The World Congress of Families IV, held in Warsaw, Poland, May 11 - 13, 2007, defied the European Union (EU), which insists that Europe implement, as its state religion, an atheistic and nihilistic philosophy.
That is, the Congress was extremely important because it defied the edicts of the EU and instead, the 3,300 delegates discussed issues from a pro-family perspective. These issues included abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, population decline, pornography, the importance of marriage, and the impact of the news and entertainment industry on the family, etc.
This approach by the Congress differed markedly from the EU's pro-homosexual/abortion and anti-family policies administered by the 5,000 EU bureaucrats operating from Brussels, through the European Court, the European Human Rights Council, and the European Parliament, regardless of the views of its member nations. This EU coup is taking place, despite the fact that the Treaty of Rome, which first established the EU in the late 1950's, specifically provided that member states of the EU were to retain the right of sovereignty over their own domestic affairs. Instead, the EU is operating like a totalitarian government demanding obedience to its policies.
It was a hectic three days in Warsaw for the delegates from 64 countries, many of whom came from Eastern Europe. The latter, who experienced trauma under a Communist dictatorship which lasted from the end of World War II to 1989, are determined to retain their independence from a dictatorship. Delegates from Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, and the Ukraine, and, of course, Poland expressed concerns about the attacks on the family by the EU. Their presence at the Congress served notice of their independence from the growing totalitarianism of the EU. These East European countries, having lived under Communism for so many years, knew from experience how important the family is to a stable society. This is because the family teaches the hard truths of moral values. It forms the child's character and gives the young the ability to grow up to become independent, stable, functioning, and compassionate individuals, and to be dependable and loyal workers, or independent, forward-looking entrepreneurs. Such individuals are also much more difficult to control. As a result, such individuals and their families tend to be regarded as a threat to totalitarian governments.
Consequently, it is not surprising that every totalitarian movement has tried to destroy the family unit. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wanted the independent family destroyed, as did Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. They believed the family was a dangerous threat to the power of the State and, therefore, undertook to take away the rights, responsibilities and authority of the family.
The family unit, built on the foundation of marriage between a man and a woman, is regarded as dangerous by the totalitarian state because the family, while raising its children, passes on tradition, culture and faith - all of which confront the state when it wishes to impose its own will on the public. For example, Soviet leaders in 1917 regarded the family as a hindrance to structuring the new socialist regime and regarded the family as the prime source of potential opposition. The Soviets, therefore, worked toward the disintegration of the family by transferring the care, education and maintenance of children from the family unit to state run child care centres, entirely under the control of the regime. This effectively ended the family's socialization functions in Soviet society.
American sociologist, Christopher Lasch, described the family as "a haven in a heartless world" , since it is the only institution which provides children with a love that is centered on them. All other institutions, including schools and the day care centres, are intentionally designed to be impartial. But, in order for children's personalities to develop in a healthy manner, it is necessary that someone care intensely for them: so intensely as to give them priority over all other children. It is within the family unit that both this kind of intense caring usually takes place and strong independent characteristics are encouraged. It is because of these factors that dictators seek to destroy the family unit by removing children from its care and responsibility.
Mikhail Gorbachev, in his book Perestroika: New Thinking for our Country and the World (1988) acknowledged that the dysfunction in Soviet society, as evidenced by pervasive alcoholism, high divorce and abortion rates, and very low birth rates etc. might well have been caused by the separation of young children from their mothers.
EU's Alarm at Poland
Although Poland has been a part of the EU since 2004, it is determined, as are some other East European nations, to set its own course. For example, while Christianity is in steep decline across most of Europe, Poland's Catholic faith burns brightly: its churches are overflowing. On Sundays, the masses have to be broadcast outside the church for those unable to obtain a seat inside. Worshippers kneel down devotedly in rows on the sidewalk outside the church to follow the mass being said inside the church. Because of its faith, Poland has embarked on a cultural war with the EU. The President, Lech Kaczynski, and Prime Minister of Poland, Jaroslaw Kaczynski (identical twins born 45 minutes apart), are outspoken in their rejection of same-sex marriage, homosexuality and abortion, which the EU describes as "crucial European Values."
At the World Congress of Families, the Minister of Education and Vice Prime Minister of Poland, Roman Giertych, and the Speaker of Parliament, (Sejm) Marek Jurek, both stated that Poland had no intention of agreeing to the demands of the EU. Moreover, in March 2007, Mr. Giertych told European news reporters that Poland would not back down on plans to oppose abortion and homosexuality should they be enshrined in any future European constitution. Giertych called abortion "a new form of barbarism," and warned of the impending demise of Christian-based culture in Europe when he said,
A nation which kills its children is a nation without a future. A continent which kills its children will be settled by people who do not kill theirs.
Giertych then called for a serious discussion of the Christian foundation of morality that has sustained Europe over the centuries - a discussion denied by the movers and shakers at the EU.
Poland Further Enrages EU
Poland further enraged the European power brokers by recently entering into an independent agreement with the U.S., similar to the agreement also made by the Czech Republic, to establish an anti-missile defence base on its territory. Two other European Union countries Bulgaria and Romania have also expressed interest in allowing anti-missile bases on their territory. The growling and ever difficult Russian bear, President Vladimir Putin, is situated on one of Poland's borders. Russia is flush with oil and gas profits and is threatening to turn its cruise and ballistic missiles in the direction of Western Europe, in retaliation for the agreement by its former satellites to allow the U.S. to place the anti-missiles base on their soil. On another border, a revitalized and dominant Germany is also a problem, as well as Iran's build up of nuclear weapons. Poland, therefore, has good reason to protect itself by its agreement with the U.S. However, the EU believes that it will become a superpower equal to that of the U.S., and, therefore, is upset that Poland has gravitated independently to the U.S. Poland also thumbed its nose at EU policy when it supported the U.S. and NATO in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, to the rage of the EU bureaucrats. The latter believe that the EU should speak and act for all of Europe and that its member nations should assume a subservient role in foreign affairs.
EU Flexes Its Muscles Against Poland
In order to intimidate Poland, the EU has flexed its muscles. In a 6-1 decision in March, the European Court of Human Rights ordered Poland to pay 25,000 Euros (approximately $35,587.00 Cdn.) to a Polish woman who claimed her rights were violated when she was denied an abortion. The Council cited Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides for a person's "right to respect in private life." But, in fact, Article 8 of the Convention does not even mention pregnancy or abortion, the European court created this so-called "right" to abortion out of thin air.
In June 2006, the Polish Minister of Education Giertych banned the distribution of an EU manual on human rights education which, among other provisions, equated homosexual relations with heterosexual marriage. He also dismissed the Director of Polish In-Service Teachers for publishing and distributing this controversial manual. The Council of Europe blasted the Minister and Poland for this rejection of "European Values" and has now threatened retaliation by cutting off Poland's EU subsidies.
How long Poland, along with other East European countries, can stand up to the powerful European Union is the question. The World Congress of Families, held in Warsaw in May, was a tremendous show of support for these brave countries. The Congress strongly indicated to these countries that they were not alone in their struggle for traditional family values and independence.
Lasch, Christopher, (1995) "Haven in a Heartless World: The Family Besieged", W.W. Norton & Co. Inc., New York
Gorbachev, Mikhail, Perestroika: "New Thinking for Our Country and the World", 1988 ISBN: 0006373569 |
