Don Joe

Hello !

I'm a Romanian student and I'm part of a currently very small group that will hopefully become the Romanian atheist movement. At this time, about 86% of Romania's population adheres to orthodox christianism. There is no law "respecting an establishment of religion", but, at the same time, there is no law establishing a separation of church and State. There is a law (142/'99) by which priests receive money from the State Budget, as a form of salarial support, but it states that this does not make them employees of the State. So, basically, there _is_ a State religion even if no law makes it clear. Furthermore, Romanians are very conservative in this matter, and although a few young people "dare" to be atheists, even the country's new generation is, in its majority, christian.

So far, all we've been able to come up with as an activist idea is to send an open letter to our officials and the media, asking that the aforementioned law be repealed since it is against our Constitution and, apparently, against the future European Constitution, specifically, The Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, knowing orthodox christians like I do, any public message demanding that atheists' constitutional rights be respected would generate a virulent public reaction from the church and perhaps a wave of suggestions from the priests to their followers, through sermons, to "hang in there", that the "Devil" is trying to corrupt our rightly-faithful (gr. ortho + doxa) nation and so on. Such a reaction may turn out to be the exact opposite of what we aim for, i.e. a strengthening of religious faith throughout the country.

I would appreciate any suggestions, especially from someone experienced in activism or knowledgeable in sociology ...

Adi
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"Do What Thou Wilt" Shall Be the Whole of The Law