"La Depeche du Midi" is not the world's largest nor most sophisticated newspaper. During the recent riots, its headline in the Aude edition was about the local rugby team winning an important match, so you can see where its heart lies.
Yesterday, however, there was a two page dossier (and two pages in the Depeche is a HUGE percentage of the paper) celebrating the 100th anniversary of the official separation of church and state in France.
It recounts how, in 1905, there were 48 embittered sessions of the Chamber of Deputies debating the issue before it was finally passed. Six months later, on the 9th of December, 1905, it was voted into law.
There are 44 articles in the law, but the first two are primary. Article 1: "The Republic guarantees the freedom of conscience. It guarantees the free exercise of religion." (Although, the term "religion" is a bit more restrictive in France, with Scientology and Jehovah's Witnesses not actually considered religions, but "cults" in the American use of the word.) Article 2: "The Republic does not recognize, nor hire, nor financially support any religion."
Indeed, the State is prohibited from involving itself in any way in the domain of any religion, and, religions themselves are prohibited from involving themselves in any way in politics.
This was a hard fought battle, but freedom eventually won out over doctrine.
It was an important moment in French history, and this entire week is devoted to a variety of events commemorating its arrival. Historians remind us that this was a battle which had its roots in the Middle Ages. One of the huge successes of the French Revolution was the right to believe or not, as a citizen wished. And, the right to worship as one saw fit was part of the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
For those of you who were shocked about the ban on Muslim girls wearing headscarves to school, perhaps it will help you to understand why that was an important issue here. Schools are State run, thus separate from the practice of religion. The ban was authorized with this intention and no other. It was not an attempt to ban anyone from their own beliefs, just a means of keeping religion out of a State (and thus lay) institution.
I think it's important as an American to remember how much this freedom of worship means in other countries, so that we don't lose sight of its importance in our own. We cannot allow the religious right to dominate America. It is giving up a right that has been hard fought and hard won in too few places.
Off my soapbox now.
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
Yesterday, however, there was a two page dossier (and two pages in the Depeche is a HUGE percentage of the paper) celebrating the 100th anniversary of the official separation of church and state in France.
It recounts how, in 1905, there were 48 embittered sessions of the Chamber of Deputies debating the issue before it was finally passed. Six months later, on the 9th of December, 1905, it was voted into law.
There are 44 articles in the law, but the first two are primary. Article 1: "The Republic guarantees the freedom of conscience. It guarantees the free exercise of religion." (Although, the term "religion" is a bit more restrictive in France, with Scientology and Jehovah's Witnesses not actually considered religions, but "cults" in the American use of the word.) Article 2: "The Republic does not recognize, nor hire, nor financially support any religion."
Indeed, the State is prohibited from involving itself in any way in the domain of any religion, and, religions themselves are prohibited from involving themselves in any way in politics.
This was a hard fought battle, but freedom eventually won out over doctrine.
It was an important moment in French history, and this entire week is devoted to a variety of events commemorating its arrival. Historians remind us that this was a battle which had its roots in the Middle Ages. One of the huge successes of the French Revolution was the right to believe or not, as a citizen wished. And, the right to worship as one saw fit was part of the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
For those of you who were shocked about the ban on Muslim girls wearing headscarves to school, perhaps it will help you to understand why that was an important issue here. Schools are State run, thus separate from the practice of religion. The ban was authorized with this intention and no other. It was not an attempt to ban anyone from their own beliefs, just a means of keeping religion out of a State (and thus lay) institution.
I think it's important as an American to remember how much this freedom of worship means in other countries, so that we don't lose sight of its importance in our own. We cannot allow the religious right to dominate America. It is giving up a right that has been hard fought and hard won in too few places.
Off my soapbox now.
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<$I18N$LinksToThisPost>:
Create a Link
<< Home