Secular State threatened by agreement between Lula and Benedict XVI. In November 13 2008, in a meeting held in Vatican City between President Lula and pope Benedict XIV, the bilateral agreement between Brazil and the Vatican was signed. To come into effect, this agreement must be voted and approved by the Brazilian Congress and later signed by the President. The reporter on this matter, Representative Bonifácio de Andrada (PSDB – MG), already offered his judgement in favor of the approval.Once signed, the agreement can only be broken if both sides agree. Future changes could be added from any agreements reached between the Ministeries of Foreign Relations of both countries, with no further need of approval from Congress nor negociation with the civil society.
The agreement is made of twenty paragraphs and deals with subjects which interfere with our society´s way of living as a whole, putting at risk the Secular State. Paraghaph 11 deals with religious Catholic education in public schools. Paragraph 6 addresses the Catholic Church’s real estate and property in Brazil, establishing a ” cooperation between the Church and the State in protecting, increasing the value and promoting the fruition of the assets, belongings and real estate of the Catholic Church”, meaning the Brazilian State should invest public resources in the Church’s assets. Paragraph 16 grants the Church tax exemption and allows it not to respect current labor legislation.
The agreement is dangerous, and there will be no turning back once it gets approved. This agreement goes against the principle of the State’s independence from religion. Human freedom is one with the principles of the Secular State. Choosing wether to believe in one faith or the other is a prerogative of the individual, and the State must respect and observe religious phenomena with neutrality. The Secular State must consider all creeds equally, and to that end all of them must be granted the same rights. This agreement puts the Catholic Church in a very different standing, apart from other religions, because it would be the only one to sign an agreement with the State. That is why this agreement must not be approved, a process in which civil society has a very important role to play.
Please, send a message of protest to celsoamorim@mre.gov.br (Minister of theExternal Relation) and dep.micheltemer@camara.gov.br (President of the Brazilian Parlament). With copy for juslago@gmail.com
Here a suggestion Latter:
Exmo. Senhor Prof. Doutor Celso Amorim Minister of the External Relation / Exmo. Senhor Deputado Michel Temer,
I hereby ask the Brazilian Congress not to approve the bilateral agreement between the President of Brazil and the Vaticane. We want Brazil to continue to be an international defender of human rights and basic principles of good governance. The proposed agreement
attacks the enlightened principles of a secular state and of freedom of thought, by granting the Catholic Church privileges in the public life. A democratic and modern state should not treat different life stances and religious groups in the society unequally.
Yours sincerely (name, country)
