From the city that got itself all snarled up over a missing H comes another storm in a teacup.
This time it is new Mayor Annette Main questioning whether it is appropriate to mention GOD in the Council's opening prayer and whether it should be ended with an AMEN.
It would seem that once upon a time the city with the missing H started each council meeting with the Lord's Prayer, a venerable tradition in many places.
But since some sensitive souls found this reference to Christian culture offensive this new prayer was adopted
This time it is new Mayor Annette Main questioning whether it is appropriate to mention GOD in the Council's opening prayer and whether it should be ended with an AMEN.
It would seem that once upon a time the city with the missing H started each council meeting with the Lord's Prayer, a venerable tradition in many places.
But since some sensitive souls found this reference to Christian culture offensive this new prayer was adopted
Eternal God, source of all wisdom; As we reflect upon all those good things that we enjoy in this city and district, help us to make and keep our community a good place to be for all who live and work here.But even the mere mention of GOD might be seen to be divisive so the issue will be debated at the next council meeting whether or not to dispense with the phrase "Eternal God, source of all" wisdom;" and the "Amen" at the end.
Grant that through our deliberations and decisions we will provide wise and positive leadership, seeking to solve problems effectively and justly, so that with courage and compassion, vision and energy, we may instil in our community aroha and harmony.
Amen.
They need to change more than those references or the whole statement doesn't make any sense.
ReplyDelete"Help us"? To whom exactly, do they appeal to this help.
"Grant that"? Who exactly is granting them wisdom?
If they can't handle a prayer to God, it is pointless for them to make a prayer in the first place.
They could instead hold up a copy of Tony Robbins and make affirmations on their wonderfulness and try to time it with the cycles of the moon since they seem to like the concept of prayer but can only get as far as a pagan interpretation of their actions.
They should either say a prayer or not say a prayer - trying to say one and not say one at the same time is just pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThat said: no representative body other than a religious one should be starting proceedings with appeals to gods. It's effectively a declaration to any atheists present that their views are regarded as patently false. I doubt religious people would be very chuffed if the Wangers council started every meeting with a brief statement declaring that God doesn't exist.
Well, you generally don't build a sky scraper on a raft foundation....
ReplyDeleteI second PM's post above, and wonder why you think it is so important to begin with a prayer, why you think that imposing religion on the non religious is better than leaving religion out of what is a non religiious occasion? Include religiona nd you automatically exclude too many people.
ReplyDeletemaybe you'd like to see a return to the days when atheists were bashed and unable to obtain redress through the criminal justice system.
The more we exclude God, LRO, the more barbaric we become.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course,you can prove this fatuous claim?
ReplyDeleteThe barbarism comes from the religious. Look at how christianity has been forced tomellow under pressure from enlightened free thinkers. The words in the bible haven't changed, but the actions of christians and jews have.
Islam awaits its own reformation and enlightenment to shake of its barbarity.
As I said above, its not that long ago that an atheist could be beaten almost to death and yet be unable to have the perpetrators prosecuted.
Its quite simple -when a meeting commences with a prayer, some people are excluded. When a meeting starts without a prayer, no one is excluded.