Madam, - Proinsias De Rossa, arguing against any reference to God in the EU Constitutional preamble writes (Opinion, May 1st): "Future enlargement [of the EU\] may involve states such as Bulgaria, Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which will significantly increase Muslim populations in the Union." He seems to suggest that acknowledgment of God would be unjust to Muslims. This is puzzling since belief in God is, if anything, more robust among Muslims than in the West.
Am I missing some fine point in Mr De Rossa's logic? - Yours, etc.,
Father TOM STACK,
St Joseph's,
Ramleh Park,
Milltown,
Dublin 6.
Madam, - Proinsias De Rossa argues for a non-theistic approach to the proposed preamble to the EU constitutional treaty, on the basis that a reference to God would exclude some member-states and individual members. Dana Rosemary Scallan, on the other hand, argues that in our experience here in Ireland and in that of the major European members the reference to God as the source of life and power has not adversely affected either government nor the life of the ordinary citizen.
While there may be some reservations about limiting the view of God to the Judaeo-Christian tradition, it is surely not a reason to obliterate all reference to God. A truly catholic view of God in any assembly of diverse or similar civilisations can hardly lead to any conflict or abuse of any individual's rights. It would appear to me that it would not be undemocratic to allow the inclusion of a reference to an all-embracing God in the proposed preamble. - Yours, etc.,
PATRICIA SPILLANE,
Eyrecourt,
Sandyford,
Do Dublin.