The most interesting aspect of this whole story of the crucifix in the classroom, in itself boring and irrelevant, is the level of emotion it arouses.
We live in a country where perhaps 10% of the population is truly convinced of his own religion, a 70% live in limbo, and 20% do not care.
The inhabitants of Limbo are the most interesting: their level of listening to the words of the Pope is similar to that of a nonagenarian half asleep watching TV, their observance of Catholic precepts are not limited to the use of condoms because it's so beautiful and their morality is a flag in the wind of fashion.
But they often are those that rise up to meet the requirement to remove the crucifixes from classrooms.
They are afraid that it explicitly states an obvious truth: that Catholicism is a minority religion in Italy.
As Catholics are from Christmas, still have that feeling of security of being part of something big and cheap, because it takes very little to join.
Cheer, nothing more, nothing less, and do not want to see their team lose.
On the other hand there are the other exalted: the superlatives, if they see a Christ who is touching the ball.
Moreover, in the background, hovering about the growing presence of Muslims, millions of people who really believe and want to remove the crucifix and impose the Koran, or so they feared.
So we have a civilization with a predominantly secular religion down, that just feels attacked by the laity or religious Muslims is an upgrade on the spot and once again becomes a fervent Catholic.
It is uncertain, a fine example of independence of thought: I am what I am, not define it yourself.
If I get one now and says, "Trip, you broke, do not trip over and talk about travel, gives way to those who really travels," and I can not take me three months of backpacking to prove who they are, right?
"I am what I am and no stamens break the chestnuts," said the wise venessian.
So, my advice for the various stakeholders:
Catholics true: you are a minority, accept it and live it as such. Your life will be full of joy.
Limbianici: choose your side, because you are creating a lot of problems at all.
Super Laity: Relax. If you do not believe it, a crucifix has the same value of one square from 5 euros. Take it as a cultural heritage interest and move on with your lives without God
Here, if one day I should have children who go to school (I'm not convinced it is a place recommended), which hung on the wall is a Christ, a Buddha or a slice of Hungarian salami, I would not care anything.
(Vote for first / a!) 
Loading ... 
November 6th, 2009 at 21:32
maybe not better than the salami, after a little stink
November 7th, 2009 at 05:08
and where they find a more affordable studio in a church on Christmas Eve?
Poor Christ!
Were to be reincarnated once again the Vatican would send a squad of Swiss weapons to kill him again ...
November 7th, 2009 at 16:00
Luke you are always bigger, I loved your post, as well as make me laugh. Once again you show a person of acute intelligence, I one day or another I have to find somewhere
. I share many of the things you said, this figure clearly recognize in particular the limbianici, among whom I grew up. Maybe I have a rather 'different about them compared to yours, though ... You are in your region Veneto, and, from what I heard, there is a large-catholic bigotry. I come from Sardinia, where the church and religious beliefs are a very strong social glue. People in other words we credicchia, or say it sticks more to the whole of Ambaradan confirmations, communions, baptisms, respect the priest and go to church on Sunday or you're the antichrist. This sort of thing. People who uncritically adheres to the conventions. I've always wondered if they have never questioned a single word of what is being trimmed. And they are often the ones that apply the behavior that you say, what I call "negative identification": the identification according to the negation of the opposite, an identification for understatement, say. That is the attitude of unfathomable stupidity that you say "I am not this" instead of saying "I AM that."
November 8th, 2009 at 14:00
"And do not believe it, a crucifix has the same value of one square from 5 euros. Take it as a cultural heritage interest and move on with your lives without God "
Unfortunately I do not agree on this point, dear Luke! The value and 'very heavy, and' the value of a symbol and they are 'to remember that in Italy the Catholic Church has power. Time. Well too!
November 9th, 2009 at 02:36
So much fuss for nothing .. on facebook groups that are open, people who become obsessed with this crucifix to school, which is said against Strasbourg etc. ... and then did not even read the news! I find it beautiful, typically Italian.
The same people that are stirred up so much in defense of crucifixes in classrooms do not even know if there is something in their classrooms for a crucifix.
