Admonitions of our first king St Stephen to his son Imre:
‘thou shall receive aliens, people from abroad with great kindness, as they adorn and
raise the worth of your kingdom’.

Comment on European Parliament Library Briefing on Secularism in the EU by Chris

Chris — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:19:00 +0000

The issues around “reproductive health rights” – as a euphemism for abortion - are not religious issues, and to class them as such is to make a very narrow, ideological judgement that illustrates your own prejudices.

Abortion is a fundamental human rights issue. It pins the right of the unborn fetus to life against the right of the women to do with her body as she pleases.

Those who oppose abortion do so because they believe the right to life the more fundamental of the two. Those who support abortion do so primarily out of moral convenience.

Comment on Hungary Approves Restrictive Church Law Amid Evangelical Protests by Szekfigy

Szekfigy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:32:00 +0000

I appreciate your concern and as I’m living in Budapest, I’m glad you’re
reporting on such things, but I’m afraid I must add some details.

First of all: This picture was taken on 2 January 2012 at the protests
on Andrássy street near the Opera, where state leaders were celebrating
the new constitution, and has nothing to do with any denominational
protests. It is a rather emblematic one, so it decreases the credibility
of the article.

Church leaders from among the 14 selected are not very vocal about their
disagreement. The best known and most vocal of them is indeed Mr Gábor
Iványi, who is a Methodist, and was also left out.

Also, the real social problem is not that the number of churches is
limited. The root of the problem is that if you want to open a school or
provide a social service (home for the elderly, for people with special
needs, or whatever), you’d better be a religious community. Because you
get twice the state subsidy you’d get if you were a non-religious NGO!!

The real scandal is not that less organisations are given privileges,
but that social and community services are “worth” more state money if
they are provided by a religious organisation.

Comment on EHF complains to EU Ombudsman about treatment by EU Commission by Fransvandongen9

Fransvandongen9 — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

I agree with David Pollock.
The EC should at least have some attention for Atheists. At least as much as for representatives of religious organisation.

Comment on Church and humanists clash over Bishops in parliament by Church and humanists clash over Bishops in parliament | The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:29:48 +0000

[...] In his written submission to the Joint Committee, Dr Williams described why he supports having Church of England Bishops in the House of Lords as of right and why the appointments process should also have regard to increasing the presence of leaders of other denominations and faiths (http://tiny.cc/tbr3i). The UK is the only democracy in the world to have reserved seats for clerics in its parliament, and the BHA has been campaigning for many years to have abolished this outdated, undemocratic, unequal and unfair tradition which, if retained, would seriously undermine the validity of any reform of the House of Lords. Read more… [...]

Comment on NSS submits report on child abuse in Ireland by Frans van Dongen

Frans van Dongen — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:45:00 +0000

We agree with the NSS and Keith Porteous Wood,

It’s high time to put the catholic church to justice.
Aren’t we too soft for the catholics ?
If you look at not only this child abuse, but for instance at the behaviour during World War II and all the things that this church ondertook from the end of the Roman Empire until today, isn’t it about time to go one step further and simply insist on declaring the catholic church a “criminal organisation” ?
Or at least an “unwanted organisation” ?

Frans van Dongen
(chair Atheistic Secular Party – The Netherlands – http://www.atheistischseculierepartij.nl/ )

Comment on Report on EPPSP meeting 29 June 2011 on the Implementation of Art 17 in the European Parliament by Report on EPPSP meeting on Art 17 – 29 June 2011 | The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:54:49 +0000

[...] Read more… [...]

Comment on Pope visit to Spain hit by protests over ‘ostentatious’ trip by Frans van Dongen

Frans van Dongen — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:48:00 +0000

We feel that the Vatican is an extrememly undemocratic state.
We feel that the EU shouldn’t accept that.

At least the European Parliament should protest against this illegal political constitutional soap opera in a small quarter of Rome.

Can’t we as EPPSP do something ?
A way of letting hear a firm protest ?
Isn’t that the least we can do ?

Frans van Dongen
(chair Atheist Secular Party -the Netherlands)

Comment on EPPSP’s Advisory Board member David Pollock receives prestigious international award by Frans van Dongen

Frans van Dongen — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Congratulations to Mr David Pollock,

By way of this forum I would like to express our admiration for Mr Pollock and his activities towards a secular Europe.
Mr Pollock certainly deserves this award. And let him be aware that the dutch Atheistic Secular Party is right behind him

Frans van Dongen
( Chair Atheistic Secular Party – the Netherlands
http://www.atheistischseculierepartij.nl/ )

Comment on Sophie in ‘t Veld receives International Humanist Award by Frans van Dongen

Frans van Dongen — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Dear Mrs in ‘t Veld,

Via Twitter our secretary, Hans de Vries has already congratulated you for your deserved award.
By way of this forum I would like to let you know again that the dutch Atheistic Secular Party is right behind your award and behind you.

Frans van Dongen
( chair Atheistic Secular Party, the Netherlands
http://www.atheistischseculierepartij.nl/ )