Poor europe

adminonNovember 12, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

In Europe, prejudice against migrants, Muslims, Jews, women and homosexuals is widespread, according to a survey. Intolerance is most pronounced in Hungary and Poland, according to the "Study on Group-Related Misanthropy in Europe" presented in Berlin on Friday. The Netherlands, on the other hand, has the least prejudice and negative attitudes, it says.

Questioned were in each case 1.000 people in eight EU countries. The study was coordinated by the Bielefeld Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence.Green Party leader Cem ozdemir spoke of a "dramatic situation" for Europe at the presentation of the results. "Precisely because no one is born a democrat," more emphasis needs to be placed on "active education for democracy" in educational institutions, it said.According to the study, about one in four (24.4 percent) believe that Jews have "too much influence" in the country. And nearly a third (31.1 percent) "somewhat or completely" advocate that there be a "natural hierarchy between blacks and whites". In addition, a majority of Europeans (60.2 percent) support traditional gender roles and demand that women take their role as mother and housewife more seriously. 42.6 percent reject equal rights for gays and lesbians and judge homosexuality as "immoral".One in two Europeans (50.4 percent) agree with the statement "that there are too many immigrants in their country" and 54.4 percent believe that Islam is a religion of intolerance. The values vary considerably from country to country. In Poland, for example, only 27.1 percent think there are too many immigrants in the country, while in the Netherlands the figure is 46 percent and in Italy, at 62.4 percent, the most respondents in a European comparison.However, the study also shows that in six out of eight countries, personal contact between average citizens and, for example, migrants, Jews or homosexuals has led to a reduction in prejudice against other groups as well. People were surveyed in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland and Hungary.The chairwoman of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, Anetta Kahane, spoke of an "alarming level of prejudice" and called for joint European initiatives to "develop a common non-racist civil society". At the same time, she warned of a threat to democracy from widespread misanthropy.According to the head of the study, social scientist Andreas Zick, authoritarian attitudes in people "are important in explaining prejudices." For example, they say, people are more prejudiced "when they want more discipline and tougher action against troublemakers". In addition, "the more religious they consider themselves to be, the more inclined they are to engage in group-based misanthropy". In addition, prejudice is reported to increase with age and education.

Pope em. Benedict XVI. has spoken out on the causes of the current church crisis – this is not only met with enthusiasm. Mathias Peter from the editorial department of theology classifies the essay in an interview.

Interviewer: How unusual it is that the pope emeritus speaks out publicly? (to the wording)

Mathias Peter (our site Theology Editorial)This is rarely the case, but it happens from time to time. Benedict himself said at his resignation that he would like to live in secret from now on – but this did not work out that way, again and again he expressed himself in writing, be it when works of his were republished, or when a book of interviews with him was published, up to articles that he wrote anew.

But: this is always done with the approval of the current pope. Benedict also says this new text was written in consultation with the Vatican.

Interviewer: Now there is much discussion in Germany on the subject of abuse about abuse of power by clergy, about structures in the church that encourage abuse. How does Joseph Ratzinger argue in this context??

Mathias Peter: He presents a different analysis. Benedict explains how, in his opinion, due to the revolt of the 68 generation in the period from 1960 to 1980, "the previously valid standards in questions of sexuality completely broke away". In his opinion, a normlessness has arisen. Part of the physiognomy of the '68 revolution, therefore, is that pedophilia was now also considered permissible and diagnosed as appropriate, according to Ratzinger. At the same time, there was a collapse of Catholic moral theology.

Even professors of theology and sometimes bishops would have questioned and not followed the moral teaching of the Church. There was therefore no longer the good, but only the relative, in the moment and depending on the circumstances, better. And: the climate in priestly training had changed, homosexual clubs had arisen in the seminaries, which acted more or less openly. So: the sexual revolution of '68 combined with the collapse of moral teaching is partly responsible for sexual abuse in the church. This is how he writes that.

Interviewer: Now the church is a community of believers. How does the question of faith play into the abuse scandal??

Mathias Peter: This is his core thesis: "Only where faith no longer determines man's actions are such offenses possible," is how Benedict puts it. This has two levels: In terms of society: "A world without God can only be a world without meaning. There are then no longer any standards of good or evil. Then only what is stronger than the other can prevail."

So it is with pedophilia, he says, it has become more and more widespread. And secondly, it has done so in the Church and among priests, which Ratzinger finds particularly distressing. There is also too little faith within the Church and among priests.

Interviewer: So much for the analysis: what does the pope emeritus propose as a solution to the problem?

Mathias Peter: Here Benedict has a clear demand: to put God and faith at the center again, in thought, speech and action. Accordingly, we must learn again to recognize God as the foundation of our lives and not to leave him aside as a somehow unreal phrase – this also applies to the people in the church.

