Facebook Editorial: Catholic is not secular, but religious. Wake up François !
Facebook Editorial: Catholic is not secular, but religious. Wake up François !
Societas Criticus, revue de critique sociale et politique, Vol. 26-04 : www.societascriticus.com
Michel Handfield, M.Sc. sociology (2024-10-29; 30 for the Translation)
A translation of my « Édito Facebook : catholique, ce n'est pas laïque, mais religieux. Réveille François ! » with the help of Google Translate. Made from my Facebook posts of October 22 and 25, 2024.
François, I have already explained it, but I will repeat it for you:
Secularism has two forms.
First, the open form, where everyone has the right to their beliefs, and to wear their religious symbols. But they must offer state services to all according to the rules of the art.
Then, the closed form. Here, the State must be neutral and must not show any relations or references to the religion, which means that no exception is made to the old Catholic or Christian background or culture.
Out goes « Merry Christmas » and in comes « Happy Holidays » or « Happy Winter Solstice .» While we keep December 25th as a holiday, at the state level it is the Winter Solstice celebration.
Good Friday or Easter Monday, a holiday is over. It is replaced by the spring equinox celebration. The same goes for Thanksgiving, which is replaced by the autumn equinox. As for the Quebec holiday, it remains, but is no longer related to Saint-Jean-Baptiste, but to the summer solstice.
We will adapt effortlessly, because, as we tell others, « When you come to work, you leave your religion at the door ». If it's going to be easy for them, why shouldn't it be easy for us too?
No more double standards, under the pretext of religious culture. If we ask others, we set an example. This year, Mr. Legault, we must put an end to « Merry Christmas » and move on to « Happy Holidays ,» or even « Happy Winter Solstice » for the bravest. (1)
The problem is the religious secularism of the CAQ, but you don't see it François. On the 25th, you even came back to the subject to tell us in some way that Catholic schools are not religious ! I quote you :
« It's easy to say « religious schools », but what are we talking about? Are schools with a Catholic heritage « religious » ? No responsible government would have made such a commitment on a whim. » (2)
But you point to one religion : Islam, while this can be true of all religions, including Christianity, and of different sectarianism and beliefs. I quote you again :
« Let's be frank : the entry of Islamism into our public schools threatens the right of our children to receive a quality education that respects Quebec values. » (2)
So, I repeat to you :
Catholic is not secular, but religious. Wake up François ! (3) The religious secularism of your government, that is the problem. (4)
Perhaps your advisors are not up to their task on secularism, wanting to spare the old conservative background of some of your voters. But, by acting like this, Quebec is still sitting between two stools. « Catholic-secular » is not secular ! Period.
Notes
1. This was my word about Tommy Chouinard's text, École Bedford Legault veut « renforcer les contrôles et la laïcité », La Presse, 22 octobre 2024 :
2. Screenshot of François Legault’s October 25, 2024, posts on X and on Facebook (partial view, because it’s the same one) :
3. This was my post from October 25, which also serves as the title of this Facebook editorial.
4. My Facebook post of October 25, 2024, read, « La laïcité religieuse du gouvernement Legault ! Il est là et le problème. » This was my word about this article :
Geneviève Lajoie, Pas touche au financement public des écoles religieuses: Legault défend l’héritage catholique, Le Journal de Montréal, 24 octobre 2024 :