Politics and religion
Okay, one more political post.
I talked about the things I liked at the democratic rally. Here's what I didn't like...
Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who is a very active representative and seems to always be working hard (and apparently has a great sweet potato pie recipe) nevertheless upset me when in the midst of introducing people, she paused to introduce the pastor of the church we were meeting at and ask him to give us a prayer. In my opinion, house of worship or no, there's no place for prayer at a political rally. Certainly not in a church that used to be a civic center and before that was a synagogue. (Okay, maybe that has nothing to do with it, but lent some irony to my offended atheism.)
A couple of the canidates who spoke mentioned god. Not all, and certainly a minority, but each time it bugged me. Yes, even when my hero Barack did. (He'd be so perfect if he just weren't religious!)
Why does this bug me so much? I mean, there's no law againt prayer at political meetings. But I /knew/ for a fact there were non-Christians present. Jews, muslims and hindus within my eyesight. What does it say to them to have a public prayer that ends "this we ask in the name of our lord Jesus Christ"?
The content of the reverend's prayer was good... he was clearly a good public speaker, and there was nothing in particular he prayed for I could disagree with - praying for guidence, for understanding, for the voters to make good choices and the canidates who win to represent us well... all good things to ask, publically for. In a way I think it's less about petitioning god than it is about making a statement from a position of authority about what you want people to think about. But still, it's just... exclusive, non-inclusive in a room that was certainly ethnically and religiously diverse.
And I wonder: has there ever been an avowed athiest elected in this country? COULD an avowed athiest hold public office in these United States?
I talked about the things I liked at the democratic rally. Here's what I didn't like...
Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who is a very active representative and seems to always be working hard (and apparently has a great sweet potato pie recipe) nevertheless upset me when in the midst of introducing people, she paused to introduce the pastor of the church we were meeting at and ask him to give us a prayer. In my opinion, house of worship or no, there's no place for prayer at a political rally. Certainly not in a church that used to be a civic center and before that was a synagogue. (Okay, maybe that has nothing to do with it, but lent some irony to my offended atheism.)
A couple of the canidates who spoke mentioned god. Not all, and certainly a minority, but each time it bugged me. Yes, even when my hero Barack did. (He'd be so perfect if he just weren't religious!)
Why does this bug me so much? I mean, there's no law againt prayer at political meetings. But I /knew/ for a fact there were non-Christians present. Jews, muslims and hindus within my eyesight. What does it say to them to have a public prayer that ends "this we ask in the name of our lord Jesus Christ"?
The content of the reverend's prayer was good... he was clearly a good public speaker, and there was nothing in particular he prayed for I could disagree with - praying for guidence, for understanding, for the voters to make good choices and the canidates who win to represent us well... all good things to ask, publically for. In a way I think it's less about petitioning god than it is about making a statement from a position of authority about what you want people to think about. But still, it's just... exclusive, non-inclusive in a room that was certainly ethnically and religiously diverse.
And I wonder: has there ever been an avowed athiest elected in this country? COULD an avowed athiest hold public office in these United States?