Pope connives with Sarkozy to undermine French secularism

Catherine Le Fur of our sister organisation in Paris, Libre Pensée, reports on the Pope’s recent visit to her city.
To coincide with the Pope’s visit to Paris on 14 September 2008, Libre Pensée organised an international meeting [laïcité is the French version of secularism] to demand that no public funds be used to finance religious activities linked to the papal visit, to call for laïcism throughout Europe and for Europe-wide separation of Church and State. This was an important day in the history of the secular movement. Around 30 secular, humanist and freethinker associations attended – 1200 participants. A message from NSS Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood was read by Catherine Le Fur of Libre Pensée.

There were several journalists from the press and radio present but none from television – it seems they were too busy following the Popemobile. No doubt this is what passes for equal treatment by the media.

The fight for freedom of conscience to be respected is an international one that has been going on, is going on and will continue for many years across all continents and in all countries.

Separation of Church and State (established in France in 1905) is the universal democratic response by peoples and nations who want to govern themselves without any so-called ‘divine’ authority justifying the support of economic, cultural and political oppression. Rising up against social oppression is rising up against the ‘divine will’ and the interests of the clergy.

President Sarkozy visited the Pope in December 2007 and received the title of Honorary Chanoine of the Basilica of St. John Lateran. (A chanoine is a member of the clergy.) Now he is no doubt aiming for beatification.

Libre Pensée is strongly concerned that Sarkozy intends to do the same thing in Europe that he is trying to do in France. He is president of the EU until the end of 2008 and Libre Pensée submitted a proposal to all associations present that we jointly request a meeting with him to find out what he is planning to do to spread laïcism in Europe, to extend absolute freedom of conscience and to promote the separation of Church and State throughout Europe.
See also: Church and state on collision course in France
Extracts from Sarkozy’s speech in English

19 September 2008