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Evangelical
magazine calls for removal of school crucifixes
Madrid, October 31st, 2003
(P+D/ACPress.net).
The evangelical web magazine
'ProtestanteDigital' is calling for religious symbols to be
removed from Spanish state schools, in the wake of controversy
over the issue in Italy.
In its editorial, it argues that a country with no official
state religion is not anti-religious but rather respectful towards
all religious beliefs. As such, there is no place for symbols
of any one religion - usually that practised by the majority
of the population - in schools. It says that a lay state is
"an indisputable principle for Protestantism", a view
which would not be shared by all Christians in northern Europe.
Referring to the situation in Italy, it says "a Moslem
in Italy defends the removal of crucifixes from state school
walls", but this shows that "he who points a finger
at others has three pointing back at him: there is a greater
need to fight for religious freedom in Islamic countries."
However, the editorial agrees that the symbols should go, although
this does not mean the removal of all religious art from public
places, otherwise many paintings and monuments would be under
threat. If they have historic or cultural value, they should
remain.
Finally, the article defends the right of the individual to
display personal religious symbols as they represent part of
that person's identity. "True laicism is that which respects
religion (and vice versa), allowing the fulfilment of Jesus'
words: 'Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that
which is God's.'"
The full article may be found
at www.ProtestanteDigital.com/actual/editorial.htm.
Source: PROTESTANTE DIGITAL Editing: ACPress.net
Liberation
Theology founder wins Spanish prize
Madrid, October 31st, 2003 (Alc/ACPress.net).
The Peruvian Catholic
priest, Gustavo Gutiérrez, best known as one of the founders
of Liberation Theology, still defends the controversial belief-system
30 years on, and said so as he collected the prestigious Spanish
'Prince of Asturias' prize.
The prize, inaugurated in 1981, is awarded to people who stand
out in a particular field. Apart from Gutiérrez, among
other winners this year are J.K.Rowling, author of the Harry
Potter books, Lula, the Brazilian President, and two other writers,
Susan Sontag and Fatema Mernissi.
In his acceptance speech, Gutiérrez said: "Liberation
Theology is based on giving preference to the poor. Many Christians,
members of different churches, have taken on this solidarity
with those who live in conditions of social insignificance.
Liberation must be produced at a spiritual level, but also respecting
earthly injustice. I consider the commitment of many Christians
to the poor, to justice, the living out of their faith and the
joy of celebrating it, are encouraging developments."
"The greatest resistance to Liberation Theology, verging
on hostility, has come from within the (Catholic) Church, from
powerful sectors, military and civilian." Gutiérrez
recognised that South America is both vast and complex. He said
Lula's government in Brazil represented the hopeful side, and
the Brazilian President also received his prize from the heir
to the Spanish throne, Prince Felipe.
Source: ALC. Editing: ACPress.net
Cult
ritual ends in overdose
Palma de Mallorca, October 31st, 2003 (E.P./ACPress.net).
A 29-year-old woman is
in the psychiatric wing of a local hospital in Majorca after
taking a large quantity of drugs during a cult ritual at a 'shrine'
on the island.
The police are investigating the incident after a relative of
one of the participants told them about the ritual. Apparently,
a dozen youngsters from different parts of the island met on
a Saturday night at Bonany Shrine in Petra. They were all wearing
white cloaks and held a ritual which lasted several hours. The
ritual included the consumption of a large amount of Ayahuasca,
a substance which comes from an Amazonian plant, the liana,
and which has a powerful hallucinogenic effect.
The following day, one of the participants in an obvious state
of agitation was found at the roadside trying to stop the traffic.
The police were informed and the woman was taken to hospital
where doctors are trying to assess the extent of the damage
done by the drugs.
Source: E. PRESS. Editing: ACPress.net
150,000 cult members
in Spain
Seville, October 31st, 2003
(D.Cádiz/ACPress.net).
More than 150,000 Spaniards
belong to one of the 150 cults which exist in the country. This
is the conclusion of a study into the phenomenon by sociologist
Roger Pascual in his book 'The shadow of the cults', in which
he criticises the "irreparable psychological consequences"
faced by many members of these groups.
Pascual distinguishes between groups which form as a divergent
branch from orthodoxy, and destructive ones who grow at the
expense of their members. Groups in this latter sector are the
harder of the two to identify, which in turn makes it more difficult
to prove there has been mental manipulation and so press charges.
Currently, one of the most dangerous sects is that linked to
the Scientology movement, one of whose members is actor Tom
Cruise. In Spain, it is registered as 'Dianética' and
includes hypnosis among its practices. The biggest cult in Spain
is the 'Jehovah's Witnesses', which makes its money through
a powerful publishing business that operates worldwide. Its
philosophy can become dangerous as it forbids its members to
have blood transfusions.
In recent years, another group to register significant growth
in Spain is 'Christ's Legionnaires', which has been much in
the news of late for taking over a private school in Madrid.
Leading politicians are found in its ranks and it has become
a veritable lobby in the Spanish capital. The modern 'Gnostics'
follow the teachings of Samuel Weorg, and regulate the sexual
relations of their members.
