A row has broken out in France over a proposal to convert empty, unused churches into mosques. There are not enough mosques for the five million moslems, and in some places congregations overflow onto the streets.
The right wing is up in arms at the idea, but they fuss about nothing, really. French churches aren’t in danger: only four have ever been rededicated as mosques. In fact religious structures built before 1905 are state property and are maintained at state expense (those built later are paid for by the congregation). France is meant to guarantee freedom of worship, yet in this way subsidises French Catholics while forcing French Muslims to pray outdoors.
Some people think the government should free up some of the empty churches and turn them into mosques as gesture to the minority. “If we are to treat our citizens equally, we must offer unused churches to our Muslim compatriots”. It might mollify discontented moslems and make them feel more welcome in a very unwelcoming environment.
What would you do?
If France doesn’t want to accommodate Muslims, it should never have let them in in the first place. But since it has, and since most Muslims are now French citizens, they should be treated as equals under French law. This means not preferring one religion over another, especially given France’s fine tradition of secularism. State funding for all religious institutions should be abolished, but Muslims should be given planning permission to build new mosques, or the right to buy church buildings that are no longer used.