Atheist confab in Ireland comes as Europe confronts religion in public life
This weekend, about 350 conventioneers descend on Dublin to discuss matters of faith and its place in public life. It's not a meeting of the Catholic Church hierarchy, but the first World Atheist Convention.
Organizers claim they aren't trying to make a statement by selecting Ireland, often seen as one of Europe's most religious nations, but the get-together of nonbelievers does come in a country where religiosity has been in steady decline.
In fact, faith seems to be on many European minds of late and questions of religion in public life have reentered political discourse here – from the French "burqa ban" to Ireland's antiblasphemy law to frequent complaints from Pope Benedict XVI about perceived moral relativism. Long considered a private matter, some say public questions of faith are even threatening Europe's traditionally secular politics....
Wouldn't it be priceless if during the "Atheist confab in Ireland as Europe confronts religion"?
The Biblical prophecy, that is God's prophecy, took place concerning 666?
Revelation 13:16
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six [666]."
If it did I am certain that the Atheists, some people in Ireland, and some of those in Europe dealing with religion would get a great shock.
My concern was this statement in the artcile: "The Rev. Tony Flannery, a Redemptorist priest and member of the liberal Association of Catholic Priests, says local and global trends have put the question of religion and secularism on the agenda across Europe.
“Pope Benedict talks a lot about secularism in Europe. He would see Christianity, and Catholicism specifically, as in conflict with it. Ireland, meanwhile, is in ferment with the Catholic Church in disarray and an enormous amount of the population looking for answers elsewhere,” he said.
Father Flannery says worries about the Pope's conservative agenda may be overstated: “I don’t think Pope Benedict is having any great influence. The Catholic church is quite weak across Europe.”
This is not a new schism in Rome. It would appear a victory for the other color side.
"Organizers claim they aren't trying to make a statement by selecting Ireland, often seen as one of Europe's most religious nations, but the get-together of nonbelievers does come in a country where religiosity has been in steady decline."
By "religiosity" read Roman Catholicism. There is hope yet for the South, and evangelism has already met with some success. But oh for more adventurers to take the glorious gospel in the power of the Holy Ghost to needy folks there. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation...
I refrained from comment on this article yesterday and I later noticed I might have offended jpw with my use of black and white, with reference to my concerns.
After reading this article, recalling something else I read here in one of the threads; then while realizing that both were occurring this past weekend in the UK; I will say this that the Roman Republic in all its many faces, is alive and well and as dangerous as ever. Anyone who is not aware of the subtleties of the serpent should be warned before they need to encounter the wrath of the dragon. Familiarity with Scripture and Historic Testimony will be very helpful.
We need to pray for the Christians in the UK
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Jason Lisle | 6/1/2005
COMMENTS | 
udumdum: "
stever
betcha the devil hates her too
you should get to know..."
