CORPORATE IDENTITY OF FRANCE

by: Pieter Bos
date: 1/20/2005
Category: CORPORATE IDENTITY

The Corporate Identity of France: QUEEN OF BEAUTY

Definition of Corporate Identity (CI:)Tribes, peoples, states and cities, in general: 'nations', are corporate persons, created by God in his image.
The Corporate Identity (CI) of a corporate person is a. the expression of God's character in that person, because of which it contains b. her destiny in God's purposes, and c. her redemptive gift to her fellow nations; the fall has distorted and corrupted the corporate identity, but it can be redeemed.
or
The Corporate Identity (CI) of a nation is the creative and liberating truth of God over a nation.

The theology for the understanding of Corporate Identity can be found in chapter 3 of my book "The Nations Called; A Theology of the Nations and her Redemption."

Each individual person of a certain people group reflects more or less the CI of that group, be it the corrupted or the redeemed expression of it; a substantial part of his individual personality is rooted in the corporate persons (!, plural) he is descending form and connected to.

- God's character:
Beauty, royalty and holiness go hand in hand; "Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (1 Chron 16:29, 20:21; Isa 33:17; Ps 45:11-14) Indeed God and France are
royal: of high ranking, prestige and seniority;
ruling: with authority and capacity to make decision of great consequence;
(source of) beauty: are beautiful, even full of splendour and glorious in their splendour; 1)
feminine: full of intuitive sensitivity and sensitive intuition how to respond. 2)

- Positive expressions:
France has been described as refined, feminine, artistic, and aristocratic. Historically she has been named as Queen of Bon Goût / Princesse d'Esthétique, Chevalière d'Esthétique / Princesse de Beauté / Ambassadrice de Beauté / 'Sophisticated Princess', surprisingly feminine names (France identifies herself with 'Marianne'), and names that indicate royalty, grandeur, each expressing the intuitive attitude, the "perspicace" and the emphasis more on influence than on achievement.

- Positive and negative expressions in the Church:
France has a sensitivity and even a passion for spiritual things, which is the feminine quality of hearing and responding. This comes out in a passionate "defence" of Christ and the church, which gave her the name 'Oldest Daughter of Rome', and passionate persecution of Cathars, of Jews and of Huguenots. The French are critical towards what they perceive as rude and not dignified (laughing and rolling on the ground "in the spirit"). The French have a particularly accurate sense of propriety, they are quick to react (often by mockery) to what they find excessive, bombastic, ridiculous, even to the extent that a French person's love for France is mixed (needs to be mixed?) with pride / disgust, even to the extent that a French mother and is more involved in dignity than in tenderness.
This passion for spiritual things comes out also in intellectual passion, which shines through Calvin positively, through the enlightenment negatively. This passion can turn aggressive and rebellious; it can be recognised in the almost deification of reason, and of the intellect for the sake of intellect. This comes out also in the massive occult involvement of the French, both popular and in government circles: widespread Freemasonry. Christianity in France has suffered tremendously under intellectualism, pride and superficiality; the French colonies express this in an even greater measure.

- Negative expressions in society:
The Enlightenment (was in it self destructive, but) is a French initiated and led period of world history, expressing the French character and attitude in an international setting at its best, in the unique combination of refined literature, fine architecture, delicate interior (palace) decoration (a feminine disposition), eloquent philosophy, intricate international diplomacy, and international prestige.
In modern politics France is seemingly proud, whimsical, always befriending 'the other party' outside the immediate European setting. French queen-ness will attract and at the same time offend all neighbours. As many men do not understand women and do not know how to respond to them, so European nations often not know how to handle France; she seems manipulative; the CI corrupts into 'Eloquent Manipulator'. This prideful isolation of France is immature femininity. The French have a problem with authority, and are not good administrators: the French colonies were and are administratively much worse off than the English colonies.
The French pride themselves in their refinement, savoir vivre, beauté morale, souplesse mental, easy in contact, does not laugh quickly, helps a person to feel at ease. Napoleon or De Gaulle are only the French heroes as far as they rebelliously challenged "l'ordre établi," but they do not really express the "bon gout" (good taste) the French way. Rather the philosophers, like Descartes, Voltaire and Rousseau are the heroes, with their independent, liberal and rebellious thinking, expressed in such a persuasive poetic language. The French reaction on Hitler: "Il se prend trop au sérieux (he takes himself too serious)"" light, ridiculing rather than discussing the heavy things of life. She thinks it ridiculous to stop for a red light.
The ever-present emphasis on love and romance in France, and the distortion of it in unashamed flirting with adultery, are two trademarks of France. They express a mix of (perverted) rule, femininity and beauty. Existentialism is the eloquent denial of love and beauty, and became another trademark for this country.
France does not commit herself easily, neither in friendship or marriage nor in politics. In sensitive situations she takes an independent stand, not minding to drive her (political) partners crazy. Eloquence is more important than being right.

- One more aspect:
The CI QUEEN OF BEAUTY does not express the element of zeal to advance spiritual reality (balancing her seeming superficiality?). Historically this came out in divers persecutions, at present in overt Freemasonry, existentialism and denial, if not suppression of true Christianity.

- The French identity in relation to other CI's:
The femininity of queen-ness comes out in the reaction to German 'Shepherding' and English 'Fathering.' The French version of anti-Americanism seems to stem from the being treated as 'the stupid girl'. Dutch rationality will never reach French eloquence, and vice versa. The French "chanson" is lighter and more verbal and satiric, in comparison to the German "Lied" which is of heavier rhythm and more melodious and dramatic.
How can the church of France be God's means of healing and redemption of this beautiful nation? Beauty, care, independence and warm relations might well be main ingredients that the Church of France needs to develop and show forth.
How many European church leaders are willing to learn French and reach out to her, without paternalism? In the European prayer movement we felt France was a key nation in Europe. Why a key nation? Can it be that France is the 'big sister' in the family of European nations, but the brothers did not know how to handle her, still they felt they needed her dearly?

Endnote:

  1. While discussing the CI, a Frenchman suddenly was moved as he discovered, verbalized for the first time, that he appreciated God so much for his beauty. Back to article.

  2. Though God is primarily (symbolically) masculine, the Bible does mention feminine qualities of God. "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isa 49:15; also vs 5). See also Isa 40:11, 46:3 KJV, 66:10-14; Hos 11:1-4; Ps 131:1-2; Matt 23:37). What about the men in a 'feminine nation' (ask the men?) Other 'feminine' nations are: Caring Sister, Noble Hostess, Maid Servant. Back to article.

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