Oh, Lord. There’s no doubt a narrow majority of increasingly narrow-minded Supreme Court justices lobbed a Hail Mary pass this week in support of praising Jesus et al at city council meetings.
The high court ruled 5-4 that a little government-sanctioned prayer before official meetings is in no way a detriment to the long-held principals of separating religion and U.S. governments.
In a world with so many different kinds of people who believe in such a wide variety of deities, or often believing in none of the above, it’s easy to see that this prayer and religion in government thing becomes a way to offend, alienate or just plain annoy people.
For the sake of not calling esteemed U.S. Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia dolts, I’ll stipulate the ruling, ceding that, indeed, the brief religious invocation does not, per se, bind Aurora city hall to Queen of Peace Catholic Church.
But, pray tell, why do Aurora and cities like it continue this odd and bothersome tradition? It was a long, long time ago that Americans shleped from chore to chore, from event to event, talking to/with El Jefe. I know the Pilgrims came here so they could freely wander around praying on all sorts of matters: the weather, the attacks by angry natives, the being eaten by bears, the food shortages, the witch trials and the Thursday-night stonings. It was a busy time. Seeing how there was no 911 back then, reaching out to God, Jesus, Allah, Thor or “anyone!?” was a logical, although rather ineffective, protocol.
These days, if you go around talking out loud a lot to God or Jesus or L Ron Hubbard, the government will make you take Zyprexa until you stop. But if you limit your deity discussions to a few moments before dinner, occasional Sunday mornings and the beginning of Aurora City Council meetings, you are admitted to mainstream America and given the seal of approval by the U.S. Supreme Court and popular conservative celebrities like Ron Paul.
I’ve sat through hundreds of these invocations, and I’ve never once heard one that seemed to inspire the government agents it was being inflicted on, nor did any of the usually uncomfortable victims in the audience break into tongues, chants or even a nod of agreement. It’s one of the oddest rituals I’ve ever seen.
It’s an alienating custom from the start. In Aurora, the mayor asks everyone to stand while some unfortunate minister-type who had to miss Monday Night Football for the invocation saunters to the lectern. So if you don’t stand you invite, “the look” from others. Some give you a “thumbs’up” with their eyes, envious you’re courageous or lazy enough to remain seated and unaffected. Or you get “the look” from conformers and believers as if you just whipped out a baby goat from under your coat, stripped naked, slit the animal’s throat and painted a pentagram with the warm blood on your chest, rather than listen to the invocation. It’s the authority types who cluck their tongues at sitters or people who relent and stand but check their email on their phones instead of concentrate with the prayer face.
I find it odd that minister types regularly ask their gods to help our elected officials make good decisions. On sign codes? Zoning variances? “Dear God, please whisper to at least six city councilman that blinking ‘open’ signs are a gift from Heaven and not one of the most annoying inventions ever.”
Clearly, there’s either a problem with Aurora’s messengers or celestial cell towers or something, because it would be hard to believe that Jehova hates public libraries, cultural arts centers and a lottery for retail pot shops. And since Aurora officials at least make an effort to spread around the prayers and deities starting at the beginning of each meeting, it’s hard to say if all this praying does any good. Did Buddah sign off on the red-light traffic cameras or was it the Blessed Virgin?
I must admit that I’m impressed at the number of true believers on the Aurora City Council, I was certain I saw many mumbled prayers that this newspaper and other media would ignore a recently failed effort to raise city council pay without asking voters. Alas, God and I were on the same page in regards to that request.
I say end this oddness and keep religion out of city hall. If there are doubters, they should pray on it.
Reach editor Dave Perry at 303-750-7555 or dperry@aurorasentinel.com
Amen to that. Thx Dave.
