>>>>>Europe has its first president and he's Belgian Herman van Rompuy
>>>>
>>>>I heard about him he's a radicalist christian. Next years will be more harder for European muslims...
>>>
>>>And where did you get that idea ? A Christian he is but he's everything but 'radical'
>>>If you're referring to this :
>>>
>>>http://euobserver.com/9/29016
>>>
>>>I happen to agree with him there
>>
>>And here I've always heard here on the UT (from folks living in Europe) that the religious far-right doesn't exist in European politics. That disproves that statement.
>
>
>Where did you get the 'religious' angle ?
>and he isn't far-right either.
>There's no escaping the fact our culture has a christian basis

From the link you posted. Snippet:

"Turkey is not a part of Europe and will never be part of Europe," Mr Van Rompuy said during a meeting of the Council of Europe on the subject of Turkey's possible entry into the EU, held in the Belgian parliament on December, 2004.

During the speech, the Belgian leader underscored Europe's Christian "fundamental values," which would be undermined by admitting Turkey into the union.

"An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past. The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are also fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigour with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey," the then opposition politician said in a speech that until now has remained buried.


I just find it funny that Europeans knock the U.S. over the christian beliefs and history in our culture, but it's perfectly fine in Europe. I do not agree with him by the way. I think limiting a country from joining the EU based on religion or even cultural differences due to religion is just WRONG. All religions exist inside of the countries of the EU (just like they do here in the U.S. and religious diversity is a strength, not a weakness) do they not?