The Archbishop of Toulouse Mgr Robert Le Gall affirmed Friday, October 30 that "
freedom of expression has limits
" and that "
we cannot afford to make fun of religions, (because) we see the results that this gives
”.
In the aftermath of the Nice attack which killed three people in a basilica, these comments made on France Bleu Occitanie were criticized by the leader of rebellious France Jean-Luc Mélenchon and regional socialist officials.
Read also: Caricatures: new demonstrations against France in several countries
"
We sometimes add fuel to the fire with these
questions of Charlie Hebdo caricatures," said the archbishop.
“
All this should be appeased because these cartoons are against Muslims but also against the Christian faith
,” he added.
Should we stop distributing these cartoons in schools in particular?
“
I think so deeply.
We see the consequences, we add fuel to the fire and then it escalates.
Freedom of expression has limits like all human freedoms.
We would do better to insist in the republican motto on fraternity
", he assured, adding that it was necessary rather to insist on"
the freedom to be together, to speak together, the freedom to be brothers together. , but not to insult each other
”
.
Asked then if he was defending the freedom to blaspheme religion, Bishop Le Gall replied: “
No, personally, I don't think so.
Religions are not made fun of with impunity.
We cannot afford to make fun of religions, we see the results that this gives
”.
For the leader of rebellious France, “the
dykes are jumping
”.
“
A bishop excuses crimes.
Robert Le Gall, Archbishop of Toulouse, the freedom to blaspheme religions is in question,
”reacted Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Twitter.
For the PS president of the Occitanie Region Carole Delga, “
secularism, freedom of expression and the right to criticize any religious institution are inseparable from our democratic and republican pact.
It is not negotiable!
"
"
This declaration constitutes a setback in the process of secularization of the Catholic religion
", for his part underlined Georges Méric, the president of the PS of the Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne.
“
The freedom to blaspheme is not a licentious act but belongs to the law of our Republic, confirming the freedom of thought and expression.
Our society is grappling with the phenomenon of the secularization of religions which must result in no belief ruling common life
, ”added Georges Méric.
“
The secularization process initiated by the law of 1905 establishing the principle of the separation of churches and the State must be continued, supported and reinforced so that beliefs, which fall within the domain of the private and the private, do not have no impact on the public domain, the citizen space, which must be pacified from any proselytism
”, he concluded.
The Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) had qualified Thursday as an “unspeakable” act the attack on Nice and wished that “
Christians do not become a target to be cut down
”.