Pope: Fall of Communism Proved Man Needs God

Ending his first trip to the Czech Republic, Pope Benedict XVI declared Monday that communism's end was "proof that God cannot be excluded from public life," Reutersreports. The country celebrated the 20th anniversary ofVelvet Revolution, which ended decades of communist rule, during the pope's visit. The pope reminded the crowd of 50,000 young people "of powerful figures who had apparently risen to almost unattainable heights" but suddenly "found themselves stripped of their power." Speaking on St. Wenceslas's feast day, a national holiday, he continued, "Today there is a need for believers with credibility, who are ready to spread in every area of society the Christian principles and ideals by which their action is inspired." The country has one of the lowest proportions of religious people in the world, according to Reuters.

'Equality Directive' Will 'Silence' Christians, Says Legal Group

Christian Today reports that European Christians may be effectively silenced if the European Union's Equal Treatment Directive passes. "Its provisions are likely to restrict Christian freedoms to the extent that, in certain cases, we would be silenced and prevented from providing goods or services to the public without violating our consciences, particularly if required to promote other religions or the practice of homosexuality," said Andrea Minichiello Williams, director of the legal group Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON). The directive would forbid discrimination of goods and services based on religion, belief and sexual orientation. "This will cast a chilling shadow over free speech and freedom of expression for Christians, as it will for those with any views that challenge the prevailing 'politically correct' ideology," said Ms Williams.