So it is about a renewal of faith, not of the church per se. For Benedict says that of course there is sin and evil in the Church. But there is also today the holy church, which is indestructible – so he does not want that now it is pretended that everything is bad at and in the church and the church must be created completely new. But: The Church is also today the instrument through which God saves us – Ratzinger says this at the end of his text and then explicitly thanks Pope Francis for his work as pope.

Interviewer: Yesterday evening the text became known. What is your personal impression?

Mathias Peter: You can tell how closely Benedict follows what's going on in the church and society, and that the debate over sexual abuse is still on his mind despite being almost 92 years old. He combines personal memories of the time of the '68 protests, which was very upsetting for him, with theological reflections. And I think that the pope emeritus also wants to point out that as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and later as pope he took clear action against abuse.

He was the first pope ever to meet with abuse victims and they recounted their horrific experiences, citing one example in the essay. Secondly, one also notices that Benedict is still struggling with the so-called 68ers – he sees in the upheavals of the 1960s the cause for many later undesirable developments in church and society – just also with regard to sexual abuse.

However, it must be said that not everyone will follow this interpretation, as first reactions show today, especially since there was sexual abuse in the church earlier in the 1950s and before. It is also a pity that he hardly addresses the ies of abuse of power and structural reasons for abuse. He says we don't need to create a new church, that has already been tried and failed. Therefore: Only obedience and love for Jesus Christ can show the right way, as the Pope Emeritus puts it.

The interview was conducted by Jann-Jakob Loos.

It's been nine months since Archbishop Zollitsch recommended a "dialogue process" to the church in Germany. The church should once again approach the people more strongly. At the federal level, the first major meeting is now scheduled to take place in Mannheim, Germany. In Zollitsch's home diocese, the diocesan dialogue process is already in full swing.

In September, the president of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Freiburg, Robert Zollitsch, surprised his fellow bishops and many Catholics with a fiery appeal: in an increasingly secular world and after the loss of trust caused by the abuse crisis, the Church must face the opportunities and challenges of faith anew.

Toward a "pilgrim, listening and serving church"
Zollitsch spoke out in favor of a "dialogue process" so that the church would once again approach people more strongly and become a "pilgrim, listening and serving church". "There is no other way for us than that of openness, honesty and listening," Zollitsch said at the time.

Nine months later, the dialogue process is taking shape. This is the case at the national level, where the Catholic bishops have invited representatives of the church base, the associations and the dioceses to a congress in Mannheim for the weekend. But also in several dioceses, where the basis for a new Catholic culture of discussion and dialogue is to be created starting from the parishes. So far, the diocesan dialogue process has come furthest in Zollitsch's home diocese.

"There are no taboos, all topics can be put on the table"
Here, after intensive planning and consultations of the diocese management, graphically elaborately designed "dialogue boxes" were sent to all parishes of the diocese in the southwest, which has about two million Catholics. This includes the planned roadmap for the dialogue, suggestions for topics, and concrete tips and materials for organizing discussions.

Cathedral chaplain Andreas Mohrle, one of those responsible, promises. "There are no taboos, all topics can be put on the table. But it is important that we understand the dialogue above all as a spiritual process, as listening to the voice of God."

The chairwoman of the Diocesan Council, the highest representative body of the church base, Martina Kastner, registers a great interest of many Catholics in accepting the opportunity for dialogue. "At the moment, initial planning is underway in many parishes." She hopes that the dialogue process will reach as many as possible. "However, this will only succeed if all concerns and needs can be put on the table and addressed openly."In addition, at the end of the dialogue there must be more than just a paper for the drawer.

Youth associations also participate si
Representatives of the Catholic youth associations, which 32.000 boys and girls will be represented. Debates on the youth contribution to the dialogue process have begun in group sessions and events. With Project Samuel, a dedicated website is online.

The planners in the diocese management are convinced that the dialogue will change the church. "We are working for the results to be felt in everyday life," Mohrle said. The debates are to be reflected, for example, in a revised set of so-called "pastoral guidelines".

Three "question horizons" are to be considered by the end of 2012 by parishes, associations, professors, young people or even those distant from the faith: How do modernity and faith go together? How can young people learn to believe? What will the church look like in the future??

Zollitsch approached Catholic schools, the Catholic Academy, Caritas and church educational institutions with "exploratory orders," concrete questions from the three major areas. In "focus groups", top representatives of business, theologians or journalists are to debate the future of the church. And finally, from the beginning of 2012, there will be diocesan-wide "Future Conferences.

At the end of 2012, all results are to be compiled
After the Katholikentag in May 2012 in Mannheim as a date for a first interim balance, all results are to be compiled at a large "Forum of the Councils" at the end of 2012.

"We want to try to bring the tremendous polyphony within the Catholic Church into an exchange with each other. And find a way for the future of the church that everyone can share," says Stefan Bonath, who developed the detailed concept for the dialogue process. He hopes that it will not come to factionalism or hardened fronts. The church leadership is aware that many Catholics are looking for future paths against the backdrop of a shortage of priests, parish mergers and distance from church positions such as sexual morality or the role of women.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply