Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Any Jewelry, post: 328698, member: 2844&quot;]Parts of Gelderland are part of our Bible Belt, very conservative Calvinist Protestants. Some customs in parts of the Bible Belt go against our laws, constitution and what we consider human rights. That is why many left, first for South Africa, later on to the Americas.</p><p>The ones that stayed, were allowed some exemptions that are no longer deemed acceptable. It was only after state subsidies for a political party were threatened to be cut (taxpayer&#039;s money!) that they are now slowly starting to allow women to vote, for instance.</p><p><br /></p><p>The story of the eastern part of de Achterhoek is slightly different. After 1648 that part of Gelderland came under rule of the powerful Catholic Prince-Bishop of Münster in Germany. That meant Calvinism was not acceptable.</p><p>I don&#039;t know of any real persecution in the region, which was considered a backwater to Münster anyway, but it did mean the Calvinists in de Achterhoek had to go to church in Dutch territory. So no religious freedom. Moving to another part of Gelderland wasn&#039;t an option, the rural areas there were never prosperous enough to support more farms.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in