In the 1980s it was thought that only a certain type of social
class became embroiled in cults, but now Pascual says "any
of us could form part of these cults when we are going through
a time of crisis in our lives." Teenagers, though, are
the group most at risk. Pascual proposes the creation of a National
Plan on Cults to try and prevent more people falling under their
spell.
Source: D CADIZ. Editing:
ACPress.net
Unemployed
men ignore their children
Madrid, October 31st, 2003 (D.Sur/ACPress.net).
Unemployed men and those
who work part-time are those who spend less time with their
children - 8 and 22 minutes respectively, according to a government
report just out.
The research is based on 1,200 people and shows that men come
up with more excuses than women when it comes to looking after
their children. And curiously, those who have most free time
are the ones who are most reticent about helping out. Men with
full-time jobs devote 37 minutes a day to their offspring, as
against 83 minutes in the case of women who work full-time.
Yet the largest discrepancy is between unemployed men who give
a paltry 8 minutes a day to their children, and unemployed women,
who devote almost two and a half hours. Men out of work suffer
more from the effects of unemployment, according to Alicia Garrido,
the author of the report. She says that women adapt better to
domestic duties, whereas the man sees himself as having to go
out to paid work and finds it harder to adapt to responsibilities
at home. "For the man, unpaid work is voluntary, for a
woman it is compulsory."
Garrido called for changes in legislation including paternity
leave, or time off to look after elderly relatives or take their
children to the doctor's. She believes unless there are measures
which specifically target men, then women will end up doing
the tasks even though technically there is a situation of equality.
However, she is cautious about the idea of paying housewives,
as she feels this could lead to "relegating women to a
domestic role." Clearly, she places little value on the
work of homemaker and leans dubious system of kindergartens,
day centres and the like as the best solution.
Source: D. SUR. Editing: ACPress.net
The
single-parent family takes hold
Madrid, October 31st, 2003 (ElPaís/ACPress.net).
Single-parent families
are becoming ever more common in Spain. They now make up 7 out
of every 100 homes, 320,000 in total, which is 20.7% more than
in 2000.
Nine out of ten single parents - that is, those with under-age
children - are women, in this social phenomenon caused by separation,
widowhood or simply choice. The most frequent problems faced
are how to cope with everything on one's own, and how to balance
work and family. Father's Day or Mother's Day can be complicated
dates in these homes: the person in question does not live there.
Almost half a million children live with just one parent - 407,500
with their mothers, 41,800 with their fathers. The number of
single-parent families fluctuated until the year 2000, but since
then they have simply shot up, though the proportion in Spain
is still well behind that of some other European countries.
The most important factor in the growth of single-parent families
is the increasing number of divorces and separations - 115,000
cases went to court last year alone.
Added to this are the live-in couples who break up, and the
increasing number of children born outside wedlock. Then there
are widows and widowers, as well as an increasing number of
women who choose to have a baby without a husband or live-in
partner. There are still a certain number of teenage mothers
but they are becoming a less significant statistic in the wider
world of unmarried mothers. Financial problems affect widows
especially, as bringing up a family on a pension of 420 euros
a month is virtually impossible.
Source: EL PAÍS Editing:
ACPress.net
Cocaine is the new drug
boom
Madrid, October 31st, 2003
(Servimedia/ACPress.net).
Cocaine has replaced
heroine as the most popular drug among Spanish consumers.
Heroine is in decline and cocaine is booming, according to studies
done on drug consumption habits. In Andalusia in southern Spain,
cocaine is the only drug whose consumption is increasing. Much
work is being done to rehabilitate addicts in both government
and private centres. Deaths from drug use have fallen in Madrid,
down from 172 in 2000, to 132 last year.
The most recent study on drug use among schoolchildren shows
a drop in alcohol, tobacco, ecstasy and hallucinogenic drugs,
but an increase in the use of cocaine and cannabis.
Source: SERVIMEDIA. Editing: ACPress.net
A country on the pill
Madrid, October 31st, 2003
(Servimedia/ACPress.net).
The latest National Health
Survey shows that 6.5% of the population suffers from depression.
The complaint is more frequent in women (9.2% of the total),
and in the over-65s (6% of men and 14% of women in this age-group).
The government say they will take new measures to tackle these
alarming statistics. Other areas facing action are poor diet,
lack of physical exercise, the consumption of alcohol and tobacco,
and self-medication. The government has promised specific policies
in each of these areas. The latest figures show that 34.4% of
the population smokes, 16.8% are ex-smokers, and 48.7% have
never smoked. This is a slight drop in the proportion of smokers
since the last survey.
As for alchohol, 31.5% are teetotal and 2% drink to excess -
most of whom are men aged between 25 and 64. However, the greatest
concern seems to be that 50% of the population are sedentary:
50% of young women, and 62% of women over the age of 65 admit
to getting no physical exercise. 12.8% of the population suffer
from obesity, and 36% are overweight.
Ana Pastor, the Minister for Health, expressed concern at the
increasing number of people who treated themselves and chose
their own medicines. 52% of people who went to the doctor's
had taken medicine in the previous two weeks. The over-65s take
the most medicine. Yet while 82.8% of pensioners had taken medicine
in the two weeks prior to the survey, only 23.4% of the population
as a whole had been to the doctor's. This leads researchers
to believe that self-medication is widespread.
Source: SERVIMEDIA. Editing: ACPress.net
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