What a snide and sarcastic column, belittling our religious heritage (no that was not what the Puritans were about), just about everything religious and anybody who gives a nod to a deity now and then. If you don’t get anything out of these brief invocations, that is telling. Making fun of those of us who do is your right; my Quaker ancestors went to jail so that people like you, ultimately, could ridicule us. But perhaps some maturity is called for where peoples’ principles and beliefs are involved.
Which God do u pray to?, …see we are supposed to be free from religion, when you decide yours is supreme we are NOT FREE anymore :/
FREEDOM ISN’T FREE
Keep God at Home or Church, we have business to attend,
There are far too many religions to pick one supreme God for a public diety!
Tracey, I think you’ve got it wrong, it’s “freedom OF religion”, NOT freedom FROM religion! I think that’s a big distinction. This country was founded with christian beliefs, not Catholic, Protestant, Episcopal or any other specific denomination. If you’re offended by someone saying a prayer, GOD (pick one of your own choosing or none at all) help you!
Valerie, would you be open to having prayers of every religion recited before meetings? I mean, if you’re such a strong believer in the strength of our nation and the beautiful, welcoming arms of Lady Liberty, why not get the power of every possible deity worked into the process of fixing pot holes? It should only add an hour or two to every meeting.
Also, why not conduct a public experiment? Ask city council to temporarily halt prayers. Then, when the city bursts into flames, be celebrated as the hero who saved the city and showed us all! I would gladly print this comment and eat it on YouTube. Of course, you might then also have to risk that really scary possibility that God doesn’t actually change pot holes or any other government affairs.
What bothers me is that some feel their religion and god are “protected”, the ultimate power, and their god speaks to them directly, telling them to smite thy neighbor because thy neighbor does not agree with thou. Dave has it correct – religion and government do not mix so take the prayers home.
I feel sorry for you Dave. You have proven time and again that you are truly lost. I pray for your well being.
Translation: I’m not praying for you at all, Dave, and I hate your post. God would want me to try and at least acknowledge see its merits but I really lack that kind of open-mindedness.
Congrats for putting words in my mouth. Yes I dislike his post, but if you want close minded, then read Dave Perry’s post again.
Love you Dave! I love God too,BUT… God has no form of ID, he needs to watch on Ch 8, or borrow a video *smirks*
Dave Perry’s May 8 column, PERRY: Aurora doesn’t have a prayer in keeping religion out of city hall, is very offensive.
Our country was founded on Christian principles. We have always had the right to pray at public meetings. Aurora has worked very hard to clean up this city and I firmly believe prayer has helped in doing that. Asking God to step into situations helps whether you believe it or not is our right as a country founded on the very principles of Christ.
Perry used his “freedom of speech” to bash the very thing that has kept our nation from going under a long time ago. God is and always has been a part of this country. If the council members choose to pray, good for them. Somebody needs to put God into things that are positive, and people like Perry need to keep his opinions to himself.
He would not exist if it weren’t for God. He created Perry unique and special, but He never intended for Perry to use that uniqueness to hurt someone else. His article made me very angry, and I find it very hurtful and disrespectful to the God who allowed this nation to become one of the world’s leaders.
If he don’t want to hear the prayer, leave, but don’t put those who are also using their right to “freedom of speech” by asking the one who is Almighty and can move mountains into a meeting. By honoring God, they give Him the opportunity to help bring this city to a place of greatness.
Man alone can’t do that ,so back off of God and let Him do the work He needs to do for Aurora and the people who choose to honor Him by praying and asking Him to be a part of city business.
— Linda M. Fuller, MA. LPC, LAC, Domestic Violence Approved Provider, Domestic Violence Clinical Supervisor, Director of God’s Grace LMF Counseling
Dave Perry is a good example of the “narrow-minded DOLT” that he refers to in the May 8 edition. It is probably better that he sits on his dead ass during the invocations, if in fact he actually does do that.
— Herb Alie
Denver
What a loving Christian you are!
We could save tax dollars by asking people to pray but to do so in their thoughts. This way, we can accommodate every faith which is a true Christian thing to do.