true believers

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Jun 16, 2005

OK, I admit I'm stumped. Can someone please explain?

The Catholic bishops of Europe-- or the organization that claims to represent them-- says that the European Union is "the foundation of peace and stability which has been enjoyed in Europe for over 50 years." But the European Union hasn't existed for 50 years; in fact it doesn't exist in constitutional form even today. Can a political institution be the cause of a pre-existing effect?

Take a look at the full text of the statement released by the Commission of European Bishops' Conferences. The arguments therein may or may not convince you; that's not the point. The point is that there is absolutely nothing distinctively Christian, let alone Catholic, in the bishops' statement.

Go ahead: Download the statement, and do a search for a few telltale words. You won't find:

• Jesus
• Christ
• Christian
• Gospel
• salvation
• soul
or
• religion

You will find "religious" used once. They're bishops, after all; it's their profession.