The concept of laity, aimed at separating religion from state affairs to promote freedom of religious thought and practice, does not mean that a public figure should scan his public interventions to such a point that he should abstract ideas and quotes reminiscent of religious philosophies.

Yet, when Segolene Royal, dressed in white, asked the 60,000 strong crowd present at her last meeting at Charléty Stadium to ?love each other?, some soldiers of laity were either scornful or hostile at her advice on the mere coincidence that it stands out as being Jesus Christ?s most important commandment!

The absurdity of their outlook seems to be rather motivated by religious hostility than by the ideal of State laity. It would be quite a challenge to curtail perceptions of religious connotations in a country, which has been weaved with Christian influence ever since King Clovis was converted to Catholicism more than 1,500 years ago.

Should public figures therefore refrain to refer to cathedrals and religious sites such as Lourdes, Mont St Michel and Notre Dame de Paris, which make the beauty and culture of France also known by some as the eldest daughter of the Church? Should they change their biblical names? Should they not live in a place, which wears a religious name?

Extremes are always dangerous. When motivated by hatred, the revolutionists destroyed the beautiful and historic sanctuary of Sainte Genevieve to profane Clovis? sarcophagus and scatter his ashes to the winds, they did not realize they were destroying invaluable assets of their national patrimony. Had they loved each other, they could have saved their country from this cultural tragedy! A lesson still applicable today.