The text of the new document is unprecedented in European Union countries. It basically establishes new rules for granting licenses to new city centers of worship, without making any distinction between the different religious denominations. The new Catalonian law treats a formal church to a mosque.
The Catholic circles have not digested the decision,
The Catholic circles are not happy with this decision. Thus, the archbishop of Barcelona, Luis Martinez Sistach, took a law specifically to the Catholic Church. The archbishop was appointed by Pope John Paul II on 15 June 2004.
The vice president of the Catalan government, Josep Carod-Rovira, has responded to the Catholic concerns that the new law, drafted by 27 representatives of various religious denominations, "finally regulates the enormous disparity of criteria" that was used bye the municipal governments when dealing with issues of worship and religion.
He said the government's desire to put an end to "legal vacuum" in the past has caused differences in criteria for the granting of licenses to religious organizations.
The old criteria for the creation of new religious centers or the conversion of the existing centers was subordinate to health and noise concerns. This new law aims to regulate that too.
However, many people have turned their back fearing the emergence of terrorist cells or the disappearance of Christian values.
The debate is still open. The text is only a draft document and must now be enacted into law.
The only certainty is that Spain, already home to the largest mosque in Europe, is preparing to be the country with the highest density of muslim population in the European Continent.
While our understanding of truth may differ people's freedom of worship should be respected, but not only in Europe, but around the world as well.
Written by Armen Hareyan
Posted November 23rd, 2009 by Armen Hareyan
