Silence, confusion or heritage — what's best?
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Posted: Friday, June 26, 2009 10:00 pm
Silence, confusion or heritage — what's best?
The prayer of invocation at the City Council meeting is now
under fire.
Prayer, by definition, is communication with God. Those who pray
are not talking to people or seeking man's approval of their words,
but are talking to God. An invocation that is pre-approved by the
City Council or is selected from a standard list of approved
prayers is ridiculous.
Some have suggested a moment of silence before the meetings. In
this way, people can pray to Jesus, Allah, Shiva, the great cosmic
force in the universe or Great Aunt Ethel.
Maybe I'm wrong, but a moment of silence seems like an
inoffensive, politically correct exercise to keep everybody happy.
Government bodies that use this are trying to ease their
consciences by invoking help from someone (whoever he/she/it is) to
get them out of the messes they find themselves in.
The News-Sentinel, in its editorial, made the flawed suggestion
of having individuals from different faiths take turns giving the
invocation. As one who has studied world religions, I can say with
certainty that they have very little in common theologically. The
definitions of God, salvation, heaven, sin, etc., are very
different.
The popular statements: "We all believe in the same deity but
have different names for him," and, "There are different roads on
the mountain, but they all lead to the same place," are
intellectual suicide. These statements sound good and make people
feel warm and cozy, but they are just not true. Having various
faiths praying is an exercise in confusion.
America was founded on Christian principles found in the Bible,
not Islamic principles found in the Quran, Sikh principles found in
the Ad Granth, Hindu principles found in the Vedas or Buddhist
principles found in the various Sutras. This is historical fact,
regardless of what historical revisionists say.
This is America and people have the freedom to worship as they
choose, but our foundation rests on Christianity, and our Christian
heritage compels us to pray in Jesus' name. If this offends anyone,
then just skip the invocation.
Frank Nolton
Woodbridge
Posted in
Letters
on
Friday, June 26, 2009 10:00 pm.
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posted at 11:14 am on Sun, Jun 28, 2009.
anthropis -- yes it does if I don't know it is coming. If I am at an event and I know beforehand there will be public displays of worship, then that's on me.
posted at 9:51 am on Sun, Jun 28, 2009.
But, but....Obama is ***good***!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhhkF3dqXR0
posted at 4:30 am on Sun, Jun 28, 2009.
It's been said that the only problem with Christianity is the Christians. All kidding aside -- Religion does have an inherent problem; in that, in its effort to personify the deity, it loses sight of the will of God. In other words, the "key" is in the "search" for Gods will; the "finding" will take care of itself. Now for God and govt: If this great nation stands for one thing, it stands for the never ending search for "The Will of God". Sure there are a lot of haters out there that say "America cheated, America bad", but anyone with any sence of history knows that's not true. Has America, Judeo-Chrisian roots and all, made some mistakes along the way? Of course, but when you've got humans trying to interpret the "Will of God" for Gods sake, you're bound to screw-it-up now and again, aren't you? The point is that America is about moving forward and "Gods good freedom" is the only way to make that happen. The haters disagree; and they are the ones working feverishly today in an effort to replace Gods will with that of man -- or Obama, as it were. It won't work.
posted at 10:14 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
dogs wrote: "...huge cloud over your head, beware of lighting bolts headed your way."But, dogs, that's a GOOD thing! Zeus is my god! LOL!
posted at 7:50 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
WTF, when there is a huge cloud over your head, beware of lighting bolts headed your way. Compairing one God`s man-hood to another, not sure I would go there. All these Christian Priniciples and alike are a source of cheap entertainment, I sit back and LMAO at most of the writings, as with all the different opinions nothing would ever get done. Just a couple of Hail Mary`s and get the show on the road. Oppssss that would piss someone off, just a moment of silence or pledge of allegiance would be fine and I doubt anyone would object to that.
posted at 7:14 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
@wtf- nice.
posted at 6:58 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
Frank wrote: "America was founded on Christian principles found in the Bible"BZZZZTTT!! Sorry, Frank, that answer is incorrect.America was founded on Freedom OF Religion (didn't specify which one) and Freedom FROM persecution; in other words, religious TOLERANCE for ALL religions.Like I posted in the Prez Oath blog, if the focus was on "spirituality" rather than the idea that "My god's d*ck is bigger than your god's" we might actually get somewhere. LOL!
posted at 6:35 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
So you're a nonbeliever? Well, I hope you change your mind before he throws his lightning bolts in your direction. Dismiss Him at your own peril.
posted at 6:25 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
MEP, Greek mythology is all but history now, but if there was a group that still believed in that stuff (Zeus as a god) I guess it would be interesting.
posted at 5:54 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
anthropis - would a weekly public invocation to Zeus, the king of all gods, make you angry or uncomfortable, or would it just seem silly?
posted at 4:50 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
Bob, does an invocation in public offend you and does it make you angry?
posted at 4:39 am on Sat, Jun 27, 2009.
Frank said: "Maybe I'm wrong, but a moment of silence seems like an inoffensive, politically correct exercise to keep everybody happy."No, you're not wrong. Why would they strive for something else that is offensive, politically incorrect, and makes everyone angry? Seems like a no brainer there Frank.