Ayguel Oezkan has created waves before even taking office as social minister in the north-western German state of Lower Saxony.The 38-year-old, who is a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said in an interview on Saturday that crucifixes have as little place in state schools as do headscarves.
"Christian symbols do not belong in state schools," Oezkan told German weekly magazine Focus, adding that "schools should be neutral places where children can decide their religious orientation on their own. Just as head scarves do not belong in classrooms."Oezkan's comments have ruffled feathers in her own conservative party.Lower Saxony State Premiere Christian WulffBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Wulff says the cross and the CDU are 'inseparable'
Lower Saxony state premier, Christian Wulff, distanced himself from the designated minister's remarks."Christian symbols, above all the crucifix in schools, are welcomed by the state government in Lower Saxony in keeping with the practice of tolerant education on the basis of Christian values," Wulff told news agency dpa.He added that students wearing headscarves were also tolerated on grounds of religious freedom but not teachers."Ms Oezkan expressed her personal opinion on religious neutrality, but she's not questioning the practice in Lower Saxony."But Stefan Mueller, CDU commissioner for integration, was openly critical."[Oezkan's remarks] are as absurd as they are appalling," Mueller said in a statement. "Politicians who want to ban the cross in state schools should think twice about whether representing a Christian party is the right choice. The crucifix is the foundation of our identity, culture, and values," he added.
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Well no wonder Germans are in an uproar would like to see an German or someone from Western world trying to implement a similar procedure in Saudi Arabia, or Iran... dont think it would fly well....
"Christian symbols do not belong in state schools," Oezkan told German weekly magazine Focus, adding that "schools should be neutral places where children can decide their religious orientation on their own. Just as head scarves do not belong in classrooms."Oezkan's comments have ruffled feathers in her own conservative party.Lower Saxony State Premiere Christian WulffBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Wulff says the cross and the CDU are 'inseparable'
Lower Saxony state premier, Christian Wulff, distanced himself from the designated minister's remarks."Christian symbols, above all the crucifix in schools, are welcomed by the state government in Lower Saxony in keeping with the practice of tolerant education on the basis of Christian values," Wulff told news agency dpa.He added that students wearing headscarves were also tolerated on grounds of religious freedom but not teachers."Ms Oezkan expressed her personal opinion on religious neutrality, but she's not questioning the practice in Lower Saxony."But Stefan Mueller, CDU commissioner for integration, was openly critical."[Oezkan's remarks] are as absurd as they are appalling," Mueller said in a statement. "Politicians who want to ban the cross in state schools should think twice about whether representing a Christian party is the right choice. The crucifix is the foundation of our identity, culture, and values," he added.
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Well no wonder Germans are in an uproar would like to see an German or someone from Western world trying to implement a similar procedure in Saudi Arabia, or Iran... dont think it would fly well....
This is not to say all Muslims are bad, there are good and bad people in every culture....."The percentage of Saudi citizens who are Christians is officially zero, as Saudi Arabia forbids religious conversion from Islam and punishes it by death."
"Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state that practices Wahhabism and restricts all other religions, including the possession of religious items such as the Bible, crucifixes, and Stars of David.Christians are arrested and lashed in public for practicing their faith openly." "In Afghanistan, Abdul Rahman, a 41-year-old citizen, was charged in 2006 with rejecting Islam, a crime punishable by death under Sharia law."
