The Charles Town, West Virginia City Council on Monday night voted 7-1 to open its meetings with a moment of silence instead of the Lord's Prayer which it had recited for decades before city council meetings. The move came after a Jewish resident of the city raised questions about use of the Lord's Prayer. Today's Martinsburg (WV) Journal reports that council member Geraldine Willingham was the only dissenting vote after two other members who earlier voted to keep the Lord's Prayer went along with the moment of silence proposal. Willingham complained that the change was made because of "one negative person".
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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The Lord's Prayer, while said by Christians because Christ gave it as an example of prayer, nevertheless is just an ideal prayer by Jesus as Teacher/Rabbi. It isn't prayed in Jesus' name --and except for calling it THE LORD'S PRAYER, it is not, in content, a prayer that Jews could not also pray in good conscience.
I'm proud of the WV city council decision. I'd point out, barb, the religion of the resident who complained isn't really an issue here, since you don't know why he actually objected.
I don't think it's establishment of a state church to have elected officials account to a higher power and seek godly counsel for their deliberations --simply a reminder to them to be honest and God-fearing and just and compassionate and desirous of doing right in all their dealings.
I think it is, instead, free exercise of religion--about which no resident should complain --and anyone in office on the praying body who doesn't want to join in on the prayer is free to not bow his head or his heart --he can doodle for 30 seconds.
As long as all are religiously free in our nation, what's the gripe about believers asking God to help them have wisdom and integrity for their tasks? I understand the Supreme Court and the houses of legislation open with clergy-led prayers? This is a long standing, time-honored tradition in a nation that defined itself in the Declaration of Independence as a nation that believed that all people have inalienable rights from their CREATOR!
More and more the non-believers want to restrict the free exercise of religion, ban such free expression to homes and churches and private places --so that the minority of atheists and those of the far eastern religions and the new agers and the scientology adherents will not be reminded of the Judeo-Christian heritage and beliefs of the majority--who are responsible for making America hospitable to other religions.
I heard on a call-in show today how students in our secular colleges have felt down-graded by professors who are intolerant of their christian beliefs.
That's the direction the prayer-haters want to go --to the place where Christians are fined and discriminated against and censored for their religious beliefs --the way so much of the rest of the world is. They also want to see a nation more like Europe in its secular humanistic, atheistic outlook --where people no longer marry or parent families anymore --(except the Muslims.)and where they are not known for politeness and courtesy either.
I always hear from Europeans about how we have more crazies and criminals in our more Christian nation --but few here could match the Austrian father who imprisoned his daughter from age 18 to 42 making her bear 7 children for him. This guy has no belief in absolutes from the Bible --or he would have known he would be fried eternally for such egregious cruelty.
God forbid that our elected officials would have faith and feel accountable to a Supreme Being. Granted, there are professing Christians who do evil --but their faith is seriously flawed--or they think they can sin now; repent later.
"...elected officials account to a higher power and seek godly counsel for their deliberations..."
I don't want my elected officials seeking anyone's counsel but mine and their other constituents in matters that concern us; nor do I want elected officials to supercede my power in determining what they do on my behalf. And I don't want them to be god-fearing at their jobs; I want them to be vote-fearing.
I don't care what religion anyone practises in his private life. But when an elected official is on the job, I don't want his private life to interfere with mine.
Since not every elected official can consult you, Chimera, before they vote, I hope they have some higher power informing their minds --which they can beseech before they deliberate and decide. I want them to consult someone who symbolically represents virtue, justice, integrity, honesty --and that may not be you.
Since not every elected official can consult you, Chimera, before they vote, I hope they have some higher power informing their minds --which they can beseech before they deliberate and decide. I want them to consult someone who symbolically represents virtue, justice, integrity, honesty --and that may not be you.
"Since not every elected official can consult you..."
Back to not paying attention, I see.
When they work on my behalf, they had better consult me, or they'll be out of a job.
When they work for you, you get to say who you'll allow to have any influence.
Your problem is that they are voting on behalf of all of us and they can't consult YOU or ME personally for our opinion on every little thing --but they could solicit the aid of the Mind of God.
I want them to; you don't. So be it.
How does their prayer hurt you? it doesn't.
"...they can't consult YOU or ME personally for our opinion on every little thing..."
They tell you that, and you believe them?
Wrong. It's possible for any politician to ask his constituents for their thoughts. I had one who did precisely that, and if he hadn't died, he would have been elected by another landslide.
He and I did not always agree on things. And he did not always vote the way I wished he had voted. But he asked. And he listened. And he thought about the issues and how they would affect his constituents.
And he completely ruined the system for every other kind of politician. Blessing be upon him in his afterlife.
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