What the world really needs now is…

If you guessed “lawsuits” you’re probably a member of the EU Parliament.

The Christian Post is reporting:

Proposed equality laws by the European Union threaten to make it easier for atheists to file lawsuits against any organization offering public service if they are offended by a displayed religious symbol or by a religious act.

Something as conventional as a crucifix hanging on a hospital wall or a prayer before a meal given at a church-related ministry could be reason enough for a lawsuit under the proposed equality law.

A number of actually sane people who haven’t already abandoned Europe screaming and pulling out their hair have warned that…uhm…maybe it’s not the best idea in the world to make people doing charity work more exposed to lawsuits.

I mean, that would be almost as loony as the President of the United States lowering the tax deduction for charity.

Let me paint the picture here. So you have people who are down on their luck and in great need of money and help. And you don’t think some of them are going to jump at the chance to sue anybody that offers them a cup of soup because they have a crucifix hanging on the wall? Hey, it only takes one lawsuit to close down a soup kitchen. Those kinds of operations don’t exactly work with a high profit margin.

The Church of England has voiced concern, according to The Daily Mail, that hospices and charities for the homeless may face legal action if people complain they feel offended by religious practice or symbols.

Simon Calvert, deputy director of public affairs for the Christian Institute, warns that the proposed E.U. laws would “open a Pandora’s box.”

“What about Gideon Bibles in hotel bedrooms? Would councils ban nativity scenes from Christmas displays,” he asked.

Yup! But what the Church of England may not understand is that’s probably the point.