Sarkozy and the role of religion in France!

britexpat
By britexpat

OK.. This is not about the Niqab or covering or any such thing.

The post is aimed at discussing the use of religion by Sarkozy to garner support.. Is this going to be a trend in Europe ?

On Palm Sunday, someone attacked and damaged a picture by Andres Serrano, which showed a Crucifix sitting in a glass of urine. This was part of an "anti-blasphemy" campaign by French Catholic fundamentalists in the southern city of Avignon.

The violent slashing of the picture, and another Serrano photograph of a meditating nun, has plunged secular France into soul-searching about Christian fundamentalism and Nicolas Sarkozy's use of religious populism in his bid for re-election next year.

The photograph had been shown in France several times without incident, but two weeks ago a concerted protest campaign began.

Civitas, a lobby group that says it aims to re-Christianize France, launched an online petition and mobilised other fundamentalist groups. The staunchly conservative archbishop of Vaucluse, Jean-Pierre Cattenoz, called Piss Christ "odious" and said he wanted this "trash" taken off the gallery walls.

The gallery director, Eric Mézil, said there had been a kind of "inquisition" against the art work.

Asked by the daily Libération why the Piss Christ protest had happened now, Mézil pointed to Sarkozy's speech in March lauding "the Christian heritage of France" at Puy-en-Velay, where the first Crusades were preached.

He said: "Clearly we saw in Saturday's demonstration that a Catholic fringe wanted to take the president at his word, with extremely violent appeals." He said there was a climate of tension, with protesters insulting museum staff of north African origin.

Source: Guardian

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 11:39
Nic

britexpat,

The world is so diverse in all its aspects.

At any given time there is something weird or unusual happening in some spot of this planet or even universe.

Do we really have to worry about every single minor isolated episode like this one? If yes, we would not have enough time to live our own lives.

As I said, it’s precisely in your country of origin (and not France), where a real huge problem is! Any slight interpretation of blasphemy is certain to kill innocent people.

There, you have a real problem as it’s a national movement of fanaticism!

By salim000• 19 Apr 2011 11:36
salim000

Sarkozy sickness is Religion_phobia

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 11:36
anonymous

Art in France is a religion onto itself. Much more shocking things have been done in it's name, and more shocking things will be done, and the Christian churches know that. I think they are just speaking up because they feel they should.

By britexpat• 19 Apr 2011 11:31
britexpat

I would agree that in this instance, it is something small against what they felt was balsphemy.

However, the mobilisation of such support by a minority should be cause for concern. Would you not agree ?

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 11:26
Nic

britexpat,

dont worry about it.

its just an article, not a national movement!

when compared to other so called “religious countries”, france is heaven on earth.

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 11:25
Straight Arrow

keep religion away from the topic and I appologize for diverting the topic.

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 11:23
Straight Arrow

Yusuf Estes

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yusuf-Estes/9209579703?v=info

Please have look and share your thoughts

By britexpat• 19 Apr 2011 11:21
britexpat

My question..

Is this a storm in a tea cup ? Is Sarkozy using the "religious" aspect to improve his standing prior to the next elections, are we seeing religion being used as an excuse for Anarchy or is there actually a shift taking place...

In Provence, the abbot of Cacqueray, of the Society of St. Pius X, a breakaway group set up by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, said "anti-Christianity has developed in France in recent decades with the complicity of government; imagine if Mohammed or Anne Frank had been shown at an exhibition immersed in urine?”

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 11:19
Straight Arrow

Believe me you loose nothing, Nic you should think out of the box, because it is clear for us that you have considered these links are out of the box so why you do not start to think out the box and then ask others.

If there nothing called good things, then why some things are called bad.

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 11:10
anonymous

Exactly Oryx. That's the perfect analogy.

Don't feel sorry for me slman, I'm enjoying my life now rather than torturing myself on the off chance that there's a heaven.

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 11:10
slman

I feel really sorry about you two.

You two may not believe on these.

But, it is your duty to find the truth than sticking in one place by believing what you think is correct.

Any way. I have given you enough details to understand things.

All the best.

But Please do not forget that I have told these things to you on a day if it required you to tell that that I have passed these messages.

Thank you.

By Oryx• 19 Apr 2011 11:07
Oryx

Its like offering a vegetarian loads of different kinds of meat hoping they will have a moment of ephinany and go on a carniverous binge.

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 11:03
Nic

Pilgram,

Well said ;)

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 11:02
slman

Nic I am with you on this.

I asked the France QL members to give their opinion. Not as one public opinion NIC.

So if there are any QL members from France here with us they can tell what they think about it.