But how are we placed?
November 9th, 2009 at 10:28
Well by not 'take sides mica then required, although I must admit that the pretty picture you did of Italy in a few lines without hanging on the wall .. thank goodness I'm leaving today and I raise an po'dalle all balls These Italian paranoia.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:38
Labor (the famous one, that of Santoro) is a practicing Catholic, raised by the Salesians of Turin: I am convinced agnostic (oxymoron), but I share his commentary (sorry for length):
BUT I defend the Cross
Marco Travaglio
If it were me, would be hung the crucifix in schools. And do not be camping out for painful reasons
trombones and political right, center, left and even the Vatican. Indeed, if were not for those, the leverei too. Ago
Felt funny when, in ignorance, sesquipedalian, accuses the judges of Strasbourg to "fight the crucifix instead
deal with drug and immigration wilderness "does not know that the Court can only deal with complaints of
of states and citizens for alleged violations of the Convention on Human Rights. It's sad that Bersani
speaks of "harmless symbol", as if to say: it is a statue that does not hurt anyone, leave it hanging there, look
elsewhere. It's creepy Berlusconi, who yesterday pontificating Mason pimp of "Catholic roots." Suck the League
that every other day up the sword of the Crusades and then devote themselves to the pagan rites of the God of the Po and the wedding
Celtic with hymns to Odin. It is a pity that the so-called minister Gelmini defends "the symbol of our tradition"
against the "ideological parent" and the "European Court of ideological" pulling at stake "that the Constitution recognizes
particular value to the Catholic religion. " The stories right: the Constitution does not say anything at the crucifix, which
is not covered by any law, but only by the ministerial regulation on the "school furniture". Like the
Chairs, desks, blackboards, chalk, erasers and brooms. If we have to defend the crucifix as "street", so
that is unplug it immediately. Jesus on the cross is not even the symbol of a "tradition" (as Santa Claus or the pumpkin
Halloween) or the alleged "Jewish-Christian civilization" (cunning toy of Pera, of Ferrara, and others that ateoclericali
Then do not say a word about the racial laws against the Roma and refugee children rejected on the high seas). Jesus Christ
is a historical fact and a real person, dead murdered after unspeakable tortures, while being able to easily save
with some ambiguous word, accommodating, political jargon, Paraculo. It is, for two thousand years, a "scandal" for those
believe in the resurrection, and for those who stop at the historical fact of the crucifixion. The living image of freedom and
humanity, of suffering and hope, unarmed resistance to injustice, but most of secularism ("Give to Caesar what
that are Caesar's and unto God what is God ") and free (" Father, forgive them for they know not what they do ").
Free: the word most scandalous for these times dominated by the interests, where everything is for sale, and too many
the auction. Jesus Christ is recognized not only by Christians but also Jews and Muslims, as a great
prophet. In fact it was the most pagan ideology of history, Nazism - has reminded Anthony Socci - to unleash the
war on crucifixes. It is significant that neither the Church today no politician they can find the right words to
tell it. Yet just borrow the language of the family of Natalia Ginzburg, Jewish and atheist, who over the years
Eighty wrote: "The crucifix does not generate any discrimination. Is silent. It is the image of the Christian revolution,
that has spread to the world the idea of equality among men hitherto absent ... Why should
the students felt offended Jews? Christ was persecuted and maybe a jew died in martyrdom as a million
Jews in concentration camps? No one before him had ever said that all men are equal and brothers. It seems to me a
well that the children, since they know the kids from school. " It would be enough to tell so many ignorant
parents, teachers, students, and no one - atheist, Christian, Muslim, jew, buddhist, which is - you feel
any way offended by the crucifix. But, at the exit of the European verdict, no man of the Church was able to do so.
Perhaps the hierarchy is too busy doing commercials for 8 per thousand, to beat cash for private schools and exemptions
tax, to fight Dan Brown and Halloween, and do not have time for that man on the cross. Indeed, the lack
their own words. Today the worst enemies of the cross are just the clergy. And the clerics.