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Let's embrace our multiculturalism
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 6:22 AM PDT
I know that some people feel uncomfortable with prayer in public places, such as before the City Council meeting.
Part of living in a multicultural society, however, is having to be uncomfortable on some occasions. I am uncomfortable sometimes with things people say and do in public places when they do not fit with my beliefs and values.
Some suggest "non-sectarian" prayers as being non-offensive. But they are offensive. As a Christian minister, I find it off-putting to be asked, "As a Christian minister, we want you to pray for our group, but in your prayer do not give any indication that you are a Christian." Having prayers before council meetings upsets some, but removing prayers and having a moment of silence would be upsetting to others. We do not have any option that meets everybody's desires.
Our country has had a long tradition of having prayers before the meeting of legislative bodies, and the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld challenges to this tradition. That is why the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives continue to have opening prayers before their sessions. The First Amendment prohibits establishing any one religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion in our country.
It would be wrong for the City Council to only allow Christian ministers to offer opening prayers, but I am in favor of continuing to invite religious leaders from all faith communities and letting them pray in accordance with their own faith tradition. This is part of being multicultural. Trying to make us hide our differences is not.
Steve Newman
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church of Lodi
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Lodian wrote on Oct 6, 2009 11:32 AM:
Pastor Newman: I'd like to know how far you are willing to go with this invitation. "
dyan wrote on Oct 5, 2009 8:27 PM:
Robb wrote on Oct 5, 2009 4:03 PM:
Bry wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:48 PM:
"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." "
Bry wrote on Sep 30, 2009 6:22 PM:
MEP wrote on Sep 30, 2009 4:56 PM:
MEP wrote on Sep 30, 2009 4:51 PM:
I agree with your sentiments about the Pledge of Allegience. Institutionalize patriotism is not something that America should be engaged in. "
davidd wrote on Sep 30, 2009 4:04 PM:
El Toro wrote on Sep 30, 2009 1:44 PM:
Side note: maybe we should stop saying any type of Pledge of Allegiance, with or without under god, after all it’s pledging a belief in America. "
dogs4you wrote on Sep 30, 2009 1:21 PM:
Since the Lodi CC is not allowed to pray before a meeting, stop it and get on with the business at hand and settle this issue once and for all. Build Wally World. "
LodiFreeThinker wrote on Sep 30, 2009 10:36 AM:
The only way for the City Council to be completely fair, is simply to remove the issue from the council chambers.
I don't want the city to waste time being the "prayer police". I don't want the new regulations on how, and when to contact religious leaders. I don't want there to be a 'score keeper' that has to track who has prayed how many times in a year, and what faiths are being represented and what faiths are not... and all that other cover your butt kind of thinking...
This is a waste of time, money and effort on the part of the city if they choose to go that route, and as Pastor Newman stated, its 'off-putting' to the religious communities to be asked to pray, but pray the way "we say"...
Just avoid the issue and eliminate this divisive subject from the agenda entirely. People who wish to pray for the city and the council, can do so in private, or in public, even during the meeting so long as they don't disrupt anyone else. "
MEP wrote on Sep 30, 2009 9:58 AM:
jeff wrote on Sep 30, 2009 9:33 AM:
Lodian wrote on Sep 30, 2009 9:33 AM:
Prayer is not being removed as one can surely pray whenever and wherever they please. One does not have to be in front of all at the city council meeting to actually pray. If a moment of silence bothers anyone they could surely pray on their own. Why do people think they have to pray out loud and in public for it to matter? "
MEP wrote on Sep 30, 2009 9:21 AM:
El Toro wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:17 AM:
gray cloud wrote on Sep 30, 2009 7:54 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.