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 11:01
Nic

slman,

we've noticed that ;)

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 11:01
anonymous

I will never understand why people think quoting scripture to an atheist will make a difference? Do they not understand what an atheist is? Or do they think they became atheists because they just never read the scriptures?

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 10:58
Rating: 2/5
slman

There you have come to the correct place...

In this world no one knows what is right!

U have set of Books, others also have set of books, and we Muslims have set of books.

Without knowing what is correct and wrong, how one person or a group can put rules to stop a believe of another.

Putting ban on Face Vail is total against of our Islamic believes.

REMEMBER one thing, though all others have doubt on what is correct and wrong, we Muslims believe that the Islam is the Real. So we are basically Fundamentalists in Practicing Islam.

If u need evidence to prove it please watch the followings...

&feature=related

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 10:57
Nic

Straight Arrow,

Try to think out of the box!

You may find a wonderful world out there, yours to discover ;)

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 10:55
Straight Arrow

http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=2&tAyahNo=256&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2

and

http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=2&tAyahNo=256&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2

http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=11&tAyahNo=118&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2

We should read and Judge

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 10:30
Nic

slman,

in France, each person has its own individual opinion, they don’t “think in masses”.

so i guess you would have to ask each french national who follows catholicism.

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 10:27
Nic

Straight Arrow,

what about if you are wrong and the swiss guy is right?

you have wasted your life (the only one you have) abiding to rules someone imposed on you.

just some food for your thoughts!

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 10:22
slman

BUT at the moment we have it in France so i wanted to know what the France Catholics thinks about it?

It can be Religious wise, Human rites wise.. or even personal..

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 10:19
Straight Arrow

but it will never ever harm those who knows that all religions ask for peace and respect and loyality.

I had a discussion with one Swiss guy who is non believer and he said why God keeps people fighting? This Swiss guy forgot this life which we are living in is like a big exam room, those English Muslims or French Muslims knows that there are sentences in the holy Quran which means that if God wanted all people to be on the right path (the path of peace and faith) then God would have done it.

God let us live the way we want and at the end the winners are those who followed God orders and Losers are those who do not follow God orders.

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 10:14
Nic

slman,

It’s not only France, its Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Austria, Germany and others to come.

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 10:11
slman

What may be the France real and public stands on this issue?

Any France QL member here with us to comment on this?

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 10:01
Nic

slman,

Yes, Europe is getting less and less tolerant towards certain religions and cultures that are not part of their cultural heritage and that is why the representation of extreme right parties is growing by the day.

If noting is done to tackle the problem, we might see a dangerous Europe emerging from great failure of the tolerance towards diversity!

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 09:54
anonymous

Brite, The best idea to create chaos among believers is throwing stones to the religion.

By slman• 19 Apr 2011 09:44
Rating: 5/5
slman

This act of france is one way to the target.

These Europe countries are not puppets of America as other countries. And the Europe culture and stands on Policies all very deferent from America. Specially the Stands on the terrorism and stands on religious things are very deferent from America.

I strongly believe that this standalone part of Europe has been broken by France. And Now America and the Unknown western power has gone inside of Europe through France.

The recent act on Libya by France more proved it.

That the France is the latest PUPPET of America and the so called UNKNOWNM western Power.

No one bothers about them, No one compare them, No one try to stop them.

The one who try to stands again them will be called as TERRORISTS and will be attacked by groups where no one can control.

We have evidence from the beginning. and present and also will be more in the near future.

ONE THING is more clear, the complete western power is targeted one thing. They are united mainly on one thing. They are together for one thing.

Wipe out ISLAM. And its Growth.

Correct me if I am wrong. The so called western media are with them to give the world news as in a way they attract the people for this union and helping the objective. The people will not get any doubt and they don’t feel that the news is under control of another power.

THE WHOLE WORLD HAS GOT A PICTURE of ISLAM as a group of TERRORISTS.

Funny part is the main fund raiser and main sponsors for these so called western powers are THE GULF...!

To understand the truth, Watch these parts when u have time.... Please.

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 09:40
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

While France claims to be a secular country at it's heart it remains a staunch Catholic country, and Avignon the former home of the Pope. I think a lot of people downplay France's Catholic heritage in these religious debates and that's a mistake, it's Catholic heritage still holds a lot of sway in the decisions made by the government.

By Nic• 19 Apr 2011 09:26
Nic

britexpat,

If this was in your country of origin, some innocent would have already been killed!

By Straight Arrow• 19 Apr 2011 08:44
Straight Arrow

Because the majority of French people are educated. Sarkozy reputation went down dramatically, and he want to repaint his picture in better colors.

By britexpat• 19 Apr 2011 08:09
britexpat

Yes, you're right. i doubt that this would occur in France.

By anonymous• 19 Apr 2011 08:05
anonymous

At least nobody was killed so far!

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