Separation of Church and State under assault

The separation of State and Church is under assault. From an unexpected direction.

Our Christian Democrat (CDA) Prime Minister J.P. Balkenende was a guest on Robert A. Schuller's Hour of Power (Dutch) last Sunday. The Prime Minister was presented to the viewers as the Prime Minister of The Netherlands and not as a private person. The footage was filmed in the Tower of the Catshuis, the office of the Prime Minister.

There was no reaction from the opposition in parliament, nor from the Labour Party PvdA), the coalition partner of the CDA and Christian Union parties. Only the secular blogosphere defended the strict separation of State and Church. Both the Leftwing but politically incorrect De Zwijger blog and hyper popular right wing Geenstijl attacked the Prime Minister.

Due to the erosion of the Labour party by competition from the Socialist Party (SP). And the erosion of the Liberal-Conservative Party (VVD) by Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) secularity is weakening in The Netherlands. The Christian Parties are not affected by Multiculturalism because their support is from the villages and towns. With urban voters flocking to the anti-multiculturalist parties on the Left and Right the Christian Parties are essential in putting together coalitions.

I would say that gay marriage was the last show case of Dutch hyper-liberalism.