AOG, Madrid
Spain these days likes to present the World its best non-religious face. Its Prime Minister, Mr. Zapatero, is a well known atheist who, nevertheless, attended a religious service when it visited the US in the company of the Obamas.
And that is probably the best example of how this country tries to do away with religion in its institutions, while kow-towing to religion time and time again. Something which many people in Spain wish did not happen.
And that is probably the best example of how this country tries to do away with religion in its institutions, while kow-towing to religion time and time again. Something which many people in Spain wish did not happen.
The best example of this is the recent controversy an atheist group has presented Madrid’s (Socialist) Government Representative in the city. A group known as AMAL - Asociación Madrileña de Ateos y Librepensadores (Madrid association of atheists and freethinkers)-, requested permission from the Town Hall to stage a public demonstration in favor of atheism on Maudy Thursday.
And this hot potato has gone from the Conservative ruled Town Hall straight to the (Socialist) Government representative in Madrid, with the media in tow all along the way.
The problem is that on that very day, Madrid, and most of Spain, is deep in the midst of Easter Week, with daily processions of religious figures, Saints, Virgins and crucified images of Christ, which the faithful congregate on the streets to see.
The problem is that on that very day, Madrid, and most of Spain, is deep in the midst of Easter Week, with daily processions of religious figures, Saints, Virgins and crucified images of Christ, which the faithful congregate on the streets to see.
Madrid’s Easter processions are relatively low key compared to the religious pomp and circumstance of cities like Valladolid and the über Catholic processions of Seville, in the South of the country but nevertheless as a popular religious expression.
It is fair to say that the Catholic Church is allowed to take over the streets of Spain at this time, and that the whole country sort of shuts down for the duration.
Of course, Spain 2011 is not the same as Spain 1911. These days, many people, even many religious people, are not entirely sure that the Church should be given such a free hand when it comes to public spaces, and Easter, or Holy Week as it is known, can certainly be a nuisance for many people since it entails increased levels of noise, public crowds, traffic cuts and delays, etc.
But that is not exactly the point of the demonstration. It had more to do with an incipient, yet eternal, movement towards atheism.
The Government’s regional representative argued up to 11 reasons for which it denied the demonstration (stated below) which it quickly called “an atheist procession”, alluding to an anti-religious sentiment and the intention of AMAL to promote its “atheist ideology”.
Of course, Spain 2011 is not the same as Spain 1911. These days, many people, even many religious people, are not entirely sure that the Church should be given such a free hand when it comes to public spaces, and Easter, or Holy Week as it is known, can certainly be a nuisance for many people since it entails increased levels of noise, public crowds, traffic cuts and delays, etc.
But that is not exactly the point of the demonstration. It had more to do with an incipient, yet eternal, movement towards atheism.
The Government’s regional representative argued up to 11 reasons for which it denied the demonstration (stated below) which it quickly called “an atheist procession”, alluding to an anti-religious sentiment and the intention of AMAL to promote its “atheist ideology”.
AMAL, as well as the local organisation La Playa de Lavapies however, never called it a procession and insisted it was a public demonstration.
It is worth noting that AMAL is a group from the neighborhood of Lavapies, which is a small melting pot of different nationalities in Madrid.
In fact, it would be fair to say that about half the population of Lavapies is not of Christian origin, coming as many of them do from places like North Africa or the Indian subcontinent, although no religious group asked for this demonstration, quite the opposite.
It is worth noting that AMAL is a group from the neighborhood of Lavapies, which is a small melting pot of different nationalities in Madrid.
In fact, it would be fair to say that about half the population of Lavapies is not of Christian origin, coming as many of them do from places like North Africa or the Indian subcontinent, although no religious group asked for this demonstration, quite the opposite.
Unfortunately, the controversy was served as soon as the Town Hall started to pass the buck.
Many other atheist groups in Madrid and in Spain have joined AMAL and it has the right of appeal before Madrid’s Superior Justice Tribunal since the demonstration’s denial is seen as a violation of the fundamental right of public demonstration and assembly, enshrined in Spain’s legal system.
However, it seems like they had no time to do this since they are being sued by 10 citizens -7 of them lawyers- on the grounds of "religious derision".
The fact that "religious derision" can be counted as a punishable crime in Spain has many people in the country up in arms.
Furthermore, they are also being sued by a Christian Lawyers Association for “extolling terrorism” and an NGO (HazteOir.org ) for “genocide” –it seems AMAL allegedly used pre civil war arguments for their demonstration and maybe “justified” their actions by so doing, and thus allegedly broke a law on Spain’s Penal Code, (unfortunately, a lot of priests and nuns were killed before the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 and it is against the law to justify or deny their deaths) which forbids “The diffusion by any means of ideas or doctrines which deny or justify the crimes of genocide… or pretend the rehabilitation of regimes or institutions which shelter any practises which generate said crimes”.
However, it seems like they had no time to do this since they are being sued by 10 citizens -7 of them lawyers- on the grounds of "religious derision".
The fact that "religious derision" can be counted as a punishable crime in Spain has many people in the country up in arms.
