France on My Mind

Well, France just elected a new president, Nicolas Sarkozy. You can read a summary of his positions on various things at this blog.

So why is France important? It is at the heart of the European project, along with Germany. It has a very large percentage of Muslims, compared to most other European countries. And most sadly, many of the Christians there are only so in name. The Protestants do not go to church, the Catholics do not go to mass...There are some signs of hope. Churches--both Protestant and Catholic--are receiving an influx of lively African believers who, in some cases, can help to revive congregations. Conservative Christians from all traditions are embracing the Biblical teaching that it is a fform of worship to God and a gift to society to bring children into the world. May there be many more!

France has made immense contributions to the faith. It has provided great preachers, theologians, missionaries, and pastors. While we do not normally remember it, the Reformation took deep roots in certain parts of France. God is not done with France yet--this is my hope.

Here is an excerpt:

Sarkozy has taken a hardline against Islamic radicals operating inside France....he served as the country's Interior Minister during the Paris riots by Muslim radicals in 2005 and was responsible for ordering the severe police crackdown on such radicals....there are now fears the Muslims will launch a new wave of violent protests because Sarkozy has been elected....worth noting: polls showed that voters in the Muslim neighborhoods where the worst of the violence took place in 2005 overwhelming backed the socialist candidiate, Segelone Royal...."Sarkozy is deeply unpopular in housing estates where the residents are mostly second- and third-generation immigrants, many of them Muslims from former colonies in North Africa," reported Reuters...."If Sarkozy wins there will certainly be riots here in Clichy and all over France," said Moroccan-born Mohammed Saidi, 43, a first-time voter in Clichy-sous-Bois, one of the neighborhoods where the worst rioting took place....on other foreign policy issues, Sarkozy is strongly opposed to allowing Turkey to join the European Union, warning of the threat of allowing 100 million more Muslims free reign through the European continent....