"ROME (AP) - The Vatican on Tuesday denounced a ruling by the European court of human rights that said the display of crucifixes in Italian public schools violates religious and education freedoms."

http://apnews.excite.com/article/2009110...

I like the quote about the crucifix being "a symbol of unity and welcoming for all of humanity." Reminds me of that old joke about the Jewish kid sent to a Catholic school.

Reminds me of that old joke about the Jewish kid sent to a Catholic school.

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>2
Little Scottie was a real handful. Nobody could control him. After two weeks in the second grade, his parents are called into school and notified that he is too wild and disruptive, and is being expelled.

Realizing that Scottie needs more personal attention, his parents enroll him in a private school. He lasts a week and a half, at which point, the tuition is returned with a request to find him another school.

Perhaps it was spiritual guidance that Scottie needed, so his folks took him to a famous yeshiva where he would receive both a secular and Jewish religious education. He was expelled after two days for putting a pork chop in the Rabbi's lunchbox.

Thinking that perhaps more discipline was in order, his parents send him to an exclusive military academy. It took four days for him to be court-martialed. It was only through a lawyer's intervention that he wasn't put before a firing squad.

Oh, Scottie was a bad, bad boy. His parents were at their wits' end. Finally, their Italian neighbors suggested the local Catholic school. The nuns were tough, they told him. Perhaps they could whip him into shape. At first, his parents balked at the idea of sending their Jewish son to Catholic school, but they what other choices did they have? He'd already been kicked out of every school he'd attended. Finally, desperate, they relent.

One, two, three months go by. Scottie is getting wonderful grades and good reports from his teachers. His parents are thrilled but puzzled.

"Listen, Scottie, darling. We're thrilled that you're doing so well in school now, but we're curious. You got expelled from public school, private school, yeshiva and military school, and yet, you, a Jewish boy, is doing great in Catholic school. We'd just like to know what's caused this wonderful new attitude."

"Well," says Scottie, "When I saw that Jewish kid nailed up to that big cross, I know those nuns didn't f&*k around!"

oh oh oh no :)))))))))) M & M's everywhere

"The Strasbourg-based court said the crucifix could be disturbing to non-Christian or atheist pupils, rejecting arguments by Italy's government that it was a national symbol of culture, history, identity, tolerance and secularism."

Oh, of course! It's not a religious symbol at all! It's a reflection of the traditions of Roman Law and its culmination in the fair and secular execution of fringe cult leader. ;)

I thought the court's decision was wrong. Fear of intolerance and exclusion seems to be leading to a wider intolerance and exclusion rather than integration. It's almost, but not quite, as stupid as the French decision to prevent all school children wearing any kind of religious symbol - crucifix, head-covering, etc etc.

Whether or not a child wears a religious symbol is the decision of the child and/or parents. And I don't see how this would affect another student.

Having a crucifix hanging in the classroom is entirely another matter. Whether or not it is their intention, they are sending a message to the children that this is what the school endorses: Christianity.

And we are not talking about just a cross. We are talking about the crucifix, which depicts a man nailed to the cross, a pretty gruesome sight, unless you've been indoctrinated from day one to accept it as normal.

I'm with beelzebubba. I grew up with them hanging in practically every room and I still find them gruesome and disturbing.

There are also plenty of Christians who object to idolatry.

It's hardly possible to live in Italy without seeing a crucifix on a regular basis. Also, wouldn't it be a little odd for a school which presumably does endorse Christianity to be told to remove the crucifix because it is a symbol endorsing Christianity? Maybe we are missing a few essential details of this story.

...wouldn't it be a little odd for a school which presumably does endorse Christianity...

The point is that these rulings are for public, ie Government, schools, which shouldn't be 'endorsing' religion of any flavour.

Oh dear, I was wondering how long I might sustain playing Devil's (or Christ's) advocate. Not long, it seems.