Comments on: Secular group in Canada seeks to end prayers at local authority meetings

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 20:40:52 +0000

If no one is forced to participate why not have these prayers at the end of the meeting after everyone who does not want to participate leaves or before the meeting at a earlier time than the meeting. By making this part of the meeting you are “forcing” others to attend to your religion.

By: Andrew Neil

Andrew Neil — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 19:02:57 +0000

I live in Grey County, Ontario and although I find the declaration in the lawsuit, “anguish, discrimination, exclusion, rejection and loss of enjoyment of life” silly, the law, unfortunately, doesn’t allow us sometimes to state the true nature of our objection but requires that we demonstrate we suffered harm for it to be even considered and the overarching, philosophical objection made. Nonetheless, it is astonishing to me that a town council in a pluralistic society like Canada in the 21st Century is bowing their heads and reciting the Christian Lord’s Prayer before an official, public meeting. By doing so it is tantamount to the town/municipality saying, “we are a Christian community, in a Christian town, in a Christian country and Christian values guide our decision making”. This should be offensive to everyone including Christian’s (at least those who recognize that there is a diversity of thought and belief systems in the world). It is narrow-minded and disrespectful. But not surprised given that Christianity has tended to enjoy cultural hegemony throughout Europe and much of North American history for the last 1,700 years. Regardless, it’s absolutely imperative that we maintain separation of church and state to guarantee religious choices (or the absence of) for everyone. The state can never, ever, support, advocate, or confer privilege on any one religion or appear to do so to the exclusion of all others. The Grey County town council is doing just this by virtue of their actions.

By: James Kessler

James Kessler — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 14:40:12 +0000

can we not broad brush paint please? No it's not what Christians do…it's what some Christians do. This Christian really doesn't give a damn if they get prayer removed from some city council in Ontario. Hell I'd just as soon there wasn't prayer at official government events because mixing government and religion has a bad habit of…well ending in disaster. Hell if I thought that group in Ontario was watching this page I'd even suggest a passage in the Bible to support their position. That being Matthew 6:5-6

By: Howard Vaudry

Howard Vaudry — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:50:54 +0000

Of course the hate mail will follow… It's what Christians do.