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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 07 May 2009 11:42 |
Though the French have always been lauded for their sophistication and culture, the stench of anti-Semitism has permeated Gallic society since Christianity became the dominant religion. The vile mistrust of Jews mutated through the ages and Judism was seen in many quarters as a caldron of perversity. Despite being the birthplace of the Enlightenment, anti-Jewish sentiments, perhaps because of the influence of the most reactionary elements of Catholic Church, kept its hold on the French psyche.
Indeed, the Enlightenment did not liberate the populace from the shackles of superstition or obliterate anti-Jewish prejudice; perversely, it may have made Jew-baiting worse. Many scientists and philosophers of the Enlightenment attacked Jews for their time-honored rituals and religious beliefs which they saw as superstition and mysticism. Anti-Semitism, dormant in France during the Revolution, was re-ignited in the 19th Century by reactionary elements of the Roman Catholic Church. Swiss theologian James Carroll noted that, “hundreds, perhaps thousands of Catholic priests attended anti-Semitic congresses, gave Jew-baiting speeches, and, in their sermons, inflamed Catholic congregations all over France.”
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Last Updated on Monday, 12 October 2009 05:13 |
