Jacques Henric's Feuilleton: Voltaire, Molière, and Jarry Against Religious Obscurantism

In his feuilleton for art press, Jacques Henric reflects on the rise of religious fundamentalism, particularly political Islam, and the complacency of political and media figures. He references Jack-Alain Léger's pamphlet "Tartuffe fait Ramadan" (Denoël, 2004), which uses Molière's character Tartuffe to criticize the "cabale des dévots" undermining secular laws and free thought. Henric calls for a return to the satirical spirit of Voltaire, Montaigne, Jarry, and Molière to counter the obscurantism of all monotheisms. He notes that Léger, a leftist and scholar of Islamic spirituality, argues that Islam experienced a golden age with Averroes but declined after the 15th century due to doctrinal rigidity, rejecting progress like Gutenberg's printing press. The status of women, including forced veiling, is central to this decline. Léger targets politicians like Sarkozy, Raffarin, Chirac, Jospin, and Chevènement for bowing to pressure from the UOIF to remove the right to apostasy from the legal framework governing Islam in France. He also criticizes the MRAP, media clerics, and two young women who defended stoning on television. Henric concludes with a quote from Jarry's Ubu Roi: "Hourra ! Cornes au cul, vive le père Ubu !"