Onfray & Sarkozy

Michel Onfray has his own radio program. Here’s a transcript of parts of an interview that Onfray conducted with Nicolas Sarkozy (France’s new President), translated here in New Statesman.

Filed under: Michel Onfray, Nicolas Sarkozy, Philosophy, Politics

Thirst of the people

I went to see Michel Onfray at the Sydney Writers’ Festival on Sunday. An interesting time. One of Onfray’s books – The Atheist Manifesto – has recently been translated into and published in English. The queue for the ‘conversation’ between Onfray and Stephen Crittenden stretched a long way, and the venue was changed to accommodate the large numbers.

It was a very interesting event, with Onfray speaking on a wide range of topics; from atheism and the concept of atheology, concepts of the Enlightenment, Nicholas Sarkozy, through to a new vision of the (French) Republic and a new Europe. Unfortunately though, Onfray (who spoke through a translator) was not really pushed to explain his ideas more fully. It did seem evident, however, that his concern about ‘religion’, and in particular the monotheisms of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, (although he said pretty much nothing on Judaism), was largely with the perceived political outcomes of these. This noticeably pushes ones toward negative images – after all, a man helping his neighbour is not news, is it?

Moreover, the discussion did not evidence that Onfray had engaged much with what these monotheisms might actually hold to be true. In trying to build his concept of atheology, it seemed that much of what he was proposing, ‘a discipline which would deconstruct understandings of God, of Jesus’, was very similar to much contemporary theology in any case.

When the crowd was asked if they would like to pose questions, several people shouted for Onfray to continue without questions. One person shouted ‘More atheism, less politics’. It seemed to me that Onfray’s book, and others like it, sate a need that people feel at the moment, hence their popularity. There was a desire to keep listening to him, but not to enquire further into his ideas. Almost as if Onfray were a priest, absolving the fears of the masses.

Filed under: Michel Onfray, Philosophy, atheism