Today this secular commitment is less obvious

While the end of ideology was announced, in the 1950s and then more emphatically in the 1990s, no one foresaw that the religion would be such a return on the front of the stage after haunted political thought in the first half of the 20th century. Daniel Bell and Raymond Aron wrote on the end of fascism and the Communist ideology in the hope that the advent of an era of pragmatism, where politics would be the subject of discussions and debates, and not depend on more than one religious belief or totalitarian views of the world. The vision of Karl Popper, based on a critical discourse, had prevailed. And, after the collapse of communism, then the end of the story seemed imminent, one might have thought that political ideologies had disappeared. But the story does not end. Ten years after "The end of history and the last man", Francis Fukuyama (1992) and "The clash of civilizations" (1993) of Samuel Huntington, the return of the religious policy is blatant.

At the time when the false beliefs of totalitarian ideologies were defeated, religions, believed, left the political arena. While formal adherence to the faith remains symbolized by rites and attitudes in some countries. No one is to reiterate the fact that American Presidents take oath of allegiance to God and the country. At Westminster, each parliamentary session begins with Christian prayers. Not all democracies have as strict as the France formal secularism but all were secular: the law was made by the sovereign people and not by a divine entity.

Today, this secular commitment is less obvious. Fundamentalists believe that the Act must be based on the belief in a supreme being, or even be based on revelation. The fundamentalist evangelists of the United States exert a strong influence on the Republican party. In Europe, the Vatican has made pressure for recognition of God is listed in the draft European Constitution. Israel has long avoided the drafting of a Constitution, because his fear that the Orthodox Jews would impose their point of view. Similarly, the Sharia, Islamic law, has infiltrated in form of young democracies such as Nigeria, not to mention the Iran. Islamic fundamentalism is widespread in all populated countries a high proportion of Muslims.

Why such a return of religion Probably because the enlightened countries of the world are now unsure of their values. A moral relativism prevails, prompting many people to accept the taboos of the religious groups in the name of tolerance and multiculturalism. It skips to publish cartoons of Mohammed or play the Opera "Idomeneo" by Mozart. If these publications or performances on the day, they turn to the showdown.

The return of religion in politics and in public life in General, is a real challenge to the rule of law democratically enacted laws and civil liberties arising. It is therefore essential that the humanists respond. The debate on religious symbols may be justified, while wearing the headscarf, and even the veil I think that as much a part of individual freedom as wearing the kippa and a cross around his neck.

Other points are, in particular freedom of speech, including the right to say or write that annoy or even upset. In the interest of enlightened discourse, it is important to push as much as possible the limits of freedom of speech. In the free world, no one is forced to read a newspaper or listen to a speech which displeases him. The current trend towards obscurantism can easily escape out of control. Those who believe in freedom must learn to appreciate and to defend it now, lest they one day to fight to get it back.