As we wrap up the year of 2005, this
seems a good time to look at some of the good things going on in México.
And sometimes it requires a look outside of México to put things into
perspective. By this I mean, not only is México not at war with anybody,
we are not at war with Christmas.
We look north across the border and find what we see is almost
unbelievable. And, of course, I refer to the escalating "War on
Christmas" that seems to be getting hotter from year to year. Books have
been written on the subject, commentary is ramping up, and stores have
been instructing their employees not to utter the fateful phrase "Merry
Christmas". What the heck is going on?
But it might be well to review some of the things that happened in
México's past concerning separation of Church and State to understand
our perspective.
This goes back to the very colonization of México. In Mexico's case
it was a joint financial effort by the monarchy of Spain and the Spanish
Catholic Church. To the King went the financial spoils and to the Church
went the souls. It was a bi-directional effort. Different from the
colonization by the English further north. There, it was strictly a
business proposition and a location where to ship surplus population (at
the expense of the native population).
México's War of Independence was in September of 1810 and started
by a Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo. His "Cry for Independence"
cost him his life. After 11 years of war, the end result was a secular
government with an overall control of the Church. As a matter of fact,
Mexican law did not recognize marriage performed out of Church sanction.
And the Church became the largest landowner in the country.
Later, in 1858, under Benito Juárez, came the "Reform". A second
war of independence, this time an internal war. This three-year war was
based on Civil Liberties; a reduction of the power of the Church by
nationalization of much of the Church owned land and recognition of
civil marriages. It is noted that Argentina only recently recognized
civil marriage.
Later, between 1910 and 1920, was the Revolution. This was a long
drawn out war that ended up establishing a new constitution limiting
political term limits (after one president was in office for 35 years!)
and set the stage for modern México.
But what is talked about very little in México is a fourth war that
ran for a number of years after 1920. Many history books give this
episode no mention at all. What had happened was that after the Reform
that reduced Church power in México, the Church gradually was regaining
much of that lost power. The reaction of the government after 1920 was
severe. There was a period in some locations that for a priest to even
conduct a religious service was to be dealt with a quick death sentence.
The 1904s movie, The Fugitive, starring Henry Fonda, recounted this
piece of Mexican history. Public hanging of priests and raping of nuns
was common in the countryside at that time.
The result of this fourth war was almost draconian restrictions on
the Mexican Church. All governmental ties with the Vatican were
abolished. Separation of Church and State went so far as to prohibit
clergy from even wearing religious clothing in public. If a priest or
nun left Church property, they had to wear mufti. These restrictions
were finally abolished in the years after 1990. México now has an
ambassador to the Vatican as the United States does. I can remember
seeing a priest with his backward collar walking down a street to
everybody's surprise in the mid-1990s.
What this process has led to is a much more tolerant México in
regard to religion in general. Another ground breaking incident was our
present president, Vincente Fox, paying a visit to his church to offer a
prayer on the day of his inauguration. Something that took about 70
years to happen.
And I can also remember driving through a Jewish neighborhood here
in the capitol on a Friday night and seeing orthodox Jews, with their
porkpie hats and braids, going to temple with their families.
Today, México has a good deal of respect and tolerance of religion.
The country how has about 85% of its population that identify themselves
as Catholic, around 10% Protestant (called Chriatianos, with the other
5% ranging from Jews to Mormons. By the way, México has the second
highest Mormon population in the world.
And the very thought of anyone facing legal action in displaying a
Christmas tree or wishing a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah strikes us
as absurd.
One might ask why this little history lesson was given. It is
simply the story of how one nation trod the hard path to lead to
religious tolerance. Listen up.
To our cousins up north, get real. This is a season of joy and
tolerance.
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Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com/)
contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at:
R1041643422@aol.com
By
Richard N. Baldwin T. /HispanicVista.com