[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KXD1_EEBzA[/youtube]
We do not live in an authoritarian society.
Our Sioux Falls City Council met on a Monday this past week so the members could attend the Chamber of Commerce yearly get together at the T Denny Sanford Premier Events Center (wow want a mouthful). There were concerns expressed by the public about changing the weekly meetings to accommodate the event at a recent Council meeting. Of course these were completely ignored. Going to the Chicago concert was more important. (I felt a little throw-up in my throat)
But back to the point of this video. While we have concerns regarding many invocations given at the council meetings, council member Michelle Erpenbach made a few points we needed to address.
Michelle tells us, we the public must OBEY our leaders or authorities. Huh? Blindly following? Without question? Are we supposed to jump off a cliff just because? Allow profiteering leaders take us to war so they can make money? Allow multinational corporations to destroy our very communities so they can suck money out us then leave? Just because? We don’t think so.
Our system of government is designed to check the assumption of powers not expressly given temporarily to our fellow citizens who become officeholders. We do not stand in front of our fellow citizens and force them to accept commands in the name of a deity. Like painting the snowplows, there should be a separation of your religious views in publicly owned property, places and spaces. Just being in the majority doesn’t trump the rights of a minority.
We have heard excellent invocations at the city council. We often hoped council members would actually listen to and then act on the words of wisdom. The words given were based on the moral values gained by their faith. Not preachy.
So to the people who give invocations, do not force us to listen to words selling your latest project or church. Do not insult us by forcing us to attend your church sermon. But give inspirational words to cause the listeners to pause. Allow the listeners to consider what they are about to do affects people they may never meet.
This invocation gave us an insight into core beliefs of the speaker and we must remember it forever. It’s not good.
I suspect it offends the willing ear, otherwise refer to Hebrews chapter 13. The sky is probably not falling..geesh.
The US Constitution says that Congress shall pass no law establishing a religion. One could argue this does not apply to a city government or a state government. The amendment is interpreted to allow for freedom of religion, not from religion. You do not have to remember anything the speaker said. Freedom of speech means we can say what we want but we do not have the right to have people listen. If you do not like what the speaker is selling, just don’t listen.
1st people that need to learn the obedience lesson are elected officials – and obedience to the law.
If you are going to be so wishy washy as to pray to everyone and no one at the same time, you shouldn’t be praying at all. I wish Michelle would quote the scripture passage that says to obey your government.
Ruf,
that is perfectly stated. thanks
Point of order:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Again, the constitution says nothing about rejecting religion, but will not choose one.
The city needs to provide the Atheists access to the “offensive”plows in a public place, let them paint over them and let the newsgroups film it.
Time for you to man up Eric and Amanda Novotny. You started it, now finish it. If you’re really devoted to your belief (or the lack there of), you’ll be at that next city council to offer this solution.
Notice she didn’t say the last line in the verse.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
She has no advantage to us, but she sure has taken advantage of her “leadership”.
She should consider this
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such are false apostles, deceitful , disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
A couple of points – the 14th Amendment (section 1) has been interpreted by the Supreme Court (consistently over the last hundred years) as meaning that no State or Local Government can make a law that violates the Constitution. (ok…everybody get their laugh out on that one – and we’ll wait for the standard group to talk about the city violating the Constitution again)
In this case – the City really didn’t have much of a choice. They could either
a) remove ALL religious discussion from City Owned Property
or
b) allow ANY city religious/anti-religious group to paint up a plow.
Take a look at the Satanic Monument that is being built at the Oklahoma Statehouse or the Satanic coloring books being passed out at a Florida School that allowed a Christian group to pass out Bibles.
Legally, they cannot show any preference to any Religion. Which means, they either open up the floodgates OR they keep it all closed.
Better to keep it closed – I mean, does anybody want the Westboro Baptist assholes painting “Thank God For Dead Soldiers” on a snow plow and/or suing if the city didn’t let them?