 |
Re: [RC] Blessing? - heidiIf the "blessing" had been say, a Wiccan blessing, would it have also been welcomed? I bet not. Bright Blessings.I would have welcomed it every bit as much (that would be pretty neat, actually). As I would had it been a Muslim cleric giving an Islam blessing, or a Bhuddist or Hindu or Shinto. The particulars don't matter, it is just a nice ceremonial calling on a "higher power" to bless the event. There is no attempt here to prosyletize. Anyone who doesn't believe in that "higher power," or any "higher power," is unaffected, they can just meditate on their own thoughts or whatever pleases them during that minute or two, and not try to deny the rest of us the experience. Freedom -- especially religious freedom -- is a two-way street. If you wish to not have others force their beliefs on you, then you should not force your beliefs on them, nor deny them free expression of their beliefs. Live and let live. <sigh> Another anonymous post. But yes, what Joe said. I've sat through various sorts of invocations, if you will, ranging from Muslim to Jewish to Hindu to various forms of nature worship, in addition to a great many different Christian flavors. I don't think I've heard a formal Shinto blessing (although I nearly married an early boyfriend whose parents were married in a Shinto ceremony, because that was his mother's belief system), or a Wiccan blessing, but if they stuck to the basics of an invocation--recognizing a higher power, gratitude for the venue, the horses, etc., and wishing the participants well, I would not be in the least offended that it came from a different belief system. And as Joe stated, if you don't believe in a higher power, focus on the other positive philosophies presented in an invocation. I find the statements of different faiths to be educational, quite frankly, and I cherish the opportunity to learn how people who believe differently than I do express their spirituality. Part of freedom is tolerating the fact that others also have the same freedoms that you cherish--and freedom of religion is one of the very basic tenets of this country. That means that in return for the freedom to believe (or disbelieve, if that be the case) in the manner that you deem acceptable, you also tolerate the belief systems of others. And that tolerance includes tolerating a degree of expression of those belief systems. We embrace many of our other differences as being wholesome, and recognize that much of our strength lies in our diversity. What is "offensive" about recognizing and appreciating that diversity in the matter of religious expression as well? Religious tolerance is rather like racial tolerance. You wouldn't dream of telling someone of another color that he can't display his skin in public, because someone might be offended by it. So why is it such an offensive thing to tolerate an expression of faith? Again, no one is holding a gun to anyone's head to participate in an invocation--only asking for courtesy and respect. This spring, I took part in a Seder meal at Passover. I am not Jewish. But it was a moving and eye-opening experience, and was also a bit of education about a segment of Middle Eastern history. If anything, it deepened my own belief system; it certainly did not make me feel that those who invited me were "cramming" anything down my throat. I was honored to be asked to take part, and I hope I did so in a manner that showed respect for traditions strange to me. I find myself more "turned off" (or offended, if you will) by people who express negative messages cloaked in what I consider to be "my" faith than by those who express positive messages such as invocations in faiths that are foreign to me. It is too bad that we are too often busy being upset that this is a "religious" issue that we miss the things that we have in common, and we fail to appreciate the different ways of expressing those things that other people may have to share. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|