Furthermore, they are also being sued by a Christian Lawyers Association for “extolling terrorism” and an NGO (HazteOir.org ) for “genocide” –it seems AMAL allegedly used pre civil war arguments for their demonstration and maybe “justified” their actions by so doing, and thus allegedly broke a law on Spain’s Penal Code, (unfortunately, a lot of priests and nuns were killed before the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 and it is against the law to justify or deny their deaths) which forbids “The diffusion by any means of ideas or doctrines which deny or justify the crimes of genocide… or pretend the rehabilitation of regimes or institutions which shelter any practises which generate said crimes”.
Hazteoir.org, for their part, even went as far as compiling signatures against the move and asked the Government delegate to "apply the law and protect the faithful from the insults of the atheist anti-procession next Maudy Thursday". So it would appear that being an atheist and making it known publicly offends the religious majority. Quite.
It seems like the people who wanted to carry out the demonstration never thought it would all end up like this and they still want to carry out their demonstration, although it does not look like they will.
Mr. Luis Vega, president of AMAL, has stated that prohibiting this demonstration is a “worrying” fact and one that “means a withdrawal of the country’s liberties” since the city’s Administration uses the same arguments as those used by religious authorities to forbid the public demonstration.
This is one of the few public declarations they have made since they went public with their request given the fact that they have, allegedly, been “threatened” ever since. “We were trying to criticise the Church as an institution, not any religious belief. We meant it to be like a neighborhood band type of thing”.
Madrid’s Government Representative has denied the petition on these grounds:
- The procession’s (sic) route “curiously” presents names related to catholic symbology
- The chosen date: Maudy Thursday
- The chosen time coincides with that of various Catholic processions
- The denominations of the participating “brotherhoods” (AMAL never said there would be any “brotherhoods”, but it seems that other atheist groups slightly hijacked their initiative and announced there would be brotherhoods akin to those found on Catholic processions with names such as the Pope’s Brotherhood of the Holy Larceny or the Brotherhood of the Holy Paedophile)
- It takes place in a zone with various parish churches
- The content of the group’s posters and public declarations
- It coincides with the route taken by Catholic processions “well-known for years”
- The presence of radical and antagonistic groups
- Massive public affluence and the need to protect Madrid’s touristic image
- The enclave is of a very high artistic and historical value
-The Police, Town Hall, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Government’s representative coincide in that it should not take place
Of course, part of the problem lies in the fact that it was the Government’s representative that denied the petition.
The Government is ruled at present by the Socialist Party, a political organisation which continuously tries to present its lay credentials but which often falls short in the eyes of many.
For their part, AMAL and La Playa de Lavapies have issued statements whereby they declare that they abide the Government's ruling and will not carry out any public demonstration on said date.
However, it remains to be seen if nothing beyond the religious processions will take place.
Many in Spain see this as another example of their non-denominational Government bowing to religious pressure and as a victory for the Catholic Church, an institution which in Spain, surprisingly, has of late been playing the victim continuously, especially since the Socialists came into power in 2004.
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Comments
I checked out his blogspot - raving and bible verses... A religious-maniac troll: disregard.
Catholic Spain may have a longer history of interference by the Church with the affairs of State, but I'll match the US up against any country when it comes to the folly of meddling zealots.
(1) For months, work on necessary legislation was set aside while we argued about "don't ask, don't tell" because religious zealots want to deny homosexuals the right to serve and die if necessary for their country. Zealots are continuing to engage in an increasingly hostile debate about gay marriage.
(2) Recently, we had the fate of the nation's entire budget held up by endless debates about abortion -- which is in fact the law of the land, tho not the law of the zealots, who presume to know better than the woman. Proposed legislation in one state would make killing an abortion provider "justifiable homocide" -- I'm not making that up.
The bitter irony in this is that these zealots claim to be promoting "freedom" by insisting on their right to tell others what to do with their lives.
(3) Despite Constitutional and other legal prohibitions limiting church involvement in politics, as a practical matter, it has become all but impossible for a candidate to win nomination without a public profession of faith. Thus we witness a heated and idiotic debate over Obama's supposed Muslim faith. Then there's the utterly ludicrous specter of Donald Trump pretending to be a regular church-goer. I call this sort of nonsense Sacred Bullshit.
In short, faith has become farce.
Crusaders, although enemies of the Prophet, are people of the book nonetheless and are fierce warriors and will make the coming Caliphate much harder to establish.
Let us be honest, brothers. Spain was at its greatest cultural and historical moment when the Moorish Caliphate ruled from Cordoba. Ferdinand and the whore-queen, Isabella, ruined Grenada and destroyed the last true faith from Spain. From this time onward, 1492, Spain and Catholic Crusaders brough untold suffering to the world.
Islam stands for peace and progress and culture and art and beauty. The Caliphate must be restored and Spain will once again be a crown jewel in the re-established Caliphate.
Atheism, I suppose, is a good middle step between Christianity and Islam. The Spanish must purge themselves of Christian thought and be a blank slate, in preparation for true Islamic feeling and devotion, which will surely come sweeping into the land, as we immigrate out of Africa and reclaim the Iberian Peninsula in the name of the Prophet, praise be onto him.
We do not need to conquer Spain, for Allah is depopulating the land for us, ahead of time, PEACEFULLY.
When we come back into Spain, we will have lush harvests and rolling hills awaiting us, Inshallah
Before trying to sort Spain back into the arms of Islam you should concentrate on trying to make Egypt into a modern country.
And secondly, the Spanish kicked out all vestiges of Islam by 1492. What makes you think that a) they want Islam back and b) they won't do it again?
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