BRETAGNE : POLÉMIQUE AUTOUR D'UNE STATUE DE JEAN-PAUL II
[BRITTANY: CONTROVERSY AROUND A STATUE OF JEAN-PAUL II]
18 novembre 2006 (M6web)
POPE STATUE STIRS FRENCH TOWN ROW
December 11, 2006 (BBC) - A small town in Brittany has found itself at the centre of a row after erecting a huge bronze statue of Pope John Paul II in a central square.
The 8.75m-tall (29 ft) statue was presented to Ploermel by controversial Georgian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli.Speaking at its inauguration on Sunday, Ploermel's mayor [Paul Anselin] said the monument marked "a giant of the 20th Century".
But opponents have gone to court saying the statue violates France's 1905 law on the separation of church and state.
GOD-zilla
Giant Pope Terrorizes Out-Of-Town Secularists
Secularists complain variously of the statue's enormity, its incessant stare, the radiant aura of unnatural calm and repose it emanates, and its baleful spiritual effects on the residents.
Jean-Jacques Conard, a notary in nearby Bezonvaux, thinks the statue overlarge: "It is just too big. Much bigger than the busts of Marianne in the mairies or Marx in the bibliothèques [of Meuse]."
Picking up this theme Ganya Ivolgin, a vacationing estate agent from Piter, Russia, remarks: "He iz monster! Beeg monster! Like atomeek monster destroy property value in Tokyo. French no vaan atomeek pope destroy property value in Plöermel." Then waving in the direction of Place Jean Paul II, "Look! No concessionaire. No gift shop. Just statue. Iz ridiculous!"
Fifi (no last name), a self-employed escort, hails from Quartier Pigalle and is escorting a secularist bus charter from Beaumont-en-Verdunois. Plainly upset, she recounts her terror at the sight of the statue: "His gaze bore down on me in a supernatural fashion. I felt so... [Muffling a sob.] Sanctified. [Quietly sobs.] So violated."
Jean Paluche steps off a charter from Cumières-le-Mort-Homme and surveys the Bretons huddled before the statue. "Welcome to Zombie Town!" he announces then scoffs, "Beatific wackos." He and about a half dozen day-trippers push in among the locals hoisting placards on which are written, "No [To] Religious Persecutors" and "Hide Your God" and "No Blood For Oil For Popery".
Jean Piss and Jean Puss, structural chômeurs, have come from Louvemont-Côte-du-Poivre. M. Puss objects, "He [scil., the Pope] is not even French. He's a Pole." To be perfectly clear, he adds, "From Poland." M. Piss enlarges on the impropriety, "He is a professed Catholic. It offends people. Religion must be personal. I myself am Catholic, but I do not profess to be."
Brigit Bardot (not the aging activist) actually lives in Plöermel and passes the statue daily on her way to work. She likes it. "He looks kind. I feel a peace. Not so afraid, so alone."
Secularists were unsuccessful in their legal challenge which claimed that officials illegally used €130,000 from the municipal budget to fund the erection of the statue.
PFFT (What is this?): Religious terror 0 | Phony laïcité 5 | Rayonnement français 0
Bonjour,
Baker , Baker ?
Tiens ce matin à la radio FRANCAISE on a eu Robert Mallet [International Crisis Group] .
Sur la forme: excellente langue française ...
Sur le fond:Il n'y a pas un Français qui oserait descendre Bush comme il l' a fait ...
Les choses changent aux USA ...
Baker ! Baker ! Baker !
Okay douchebag, who the hell is talking about Bush or Baker? It's about a pope statue dumbass; learn to read. Damn frogs can't even stay on the same subject. "When in doubt, blame Bush."
As if religious public displays were not subject to (far worse) controversy in the US. I just saw a huge Christmas tree in front of Roissy Charles De Gaulle by the way, very nice.
Ah, M. Zmx, as if, as if...
You seem to be missing the point of this post, much as the fidgety secularists descending on Plöermel have lost sight of the installation at JPII Place. It is a statue of Pope Jean Paul II, it is not a religious display.
Or is your argument that any public monument to a professed religious is a promotion of his religion? If so, we suspect a great many public statues in France will need to be torn down. And a great many paintings in the Louvre will have to be burned. And of course books with a professed relgious message -- all that medieval incunabula -- must be culled from the Bibliothèque nationale de France and burned. Nothing remotely religious must be supported by the public weal.
What would be instructive is if you could tell us what constitutes "religion" in France. We then might have a better idea why there are so many twisted French panties when JPII is commemorated.
We are glad to see you are enjoying Christmas.
Regards,
DGB
It is a statue of Pope Jean Paul II, it is not a religious display.
Obviously it's arguable. It's a bit like saying "It is a statue of Che Guevara, it is not a political statement".
I agree this is an absurd argument since nearly every small town in France wakes up to church bells each Sunday morning but you would certainly get this kind of reaction in the US as well.
As for what constitutes religion in France (and Europe), let's just say for now that it is a much more private matter in contrast to the US where it's much more omnipresent in every facet of life, from the legitimate to the utterly absurd, as we saw in Borat :-)
@Axl
Bonjour,
Je n'y suis pour rien.
C'est Robert Malley [ICG] qui vient nous enmerder sur nos ondes pour nous dire à quel point Bush est con.
Cela on le savait déjà .Pas besoin de Malley !!!
Il nous a dit que Bush recommençait à boire.
C'est vrai ?
Baker ! Baker ! Baker !
@Hell:
Good luck for your country in Irak , dear Milton !
Bonnes discussions avec Pinochet.
