Berlin, Germany - Germany's top cardinal has spoken out against uncritical tolerance which could lead to Islam enjoying equal standing with Christianity in the country.
Cardinal Karl Lehmann, head of the German conference of bishops, expressed concern about religious freedom leading to all faiths being treated equally regardless of the size of their flock and their history.
Germany's constitution obliges the state to maintain strict religious neutrality. But Lehmann pointed to Christianity's role in shaping European history and even its legal culture, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily reported on Thursday. "The neutrality of the state regarding individual religions must not be confused with indifference and uncritical tolerance toward the impact of religions on society," the paper quoted Lehmann as saying.
Germany has struggled to integrate its 3.2 million Muslims, over half of whom are of Turkish origin -- mostly laborers who came to help drive the post-war economic boom, and their offspring. The government, worried about the potential radicalization of disillusioned young Muslims, set up an Islam Conference last year to try to help Western Europe's second-biggest Muslim population after France mesh with mainstream society.