Today I found out that on Monday in the legislature, the Lord's prayer will be accompanied by several other prayers from several other religions. The prayers--which includes a "moment of silence" for atheists--will be in a sort of rotation, so if you're ever at the legislature, you never know what you might get! It's kind of like a grab-bag of sacred prayers. This means that one day you might hear the loud booming of native drums resonating throughout the legislature walls, and the next you might hear the Islamic prayer echoing throughout the province, and the next, perhaps, nothing at all. SHH! Other religions that will have their prayers read include: Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, "Non-Denominational," Baha'i, and Sikhism (the ones who fought for the right to let their young sons bring daggers to school with them).
McGuinty was met with a lot of negative feedback when he decided to make this, um, edgy decision, particularly because no one formally requested such a thing be done. He just kind of brought it up out of nowhere. In fact, even the NDPs aren't on board. A lot of people feel that in losing the Lord's prayer, or in replacing it with other prayers, we are losing an essential part of the culture of our province. Well, yeah. We all knew this was coming.
Freedom of religion is one thing. Eliminating an age-old tradition in its name is quite another. Having the Lord's prayer in the legislature is something that has made Ontario, Ontario. And Canada, Canada, for that matter. Taking it away, is in a sense, taking away a big part of the culture. And replacing it with something new is, in every sense, replacing a big part of the culture, and providing a smooth segue into allowing more of the same to occur.
Friday, June 13, 2008
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8 comments:
I had sent a response to the Ontario government website when they were asking for opinions.
My suggestion was to leave things as they were, but that I'd rather that they drop the Lord's Prayer altogether than throw in this dog's breakfast of political appeasement.
But as usual, they didn't listen to me. They never do.
"I'd rather that they drop the Lord's Prayer altogether"
you should've stopped right there; would've been the wisest thing you ever said.
KEvron
The fact that they now have a need to put in other prayers show how much of a waste of time prayer in government is in the first place.
Keep prayer at homes, in the car, and at places of worship.
For a Muslim prayer, is it going to be optional for the legislature to use prayer rugs?
beaj,
If not yet, then definitely soon (like I said, scary!)
The Lord's prayer was a symbol of the values our country was founded on, and is representative of the laws that bind it (they were based on the Judeo-Christian values). In Saudi Arabia, by all means, say the Muslim prayer all you like (and they do!), but in Canada, let's keep the prayer according to which our country was created.
I don't think a prayer is necessary at all. There is plenty of time to pray at home, your place of worship, in the car or in the elevator on the way to the office.
Prayer is Saudi Arabia is wrong, but it won't be separated from the government because the government is a theocracy.
Beaj,
come on man, think about it. Religion and prayer has EVERYTHING to do with society. All morals and values are based on religion. Can you imagine how big of a mess society would be in without such a sturdy base of clearly set morals? How would anyone know the difference between right and wrong? If all you Canadians start praying to Mecca before you know it people will think it is okay to start suicide bombing!!!!!
This just in:
Morals can be secular. That is all.
"All morals and values are based on religion."
Falser words have never been spoken. Greek (and Roman) society was much more civilized than Dark-Ages era Europe, despite the fact that they followed a wide assortment of pagan faiths, while the Europeans practised Christianity. There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that human morality has anything to do with religion. If anything, religion only serves as a convenient excuse to act in an immoral fashion. In a world without religion, the WTC would still be standing.
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