Comment la laïcité a-t-elle changé le monde ? | Les idées larges | ARTE

Summary

In this thought-provoking discussion, philosopher Mohamed Amermian challenges traditional views on secularization, presenting it as not a natural process of religious decline, but rather a strategic displacement of the sacred. He critiques the notion that secularization is an inherent result of Christianity, instead arguing it is tied to Western imperialism, particularly during colonial expansion. Amermian highlights how the shift from religious to secular ideals mirrors the rise of industrialization, where the promise of a 'paradise on Earth' became tied to technological and economic progress. The conversation deconstructs the colonial underpinnings of modern secularism and its impact on global perceptions of religion and politics.

Takeaways

• 😀 Secularization in Western societies is often seen as a result of the loss of religious political power, but the process is more complex and has colonial roots.
• 😀 Mohammed Amermian challenges the narrative that secularization is an internal European process by framing it as a tool of Western imperialism and industrialization.
• 😀 Secularization is often confused with the idea of separating religion from politics, but it also involves sacralizing other aspects of life, such as modernity and industrial progress.
• 😀 The term 'secularization' was historically tied to the appropriation of church property, but it expanded to include the decline of religion alongside scientific progress.
• 😀 The philosopher Hegel argued that secularization could only occur in Christian societies, with the modern world seen as the realization of Christian values without the need for religious belief.
• 😀 Amermian's critique points out that the concept of 'religion' itself is European and Christian, and has been used as a political tool in both colonialism and the justification of Western superiority.
• 😀 The idea of modernity as a continuation of Christian values helped shape the Republican and secular ideologies of Western countries, where religion was seen as separate from political life.
• 😀 Religion, as it is understood in Western contexts, has been used to create a dichotomy between 'civilized' societies and those deemed 'primitive,' particularly during colonial expansion.
• 😀 The concept of 'mission' in colonialism was originally a religious term, but it evolved into the justification for spreading Western civilization, particularly through industrialization and secularization.
• 😀 Amermian suggests that the industrial revolution and the drive for infinite economic growth are closely tied to the secularization process, as these ideas were seen as fulfilling the promises once made by religion.
• 😀 The secularization of religion in Western societies was not a genuine removal of the sacred, but a reallocation of sacredness to other systems like science and technology, leading to the exploitation of resources and environmental degradation.

Q & A

What is the main argument presented by Mohammed Amermian regarding secularization?

Mohammed Amermian challenges the traditional narrative of secularization, arguing that secularization is not the abandonment of the sacred but the displacement of the sacred. He suggests that secularization was not an internal European process, but a tool used by Western imperialism, especially in relation to Islam.

How does Amermian critique the idea that secularization is a natural result of Christianity?

Amermian critiques this idea by asserting that the notion of secularization as a natural consequence of Christianity is problematic. He highlights that the concept of religion itself is a European and Christian construct, used to justify colonialism and imperialism, particularly in the context of the European encounter with non-Christian cultures.

What historical connection does Amermian make between secularization and colonialism?

Amermian argues that the secularization process was linked to Western imperialism, with the West using the rhetoric of secularization to justify the spread of modernity and industrialization, especially in relation to colonial subjects such as Muslims. He claims that secularization and colonialism are intertwined in a broader imperialist agenda.

What role does the concept of 'religion' play in Amermian's analysis?

Amermian emphasizes that the concept of 'religion' is not universal but has been shaped by European Christian perspectives. He points out that the definition of religion was first influenced by missionaries and later used to legitimize colonialism, reinforcing the idea that the West was bringing 'true' religion or civilization to the rest of the world.

How does Amermian challenge the Western view of the separation between religion and politics?

Amermian critiques the Western narrative that modern, liberal societies have successfully separated religion from politics. He argues that this idea is paradoxical because it assumes that only Christian societies could achieve this separation, while non-Christian societies, especially Islamic societies, are often seen as unable to separate religion from politics.

What is the significance of the term 'mission' in the context of Western imperialism?

Amermian highlights that the term 'mission,' which originally referred to Christian missionary work, was secularized during Western imperialism. Instead of converting non-Christians to Christianity, Western powers began framing their mission as the spread of 'civilization,' which in practice meant the imposition of industrial and capitalist modernity.

How does Amermian connect industrialization with secularization?

Amermian argues that industrialization is inseparable from secularization, as the belief in infinite growth and resource exploitation required a new kind of faith. The 'paradise on earth' promised by modernity and industrialization replaced religious promises of salvation, marking a secularized, technoscientific approach to achieving human progress.

What does Amermian mean by the 'sacralization of modernity'?

Amermian refers to the 'sacralization of modernity' as the process by which the ideals of industrialization and technological progress were treated with a reverence similar to religious belief. This belief in the infinite potential of science and industry replaced the sacredness traditionally associated with religion.

What does the concept of 'vase communiquant' refer to in Amermian's argument?

The concept of 'vase communiquant' refers to the idea that as certain aspects of life, such as religion, are desacralized (removed from the sacred), other areas, like industrial progress and technology, are sacralized. This shift is part of the broader process of secularization, where the sacred is displaced to new areas of modern life.

How does Amermian relate secularization to the environmental impact of modernity?

Amermian argues that the secularization of the sacred led to the 'desacralization' of the Earth itself. In the pursuit of a 'paradise on Earth' through industrialization, the exploitation of natural resources and the destruction of the environment became justified, which, according to Amermian, reflects the unintended consequences of trying to create a secular utopia.