It is a complement to Western society that the majority of us have certainly navigated past the first four levels. As we are more healthy and wealthy than ever before, most of us no longer need to focus on our basic survival needs. We have the time and freedom to create the upper level of need - to self-actualise, fulfil our potential and create a better society.

As a father who has watched his son go to war three times I cannot fathom the pain if he had not come home. But I know exploitation when I see it. I also learned a long time ago that whenever a public stance is taken there will be others who think differently and will quickly make their displeasure known. In the vernacular don't give what you are unwilling to take.

All Muslims are exhorted to the greater jihad, to strive against the flesh and persevere in the purposes of Allah, but not all jihad is holy war. All Muslims are not Islamists, but Muslims are becoming terrorists. It is futile, patronising and dangerous to deny it. Islamists are extremists who kill the innocent; Muslims who are moderate and enlightened seek to worship in peace. Islam is not all about oppressing, torturing, murdering and slaughtering. It just seems like it.

The reason for the attack seems perfectly clear -- an attack on Christians at mass by Muslim jihadists hardly needs parsing, does it? -- as indeed the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, observed when he said on Twitter that the 'barbaric' attack was a blow to Catholics and the whole of France. 'We will stand together,' he said. How, exactly?