The Spanish Associació Valenciana d’Ateus i Lliurepensadors has come up with a new strategy to fight religious symbols on public spaces.
The association offers five euros for each crucifix or other religious symbol which is no longer exposed on the premises of a public or publicly funded agency such as schools, hospitals, health centers, town halls, barracks or courts.
I have mixed feelings about this. Sure, safeguarding secularism is important but it doesn’t feel right having citizens pay out of their pockets to ensure compliance with one of the most fundamental democratic values.
This strategy could backfire as well: since compliance with the law is met by buying it ( by the way, isn’t that what taxes are for?), religionist groups could also start paying much more money to keep the religious symbols on public grounds.
