Opinion

The burden of responsibility

By: J. Beth Ciesielski

One of the fundamental planks that any democracy must have in place is a clear separation of the church and the state...

Posted: 17/11/2009

When does a country turn to democracy or away from it? When the Berlin Wall came down 20 years ago, no one predicted then that it was the beginning of the end of communism. The surge of East Germans across the border was in fact because of a misunderstanding, an assumption that changes regarding travel were immediate when the details were still to be decided. When Hungarians poured into Austria, it began as a small demonstration, a picnic protest that led to the end of the real and imaginary walls between east and west. Some incredible moments had arrived as though on cat paws, heard faintly through deep fog.

When an Italian court recently ruled against Silvio Berlusconi's claim of immunity from legal charges, there was real surprise; an independent Italian justice system? Amazing. Yes, most of us probably assume that Berlusconi will try to change the laws again in his favour to regain his immunity from laws obviously meant for everyone else. But a state judge had stood up to him, had challenged him publicly; the democratic concept of checks and balances.

Where are Romania's thinkers?

And then just recently there were a series of well researched articles in Evenimentul Zilei concerning the amount of public money, the number of new churches and theological universities and theological students, as well as the timber, land, buildings and businesses all donated by the Romanian state to the Biserica Ortodox Roman Romanian Orthodox Church. (BOR) It was another of those surprising moments when someone revealed publicly what all of us have been talking about in private for years: the poor parish priest with his Mercedes. All NGOs and businesses must report their annual budgets with the exception of the church?

Where is the separation of church and state in Romania today? Some reporters have been writing frequently about the refusal of the Orthodox Church to be investigated by CNSAS for its collaboration with the communist regime. Others have questioned the need for the building of a huge cathedral in Bucharest much less with public money and land, without a financial accounting from BOR while also wondering if there will be no bid contracts for political friends. These serious complaints have seemed to have had no effect on the church or political leaders. Others have noticed how just before the upcoming elections, President Basescu suddenly found a million euros for the renovation of Orthodox church bells after begging the IMF for more than 20 billion euros in loans to rescue Romania from catastrophe and yet teachers, doctors, pensioners, pharmacists and farmers wait for state payments. Mr Basescu presents himself as a Christian populist reformer who considers BOR to be an important pillar of Romanian society. The Orthodox Church presents itself as the true moral voice of Romania. With all the self-induced chaos in Romanian politics it is understandable that the enduring dogma of the church looks appealing. But dogma should not ever be equated with stability or democracy.

Romanian priests are paid salaries and benefits by the state and yet we read of those priests who try to charge 800 euros for officiating at a wedding or are caught on video asking for extra payments to allow someone unqualified into a theology college after the deadline. More than eight priests have bravely protested the actions of that priest, the Archbishop of Tomis, who claims immunity from any state prosecution. BOR lawyers charged Romania Libera, whose journalists recorded His Holiness Teodosie's illegal actions, with hypocrisy and claimed that the investigation was an attack against the entire Orthodox Church. Where are the church investigations and published results?

Recently, the former Prime Minister Emil Boc proposed giving BOR increased authority for social services and education in public schools from the elementary through university levels. We now have Orthodox priests teaching creationism in public schools and the elimination of the teaching of scientific evolution, when what we really need is the teaching of critical thinking, how to compare and contrast, so that our children are not easily manipulated. Dialogue, dissent and debate are best for a modern Romania, for education, business and science, for our families and for our future, not mandated dogma.

Messrs Basescu and Boc have not been alone in vigorously courting the votes of religious leaders and their adherents. The PNL presidential candidate Crin Antonescu recommended that the president and patriarch should work together as a duo to take Romania out of its moral crisis. Another everlasting shape changer and presidential candidate, PSD leader Mircea Geoana is seen at most every religious event and ceremony rushing to cement his bona fides with the church. The PSD generously gave money to a church in Campina Turzi which in turn gave an icon to obedient Geoana to bring back to the presidential residence of Cotroceni; one hand washing the other. And not to be outdone showing his religious piety, Bucharest's mayor, medical doctor and "independent" presidential candidate Sorin Oprescu suddenly flew to the Vatican in Rome for the Pope's blessing. He finally noticed the scandal of the towering office building dangerously close to the catholic cathedral in Bucharest - a hotly disputed case for the last ten years. Have you noticed how "former" communists continue to be so dedicated to promoting another dogma-based governance system?

Recently the BOR boldly asked for the state to legalise its keeping of all property (including cemeteries) and buildings taken by the communists but belonging to other religious denominations - all just before our national elections. The BOR has made it clear in the media that it is against same sex marriages, bio medical passports, abortions, euthanasia and homosexuality. It has the right to state its opinions even though these may be against EU human rights legislation. But as a tax-exempt organisation it is legally obligated like any other non-governmental organisation to report its income and the use of it, and is not allowed to promote any particular politician or party. As Shakespeare observed, some things have been clearly honored more in the breech than the observance. But no one should be above the law.

We all are responsible for our country: teachers, students, doctors, nurses, lawyers, professors, scientists, business men and women, taxi drivers, beekeepers, mothers and fathers and especially our politicians and priests. They should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one. We all know things about what has happened here in Romania. We must speak out to contribute to a better country. Please, no more pretending we do not see or hear. No more waiting for someone else to rescue us. No more whispers and clever Bula jokes. Humour can be very important to demonstrate what is really true. But we all know that alone did not work last time. Things changed when people lost their fear and apathy. One of the greatest mysteries of life is how some humans can show such altruism and honesty and are not afraid of speaking the truth to power. They save us from ourselves. These moral ethical behaviors are obviously not the province of religious people alone.

Well, the thumb is out of the dike, the cat is out of the bag; more information is being gathered and shared. Transparency is one of those things that once started cannot be stopped, not when we have the Internet to search and post information. Perhaps now more people will understand their obligation to speak up and say, "The Emperor is wearing no clothes"; that cloaking yourself in the Romanian flag, religious garments, or some good cause does not guarantee any true concern for others. Hypocrisy does not belong to those who report unethical behaviors, but to those who commit the crimes. This is the land where anything is possible, right? To be broken or ruined, I remembered being told. But perhaps, perhaps, there are fresh winds blowing up and down the Danube and our rhinoceros are turning back into people who think and complain and expect much more of our leaders. Ionesco, one of our many national treasures who left the country, would be pleased; his ironic sense of the absurd was bred in Romania. Perhaps this is our moment when we will look back and be surprised that Democracy finally began to live here.

J. Beth Ciesielski is Executive Director of Fundatia Centrul pentru Constiinta Critica (CCC), a legal branch of Center for Inquiry Transnational

Comments:

1.
Wednesday 18th November 2009 at 20:11 Oti said: "Excellent article, Beth! It is really a shame that we are not taking action against this anomaly. The state should finance no religion. Until we organize ourselves, we rely on you to flag this terrible situation."