Belgian church official: Law banning religious symbols unnecessary

Published: 2004-01-15

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- A Belgian church official said the average citizen would not support a proposed ban on religious symbols in state schools and institutions. "I have the impression this is a concern of politicians -- a tiny minority of the Belgian population," said Toon Osaer, spokesman for the Belgian bishops' conference. "Ordinary people have no problem with crosses and other religious symbols, whether in schools, courts or elsewhere. I don't think any significant sectors of society are interested in such a prohibition," he said in a telephone interview. Osaer said the bishops' conference would need to study the proposed ban before making a statement, but he feared local politicians would use the debate on parallel measures in neighboring France to "express antireligious attitudes." "The church's position is clear -- we must respect people's rights," Osaer said. "Belgium is becoming a multicultural, multireligious society. We don't want to be a place where you can't express yourself as a Christian, a Muslim or a Jew."

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