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| (La Porte Latine) |
Over the
last few months, coverage of protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews and fundamentalist
Catholics has managed to knock news about Muslim extremists off the front pages
of many newspapers.
Their
protests against 'indecent clothing' and 'blasphemous' art have sparked
demonstrations and counter demonstrations. The key to understanding the clashes
is fear.
Gender
segregation and blasphemy
In Israel,
clashes between ultra-Orthodox Jews - Haredi - and liberal and secular Jews
have been escalating for some time but recently two stories made headlines
around the world. Haredi men frequently try to force women to ride at the back
of buses passing through ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods of Jerusalem; however,
in December, one woman refused and the confrontation made the headlines and
prompted an ministerial conference on gender exclusion.
That
incident was followed by a far more serious one: an eight-year-old girl from
Beit Shemesh (a town near Jerusalem) told her mother she was afraid to walk to
school because she was being verbally abused and spat upon by ultra-Orthodox
men. They claimed the child was indecently dressed. A wave of protests and
counter protests erupted after the story was aired on the evening news.
In France,
fundamentalist Catholics waged a sometimes violent campaign against theatre
productions they consider blasphemous and Catholic extremists destroyed an
artwork in Paris.
Threatened
Fundamentalists
from various religious faiths have made their views and beliefs more vehemently
known since the early 1990s says theology sociologist Sipko Vellenga. According
to the University of Amsterdam professor, fundamentalist believers feel
threatened, even in countries that protect religious freedoms:
"It is
very evident in the number of European countries, even here in the Netherlands.
You see it in the discussions about freedom in educational institutions,
tolerance and intolerance toward civil servants who refuse to perform same-sex
marriages and the ban on blasphemy. Here in the Netherlands, the bill proposing
a ban on ritual slaughter created a huge debate. The discussions also made some
members of orthodox groups to feel threatened; many felt as though the freedom
that they had previously enjoyed was being taken away."
The
sometimes violent protests and by fundamentalists and ultra-orthodox in France
and Israel generated huge counter protests. Israel's Chief Rabbi and French
bishops denounced the violence in no uncertain terms and also called on all
sides to respect freedom of religion.
Ultraorthodox
Muslims in Europe feel that the increasing pressure to adapt to a western
secular society is a way of restricting their religious freedom.
In Israel,
ultra-Orthodox Jews wield considerable political power and appear to be testing
the limits of that power; however, verbally abusing an eight-year-old girl was
a step too far and it resulted in huge protests - by liberal, orthodox and
secular Jews against the ultra-Orthodox.
Out of the
bottle
According
to Ronnie Naftaniel of the Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel
(CIDI), realising a national status quo is the only solution. The world of the
ultra-orthodox, who want to devote their lives to the study of the Torah and
Talmud, clashes with the world of liberal and secular Jews, who see nothing
wrong with shops opening or buses running on the Sabbath.
"The
genie has to be shoved back into the bottle. But it will be very difficult; it
would be incredibly offensive to the ultra-Orthodox if the Jerusalem
authorities suddenly decided to allow public transport to run on Saturdays or
to allow shops and cafes to open up. One also has to respect their beliefs but
on the other hand, they also have to respect the fundamental laws of the
land."
Tensions
In order to
keep the peace, tolerance has to come from both sides. But the fundamentalist
religious groups aren't the only ones who feel threatened: liberals and
atheists feel threatened by the increasingly vocal and politically powerful
religious right. Despite that, the influence of fundamentalist groups in Europe
is rather over estimated.
After the
great changes of the 1960s, the dominant view was that society was secular and
the importance and influence religion would gradually diminish and disappear.
Those (few) who wished to hold on to a religious belief would have to adapt.
Professor Vellenga says reality is a little different:
"The
dominant view now is that religion is a political and social force and
ultra-orthodox believers do not adapt to the secular state. And if they are
given the chance, they will attempt to turn back the clock and get rid of
secularism. People are beginning to believe that they have to fight to protect
the secular state. This is creating tensions between the various groups."
New debate
The
tensions have not been solved. Vellenga has called for it a fresh debate on the
position and space for religious minorities and a re-evaluation of the
achievements of the secular state. "That will demand concessions
from both sides," says Vellenga.
The debate
has already started in Europe but representatives from all the groups have to
join in and participate. What are people afraid of, what drives them? Vellenga
adds, "an open and honest conversation can sometimes work wonders."
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