I wish to commend Irish voters for rejecting the Lisbon Treaty. Their vote is a reflection of the true heart and soul of a nation in touch with its democratic roots and moral foundation.

Acceptance of the treaty would have helped solidify a constitution of the European Union that has already broken good faith with organised religion by deliberately failing to mention Europe’s Christian roots and identity.

A “yes” vote would have enhanced the power of a European Union that unequivocally aims at forced compliance of all member states to accept a culture

of death that includes

homosexuality, same-sex marriage and abortion.

Philosopher Jacques Maritain wrote that democracy – what many consider the best form of government – emerged in human history as a temporal expression of evangelical inspiration and as such – in a historical rather than a dogmatic sense – is closely linked to Christianity, the foundation of which is Catholicism.

The increasing tendency of European nations to repudiate their Christian roots is not the expression of some morally superior tolerance for other cultures but rather the authorisation of an absolute way of thinking and living that is radically opposed to the variety of cultures – cultures which, in the end, are dogmatically relativised.

Secularists are motivated by a totalitarian concept of the State. According to this mentality, the State is a sort of Supreme Being that is above us and tells us how to live. But this is not reality. It should be the State that conforms to the society it serves – not the other way around. This is the essence of democracy. The opposite is dictatorship and totalitarianism.

Paul Kokoski

Hamilton, Ontario

Canada