The good news is that the Supreme court decision against prayer in Saugenay Quebec had an immediate effect here in Ottawa with mayor Jim Watson replacing the supposed non-denominational prayer with a moment of silence. This is somewhat better than prayer but still gives the impression that some spiritual moment is needed before any useful work can get done; and given the comments by the Mayor and two other councillors here in Ottawa, it is apparent that we have some work to do.
Our task here in Ottawa will be to do friendly outreach to city council showing them that secularism is good for everyone, no matter their beliefs, and demonstrating that atheists aren’t angry sad people.
This decision will perhaps make our job easier with other than the obvious non use of prayer to begin council meetings. Hopefully we can also leverage this decision to suggest to the Ottawa Hospital and other publicly funded institutions to not to put up their nativity scenes this coming year.
“Hopefully we can also leverage this decision to suggest to the Ottawa Hospital and other publicly funded institutions to not to put up their nativity scenes this coming year.”
War on Christmas? Bill O’Reilly is going to get you!
http://quoderat.megginson.com/2007/12/21/religious-wars-hit-close-to-home/
I’m an atheist, but I don’t think taking down religious iconography at Christmas (or for any other religious holiday) is meaningful. I love Christmas and all the myths that go along with it. For me, a nativity scene carries as much significance as a Santa Clause statue and I’m not asking for those to come down either. I just wish they wouldn’t go up before December 10th or so. Two weeks is long enough!!