Religious, Ethnic And Cultural Tolerance In Europe

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Religious, ethnic and cultural tolerance in Europe

What religions are currently living in Europe?

In Europe, if we talk about religion, the predominant are Christianity (in their variables), Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, although we can also find others present. The majority of Europeans who believe in a religion are Christians, divided into different trends.

Roman Catholicism is the most abundant denomination in Latin Europe (includes France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium of the South), Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, also the southern regionsof Germanic Europe (including Austria, Luxembourg, North Belgium, South and West Germany, and Liechtenstein). On the other hand, Protestantism and orthodoxy, also important although with a number of minority followers, are divided into many different churches, especially in Eastern Europe.

Islam reached various European islands and the coasts in the Mediterranean throughout the seventh century. During Ottoman expansionism Islam spread in the Balkans and southeastern Europe. Also, he has historically been present in Russia. But in recent years, Muslims have emigrated to Europe with the purpose of being temporary workers or as residents.

The Jews were dispersed within the Roman Empire since the second century. For a while, Judaism was a generalized practice throughout the European continent. From the Middle Ages, the Jews frequently face discrimination, prejudices, etc. And the population of Jews in Europe was severely repressed during the Holocaust, which caused the large -scale migration of Jews throughout Europe. Currently, France is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe with 1% of the total population. Other European countries in which we find Jewish population are Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Italy.

We must not forget the rest of religions present in Europe, among which we include Buddhism, scattered throughout Europe and rapid growth in recent years;Hinduism, majority in the United Kingdom;Sikismo, again stands out in the United Kingdom and also in Italy;Not forgetting the small religions that have reached Europe due to the influx of immigrants from other parts of the world. It is also important, the growing number of people described as atheists or agnostics to themselves.

Acceptance and religious conflicts in Europe

The freedom or tolerance that each country wants to give religion in its society, is not marked by a unique model of relations between the Church and the State, but each one has developed its own balance between these. In countries such as Germany, Greece and Ireland there are specific mentions of God in the Constitution;Other Member States, such as Slovenia, Portugal and Slovakia have a concordat with the Holy See;And there are also cases such as France, which would be the other extreme, secularism is a event consecrated in its Magna Carta. But when speaking more generally, the church-stated separation has been promulgated during the last decades as a common feature to most European countries and, more specifically, in recent years, these countries are promulgating moreand more laws to control, reduce or even prohibit certain religious practices. It is also notorious that the objective of these laws is, above all, Islam.

As a consequence of these laws and the prohibitions that promote, numerous conflicts have emerged between religious who do not consider them appropriate or that do not respect them.

To introduce such conflicts, you should not start with another reality other than that of prayers in public. This tradition of numerous religions (serving as an example Islam), has led to controversy in many places due to several factors. There are those who consider these prayers as a way to take advantage of public space: in the same way that this is used for personal leisure activities, it can be used for religious activities. On the other hand, we find those who believe it is essential Share the same space to express your beliefs.

Whether or not they are appropriate said prayers and the various responses to them, a good example of this disagreement is what happens in Granada. This city has historically been a territory that presents great religious diversity and coexistence, being the last Muslim enclave in the Peninsula and always coexisting with Christianity, the main religion of Spain. But despite the tradition of interreligious coexistence, in this territory there are still inequalities such as cult spaces (main reason for the writing), educational resources, political and financial relations, etc., that feed the prejudices and stereotypes that are created by certain population sectors.

What happened because in Granada was the celebration of an act called "Meet the Ramadan", with several activities aimed at learning cultural aspects of Islam, aimed at both adults and children and girls. It was June 10, 2017, and thus constituted the first public and open act shared by Muslim communities in Granada. What really meant the problem of all this, was the place chosen for the celebration of that party: the Jardines del Triunfo, whose upper part is a statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate. This is where the controversy between those who considered this place as a Catholic space for the presence of the Virgin and, the defenders of the multicultural and intercultural values ​​participate in a peaceful coexistence.

With which, there are arguments of all types: against such as “[…] go to a Muslim country to do a Holy Week procession and you will see what happens […]” or “all the West is of Christian culture and tradition and Greco-Latin. Is in our identity ”; And in favor, as well as "many of the Muslims residing in Granada we are Spanish, not only of birth but of genealogy, citizens so right given by the Spanish Constitution to celebrate our rites and parties like any Catholic" or "are as Granada as any another, so they have the right to use the public spaces of this city. Even more when it is to organize a day of coexistence that only intends to publicize another culture (which by the way, so much has to do with us), and open a little the mind of this city so cateta that we have ”.

Second, another of the most generalized religious problems in Europe becomes the use of attire that questions equality between men and women. Such as dresses, mantles, veils, etc. That the Qur’an, Sacred Book of Muslims, sends women to dress to keep their beauty and sexuality hidden in order not to excite men. It is true that we find a wide range, not all restrictive, and the objective of European governments is to veto the use of the most comprehensive, such as ‘Niqab’ and ‘Burka’, in public spaces.

Heading the list of the most restrictive has Belgium. An internal commission of the Belgian Parliament has unanimously approved the prohibition of burka on public roads through a modification of the Criminal Code. This veto would go beyond the French, which restricts the use of the integral Islamic veil only in certain public places. It is understood as ‘public space’ streets, roads, parks, sports land, as well as public service buildings. Wearing any garment that fully covers the face could mean fines between 15 and 25 euros, as well as a prison sentence between 1 and 7 days.

