David Cameron believes Britain is a Christian country and says he cannot understand why there is any debate over Christian political involvement. Addressing church leaders at a Downing Street reception, the Prime Minister said that because “so many political questions are moral questions”, Christianity is already involved in politics.
Benedict XVI is calling for fresh insights on the topic of religious freedom, noting how this fundamental human right was enshrined after the downfall of 20th-century totalitarianisms, but now again faces threats. The Pope made his appeal in an April 29 message to Mary Ann Glendon, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, on the occasion of the academy's 17th plenary session.
Prof. Mary Ann Glendon (Harvard) at the 17th plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in Rome:
The head of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland has criticised what he calls 'aggressive secularism' in Britain. In his Easter sermon, Cardinal Keith O'Brien warned that enemies of Christianity are attempting to remove God from the public sphere.
After accusations of bias against Christianity at the BBC, the BBC Trust Chairman Christopher Patten has underlined atheists' lack of tolerance towards Christians. Lord Patten, chancellor of the University of Oxford, former Governor of Hong Kong and former Cabinet minister said: «It is curious that atheists have proved to be so intolerant of those who have a faith».
There are sectors of society that might consider religion insignificant or even annoying, but that does not justify violating the fundamental right of religious liberty, Benedict XVI is affirming.
In an ironical essay, the French web journal 'Causeur' puts into light how the European Court, under the pretext of defending rights, really legalizes intolerance towards Christians and their religious opinions.
The Vatican representative Archbishop Silvano Tomas told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday that many who oppose homosexuality are being unjustly attacked for their views.
Joseph Weiler, a Jewish law professor at the New York University School of Law, represented the governments of Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, the Russian Federation and San Marino in the case.