Next Wave of EU Expansion

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Just Croatia and Iceland could get in in the next years. Another massive expansion will give European Federalism the coup de grace.

[dead0man]

All except for Turkey and Azerbaijan, neither of which is really in Europe.

Are Georgia and Armenia in Europe?

culturally, yes.

Uh, in what sense?

Christianity?  (not to speak for him)

[minionofmidas]

All except for Turkey and Azerbaijan, neither of which is really in Europe.

Are Georgia and Armenia in Europe?

culturally, yes.

Uh, in what sense?

Christianity?  (not to speak for him)

I assume so - not that that is a definition with a validity in excess of 0. Elseways Eritrea and parts of Kerala are European, while Bosnia is not. Which is obviously utterly absurd. These are remnants of Asian Christianity - as anybody with an inkling of the history of the Middle East would find obvious. (Much less obvious, because the territory in between was eventually Christianized at a surprisingly late date, because we've grown used to thinking of it as an unequivocal part of Europe for 300 years and more, and anyways it's had *some* ties to Europe long before, is that the same could historically be claimed for Russia.)

[Stranger in a strange land]

All except for Turkey and Azerbaijan, neither of which is really in Europe.

Are Georgia and Armenia in Europe?

culturally, yes.

Uh, in what sense?

Christianity?  (not to speak for him)

I assume so - not that that is a definition with a validity in excess of 0. Elseways Eritrea and parts of Kerala are European, while Bosnia is not. Which is obviously utterly absurd. These are remnants of Asian Christianity - as anybody with an inkling of the history of the Middle East would find obvious. (Much less obvious, because the territory in between was eventually Christianized at a surprisingly late date, because we've grown used to thinking of it as an unequivocal part of Europe for 300 years and more, and anyways it's had *some* ties to Europe long before, is that the same could historically be claimed for Russia.)

That's partly it but not entirely. I was speaking more about cultural ties, which came about largely because of Christianity, but encompass much more than it. And actually Armenia was the first country to officially embrace Christianity.

[minionofmidas]

Yes - an argument can be made that to be "fully" European you need to be historically Christian, but turn it around and you're left with nothing but gibberish.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The idea of parts of Kerala being in the E.U is sufficiently amusing for me to support the idea.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

...besides, you could look at the initial membership list of the European project and claim that only countries with a large non-'immigrant' Catholic population have any 'cultural' right to E.U membership...

[minionofmidas]

...besides, you could look at the initial membership list of the European project and claim that only countries with a large non-'immigrant' Catholic population have any 'cultural' right to E.U membership...

And you'd be right. Out with you!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

...besides, you could look at the initial membership list of the European project and claim that only countries with a large non-'immigrant' Catholic population have any 'cultural' right to E.U membership...

And you'd be right. Out with you!

Fair enough. But we take Scandinavia and the former DDR and... um... some of the Eastern states though I can never remember the exact religious demographics... with us. Hah!

[minionofmidas]

At least we get to keep Poland.