As has already been appointed, France is not in favor of this type of garments and this was expressed by President Nicolas Sarkozy: ‘I want to say it solemnly: the burka is not welcome in France’, or ‘We cannot accept in our country prisoners after a rack, isolated from all social and private life of all identity. It is not the idea that the French Republic has of the dignity of women ’.

Finally it was concluded that the integral veil will be vetoed in public services, such as schools, hospitals, or transport, but not in the street. This country did not consider an absolute prohibition because it could be considered unconstitutional, but the disobedience to its established limits would lead to denied the French nationality and the residence permit to the woman who saw such garments and her spouse, by radical practice of religion incompatible with Republican values.

In Italy the controversy arises in the classrooms. An Italian minister of equal opportunities, Mara Carfagna, began in October 2009 the crusade against the burka at school. He wants to prohibit both Burka and Niqab in Italian classrooms in understanding that this garment is a manifestation of woman’s submission and a real obstacle to their integration, in addition to not considering it appropriate in a country where, according to the latest published surveys, more of 80% of the population declares Catholic.

On the contrary, in terms of the use of Catholic symbols, the Strasbourg Court issued a sentence in which the mandatory exhibition of crucifixes in the classrooms condemns for being contrary to the right of parents to educate their children according to their beliefs and to the freedom of religion of the students.

These are just some of the examples regarding this issue in Europe, because we also find other testimonies, for example Spanish such as’ they can wear as they want, while they are forced to wear long dresses that cover their body and ahandkerchief on the head that covers their hair ‘that criticizes what was Minister of Equality, Bibiana Aido;or cases like Russia that prohibits using women in passport photography.

Third, another of the issues that generates discussion is that of the justified animal sacrifice for religious issues. This September 1 has entered into force the prohibition of sacrificing animals without having left them unconscious in the Belgian region of Valonia, as was done at the beginning of the year in that of Flanders. This directly affects the known as ‘halal rite’ that consists in sacrificing animals for human consumption in Islam. In it, the animal still conscious is slaughtered (it takes a few seconds to lose consciousness due to cerebral hypoxia) and let it bleed for hours for hours. Without halal rite, Muslim practitioners could not consume meat, but they are not the only. In the ‘Kosher’ Jews rites, the animal is also required to be aware of a similar rite but made by Jewish practitioners.

Belgium is not the only European country where both halal and kosher rites are prohibited. In other countries such as Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Slovenia, it is mandatory that before passing the knife to the animal, some system that leaves it unconscious is applied. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany allow certain exceptions, although quite limited.Although Belgian legislators find their arguments in the protection of animal rights, some voices both inside and outside the country point to an alleged Islamophobia, in addition to an example of the growing anti -immigrant and antimusement feeling, not only of the flamenco themselves, but also present throughout the continent.

This discontent is reflected in some testimonies such as that the prohibition was motivated "more by the stigmatization of certain groups" than by concerns about animal welfare, and the government could take other measures to reduce animal suffering, "without violating freedom of Belgian religion and European regulation regarding this matter, ”said Joos Roets, a lawyer who represents an organization umbrella of Islamic institutions; or that "the Jews would be a collateral victim of the anti-maulmanal campaign of parties such as the N-VA (New Flamenco Alliance)," says the president of the Confederation of European Rabbines, clicks Goldsmidt, this also considers that “with these antimustial laws , Europe enters a new dark age ”(in reference to the Middle Ages); or also that "believers will be forced to choose between eating flesh and raping their religious beliefs" according to American lawyer Wesley J.Smith, of the Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism, in an article entitled "Europe continues to reduce religious freedom".

Finally, another matter among the many others that could be pointed out in terms of religious issues, is circumcision. This is known as "Brit Milá" in Hebrew or as "Tahara" in Arabic and has its origin in ancient Egypt more than 3.000 years. It was assumed as a ritual by semitas peoples, long before the emergence of the three great contemporary religions and is currently specially practiced by Jewish and Muslim communities.

For Jewish men it is a rite of "communion with God" that takes place on the eighth day of birth. And on the other hand, among Muslims, it appears rather as a custom or religious obligation, which can also be applied either during the first days of birth, or in later years, provided that it is carried out before puberty;and a hygienic function, of disease protection is also attributed.

A good example is the debate that has been opened in Germany. There, religious and worship freedom are constitutionally protected but they find limits if it is about being attentive against another fundamental freedom, "physical integrity". The jurists of Colonia affirmed that it is damaged in a "irreparable" way by a circumcision, unless an adult decides to submit to it by itself.

For Christoph Türcke, a professor of philosophy and evangelical theology in Leipzig, the elimination of the foreskin of the male newborn represents an "archaic ritual", and considers better option to follow the example of Christianity, which uses baptism as "the sign of belonging toThe community ”, a more advanced practice than circumcision.

In the case of Muslims, there is no reference to circumcision in the Qur’. "Anyway, it should be the religious community that decides on the possibility of a contemporary adaptation of the ritual," says Türcke, believes that it would be as if in an Islamic country the baptism was prohibited.

The greatest approach between both parties that has been achieved would be possible, theoretically, with a delay of the ritual until the age of majority, with the conscious decision of those involved. But the president of the Jewish Council of Germany has refused to assess the option and also from the medical point of view it is considered that there is less pain and risk of scar formation at an early age.

Likewise, speaking from a neutral point and without going into what is fine and what is not, there is a fear that if the circumcision is criminalized, it is carried out in illegal and dangerous ways or that it does not be done in the hands of a doctorAnd the life of babies is endangered.  

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