[tmptmp]

This is a good news from a very fundamental aspect in our history and for our future too.

Islam with its barbaric, medieval, vicious ideology (e.g. kaafirs are against Allah, Muhammad is above any criticism, apostates should be killed, extreme injustice inflicted on Muslim women and so on) is at crossroads with the freedom loving, liberal and secular western world.

The religions should have no place in modern public life. But religions want to control every aspect of human life. Thanks to the fight put up by and sacrifices given by the freedom lovers, liberals and modern free-thinkers from the western world, mainstream religions have been rendered harmless/toothless to a significant extent, except Islam.

The liberals/critical thinkers have attacked earlier and do attack now also various bad and evil aspects in other religions (Christianity/Judaism/Hinduism) and our free society never suppresses their thoughts. Islam should not be an exception and hence Islam should not be given special treatment. Else we may have to lose the hard earned values that we cherish so much.

But we are seeing that some Islam apologists (whether bought and paid for or not) are hunting down any thoughtful and legitimate criticism of Islam, its prophet Muhammad, its scriptures and so on. They are using various types of pressure tactics for this. For example, labeling any criticism of Islam as racist attacks on Muslims or Islamophobia or hate speech or right-wing practice.

e.g. Geert Wilders is labeled as right-wing fanatic by such Islam apologists. Geert Wilders has been a liberal free-thinker (e.g. his support of gays/homosexuals).

The freedom lovers, liberals and humanists must understand this threat posed by the vicious ideology of mainstream Islam.

The west now must invest large amount of efforts and resources to fight this vicious ideology of Islam. We must realize that this is an ideological war and must be fought on the ideological war-front. This can and must be done by supporting liberal minded humanists (like, Bill Maher, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins) who are exposing the viciousness of the ideology of Islam and upholding the modern humanist values like freedom of expression and separation of 'mosque and state'.

edit: added point about Geert Wilders.

[astanway]

"But religions want to control every aspect of human life."

You mean like controlling what kind of bathing suits people can and can't wear in public?

[tmptmp]

Yes, you are right. The ban on Burqa/clothing should not be a priority.

The ban on Burqa in France is a knee-jerk reactionary measure taken by the frightened French society which doesn't have a clue that their real fight should be against the evil ideology of Islam and that burqa-forced-on-women is but a small piece of that evil ideology.

Now the Islam apologists will take undue advantage of this ban by citing western ideals like "freedom of choice" and that "burqa is a choice made by Muslim women" and so on.

Hence, the French and western society should realize that they must not only stand fast and firm behind people like Charlie Hebdo editors and the cartoonists who drew Muhammad's cartoons but also encourage them and other people to do so again and again. The western society should tell the Muslims in unequivocal terms that "the Muslims should learn to get offended and also learn the more civilized ways of living in the world. That Allah, Muhammad, Islam and Islamic practices are a proper target of ridicule, criticism and humor. That Quran is not last word here in the west. That Charlie Hebdo and other cartoonists are our people and we can't let their freedom get trampled just because Muslims think their feelings/sentiments get hurt."

So, yes, you are right that the French action is more in line with the religions. But we must remember that this is a start of the (potentially long drawn) fight against the evil ideology of Islam and burqa (and women's clothing) is nonetheless a significant part that helps us bring out certain evil aspects of this vicious ideology in public discourse.

BTW, you should realize that despite this ban, the French society is far from controlling most aspect of human life like the way Islam (or any other religion) does.

Edit: added last para (BTW...).