The Hindu : Secularity is not secularism: Pope

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

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Secularity is not secularism: Pope

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 31. Sympathetic to the cause of Sikhs fighting the French Government's move to ban students of the community from wearing turbans to schools, Pope John Paul II has responded to the National Commission for Minorities' (NCM) plea for his intervention in the matter and noted that "secularity is not secularism.''

Without once mentioning France in a letter to the Commission, the Pope said: "unfortunately in recent times, we have witnessed in some European countries an attitude that could endanger the effective respect for religious freedom."

Of the view that believers have a right to participate in public dialogue, he said: "Everyone may agree to respect the religious sentiment of individuals but the same cannot be said of the `religious factor,' that is, the social dimension of religions.''

Elaborating his contention that "secularity is not secularism,'' the Pope said: "It is nothing other than respect for all beliefs on the part of the State that assures the free exercise of ritual, spiritual and cultural and charitable activities by communities of believers. In a pluralistic society, secularity is a place for communication between the different spiritual traditions and the nation.''

The papal message was sent to the NCM chairman, Tarlochan Singh, on Friday in reply to his correspondence with the Vatican regarding the ban on Sikh children wearing turbans to school in France.

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