One in three of France's imams don't speak French, the country's interior minister said in an interview published Tuesday, proposing initiatives to help Islamic religious leaders better adapt. "Today, of the 1,200 imams who practice in our country, 75 percent are not French and one-third do not speak our language," Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin told the daily Le Parisien. "This is not acceptable. In France, we should have French imams speaking French," he said. | Can't have that, you can only quote from the holy book in the holy language of Arabic. |
Villepin called for theological and secular training for future imams, a measure he said would be implemented next year. Additional steps should be taken to ensure that imams who already are practicing get further training, he added. Measures aimed at getting imams to integrate into French society do not violate a 1905 law providing for the separation of church and state, Villepin said. Rather, they will help balance freedom of religion and the neutrality of the state, he said. Citing the overwhelmingly moderate version of Islam in France - only 50 of 1,685 Muslim places of worship are deemed to have radical ties - Villepin said he is committed to helping Islam find its place in this country. "Islam in France is tolerant and more calm than we imagine," he said. "It legitimately aspires to find its place within the republic." | It's much easier to take over a country from the inside. |
Villepin also expressed support for the creation of a foundation to manage money destined for Muslim groups in France and better control currently unrestricted funding, an idea opposed by the Union of Islamic Organizations of France. | All that cash with no controls. Makes your mouth water, doesn't it, Dominique? |
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