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Laicité* and religious
signs
The Federation of Associations for laicité (FAL)
of Roubaix had invited me to intervene at the Roubaix City Hall.
The Mayor, the Regional Director of the Department of Education,
the Imam
should also intervene. The large conference room
was packed with an audience mainly composed of school teachers.
I saw three veiled women in the audience. Something to add spice
to the debate!
For me, laicité presupposes that citizens are first men
and women before being believers. One is not a believer before
being a citizen. Belief comes after. To believe is a thought
process done in liberty. This can be done only if one has the
right to not do it.
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Do the fundamentalists accept this possibility of being able
not to believe? For them, does everybody have to be a believer? |
As for the unavoidable question of the veil*, I did not
wish a law. The law is the last resort and exclusion (from
a government-owned school, a note from the translator)
is always a setback. But, apart the three veiled women, I felt
everyone there was favourable to a law. |
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- Spreading the Good News
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This happened in Basle. After my speech a young woman stood
up to tell her sufferings with her Church, the Roman Catholic
Church. She was hurt. Her heart was filled with resentment and
even hate. She was wondering if she would leave the church. |
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In the meeting another young woman stood up, not to ask a
question but to give her testimony. "I am a Muslim'' She
started to say. In a soft tone, she showed how important it was
to learn one's religion, to live of it and to discover what was
at the heart of it. Then addressing the woman that was having
difficulties with her church, she said: "Do not leave your
church even if you are now suffering from it''. |
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- She showed that everyone needed to know and loved one's
religion to bring something to each other.
- Everyone was listening with attention and admiration this
Muslim woman whose words were opening a new understanding.
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- I was invited in a family's home that was the house of
God.
- This Muslim woman was also invited to share the bread
and friendship for the joy of everyone.
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Death and life after death?
There was a large crowd gathering at the point in the cemetery
called '' The Jewish Quarter''. We were all there to attending
the funeral of a man we all knew. When his spouse saw me, she
came to me, kissed me and said: ''Jacques, Jacques, if only you
knew how much I think of you in this moment! How lucky you are
to believe!'' This woman whom I admired so much, is an atheist.
For her, after death there is nothing. Absolutely nothing. She
would like to believe but it is not possible for her!
I was standing next to her thinking of these words that Theresa
of Infant Jesus was addressing to her sisters: ''I am not dying.
I am entering into life".
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People were marching along the open tomb and each one in silence
was throwing a little bit of soil on the coffin. When it came
to Abbe Pierre, he exclaimed: ''In hope of meeting again together
some day''. |
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An undue trial
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During a social forum, I had the pleasure of meeting with
Tarig Ramadam again. Some 15 years ago, we were at the same debate
together in Geneva and since, have become friends. Tarig is humanitarian
and has many talents. He is a spiritual man. A known philosopher,
he can be a formidable debater. He has the great quality of being
able to talk to his brothers from the suburbs. He loves them
as much as to give them the dignity they are not enough aware
of. Because of him, they regain the pride of being full citizens. |
His impact is considerable. He has many enemies. He is today
being accused of anti-Semitism.
A debate is being organized with him. Can one speak with the
devil ? The devil is him. On the stage, he sits at the end of
the table. The questions being directed to him are poisoned arrows.
It is like being judged by the population. But Tarig keeps a
dignified air and anyone can witness the peace inside him.
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- * A French word without equivalent in English. It means
a strict separation between religions or religious organizations
and symbols (for instance religious symbols like a cross or a
veil worn by Muslim women or the Roman Catholic Church or even
a prayer to God etc
) and Government or State organizations,
funds or buildings (for instance a Court room, a City Hall, Armed
Forces, State-owned schools or Universities, etc
). Established
in 1905, it follows a long history in France of conflicts between
religions, and between religion and government. All religious
matters are considered as private matters of individuals, one
of their fundamental rights with no interference from the Government
or from any religion. The present concern comes from the recent
arrival, a few decades ago, of Muslim immigrants in France who
have not participated to the French, and even European, history
of conflicts between religion and government. (Note from the
translator).
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