Secularism

France is having identity problems again - these questions arise around election times. Religious expression has always been very difficult in a public setting, although religious freedom is a reality. 

With 5 - 10% of the French population (according to whose figures you use) being considered Muslim and with varying degrees of "practising", the French are confronted with the idea of identity. What is French ? Who are the French ? Sometimes I think the real question behind the commentaries about migrants and people who are French-born but of different origine is : to whom does this country belong ? A very pertinent question because you can be born here, but you don't necessarily have the right to be here in some people's eyes. If this country physically belongs to you, then you have the right (normally) to decide what happens to the land and in this land. That is what is called DEMOCRACY.  But many French are very possessive of their land and cultural inheritance and find it hard to share the responsibility of decision-making.

I'm still coming to an understanding of the mentality of people living here in our country area of Ardèche. I mix with people who have been here and whose families own land for generations and for centuries. They are very independant-minded and self-sufficient. I get the feeling that they were pretty much left to themselves for centuries (albeit under the control of local lords and ladies and often the Catholic Church), but in this last century, with the advent of modernisation, they can no longer stay 'hidden' in the hills. The outside world has caught up with them. People here are very slow to change, because they really need to be convinced of the benefit of the change and because their rhythm of life is so in tune with the seasons. 

I will probably never ask for French citizenship because of this idea of belonging to the land and the land belonging to my family. Pascal's family hasn't owned any land or property for a couple of generations. Do I feel more connected with Australian land ? Yes, even though I have no chance of owning any. But my family has been physically connected with the land since my great-great-grandfather John emigrated to Australia in 1850s. 

I won't enter into a discussion about Aboriginal Land Rights - I'm not up to date with any of it.

Sometimes I wonder where we should retire to ? Pascal would be willing to move to Australia, but doesn't it usually depend on where your children end up ???

It just brings home to me ('scuse the pun!) how much we Christians should have more of an eternal perspective on things. We are just pilgrims on this Earth for the time allotted to us. I often feel the lack of real roots in a country (although I do feel a link with Scotland through my Findlay family history) and I often admire the deep sense of belonging many Europeans have about their home land. I console myself with the image of a place being prepared for me in my Father's House. Yet in the here and now, my identity is rooted in that of Christ my Lord and Saviour. That's where I belong. That's where I am best.