European Churches" "
“There’s a risk that a law be perceived by one side or another as a form of discrimination. We should educate, on the contrary, in respect for persons and religious signs, on condition that they be not ostentatious, discriminatory or against the brotherhood of man we are trying to construct”. That’s the view of Pierre Debergé, priest and dean of the faculty of theology at the Catholic Institute of Toulouse, commenting on the debate currently going on in France about the possibility of introducing a law that would ban the use of religious signs in schools ( cf. page 1). “Making a new law means not trusting in the capacity of people and schools to permit an education in mutual understanding and acceptance of differences”, explains Debergé. Michel Camdessus, president of the Social Weeks in France, also disagrees with the need for a new law. “Let us ensure that our Constitution, which is so generous in guaranteeing non-confessionalism he declares -, does not lead us to abolish fundamental rights”. Of a different view is René-Samuel Sirat, former chief rabbi of France, who says he is favourable to a bill, on condition that it be “accompanied by great educational attention, because being satisfied with a ban on so delicate an issue risks creating misunderstandings that could lead to a revolt”. The ideal, he adds, “would be to lead children to decide by themselves whether these signs should be taken to school or not”.
