Since the reign of Frederick the Great in the 18th century, Berlin has mostly held a reputation as a city of tolerance and enlightenment. When Hitler rose to power in the 1930s, Berlin counted among the German states least in favour of the despot’s accession. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the vote of the Catholic Party, the Nazis might have been consigned to the dustbin of history, for the Prussians were opposed to all forms of fanaticism. Unlike in Ireland, the separation of church and state is a sine qua non for the Germans, and in particular Berliners. However, it now looks as though the light of reason could be coming under threat from the murky forces of ignorance and superstition.
A highly organised group of religious fanatics called Pro-Reli have been campaigning over the past year to introduce segregated religious education in Berlin’s state-run schools. In 2007, the Berlin government introduced ethics as a compulsory subject for all secondary students from seventh grade onwards. The subject covers questions dealing with moral, cultural, political, religious and philosophical issues, with the aim of furnishing students with the capacity to think for themselves, as the ability to reason is a prerequisite for a fully functioning, pluralist and democratic society.
However not everyone agrees with teaching Germany’s youth to think for themselves, and the Pro-Reli campaign has now secured enough signatures to its petition to force a referendum on this issue.
The Pro-Reli phenomenon is yet another indicator of the intransigence and growing power of religion in secular societies. This religious recrudescence would seem to contradict Europe’s claim that it has evolved to a fully secular civilisation. The problem becomes deeply complex when one considers the make-up of this religious resurgence. Berlin’s religious front is quite mixed, with Christians, Jews and Muslims all insisting that their children’s rational capacities be neglected in favour of mythological indoctrination. By living their lives according to the dictates of the relatively ignorant authors of the scriptures, they will miraculously (no doubt) become better citizens.
In a tolerant society one should allow the freedom of religion. It should be tolerated in the same way we tolerate pornography, gambling and excessive drinking; that they are not so harmful provided they are kept under control. But one should not allow religion to dominate civil society. If the Pro-Reli group has its way, the only result will be a new generation of Berliners incapable of thinking for themselves. And this religious indoctrination could have disastrous consequences for cultural integration.
It is not surprising that the three dominant religions of Europe – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – all blossomed in the deserts of the Middle East. It is because the desert is the easiest place to forget about the world! These elaborate narratives are the three greatest sources of ignorance, intolerance and tyranny in Europe’s history. In short, they are the three great frauds of humanity.
The problem for atheists, agnostics and free thinkers is that they are not organised in groups like the churches; as a result, they do not make enough noise. The religionists, on the other hand, are vociferous and highly organised. They push pamphlets and propaganda newspapers through our doors, and in countries such as Ireland (where philosophy is a foreign word to most) they infiltrate the media through their lay spokespersons. I don’t need to mention who they are. You’ve all ready heard, seen and probably even read them.
Ireland’s obsequious mentality, nurtured by centuries of Catholicism, means that a regression towards religious education in Berlin is likely to be used by right-wing religionists in Ireland to promote the continuous role of the church in our out-dated education system. If the religionists have their way in Berlin, it will be a triumph for irrational right-wing politics and a disaster for any kind of functional multiculturalism. The very fact that Berlin, of all cities, is actually having this debate is another sign that a counter-enlightenment movement is gaining ground in Europe. Champions of multiculturalism, tolerance and reason, be vigilant and be heard!
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