Prayer in Public Places

Re “Reconsider an Act That Divides Us,” Ventura County Perspective, Aug. 13.

Why, oh why, must one holding a personal religious conviction (or an absence of one) react so antagonistically toward those who hold another belief (or none at all)?

The writer of this article seems to be unable to recognize that I, as a confirmed Episcopalian, can be quite comfortable if, in an audience preponderantly Catholic or Mormon or Confucian, the representative of that audience refers to the deity or philosophy to which most of the audience is devoted. I can respect their conviction and not feel a bit threatened by them, or feel they are in particular conflict with me.

Why does he say “Given our great religious vicissitude, sectarian oral praying in official public gatherings is, by nature, a form of religious intrusion on some.”

If I attend a function hosted by, say, Jehovah’s Witnesses, I am not at all suffering a “them versus us” attitude if they refer to what they hold as dear and what is true for them. I know what I hold dear and what is true for me. I may even admire the loyalty of their followers.

How sophomoric of him to say: “Fundamentalist prayers of every ilk are tearing communities apart not only in this country but all over the world.” How sad it must be for him to not credit most human beings with the intelligence to respect and adhere to their own convictions, and let other folks refer to their convictions when they feel comfortable, and judge that they have the support of those around them.

To paraphrase an expression from your writer, this writer would say that to deny the majority in a group the right and honor and to call upon the beliefs of that group is indeed “a travesty of the 1st Amendment.”

I pray that the Ventura County Supervisors serve the majority.

T. BRUCE GRAHAM

Port Hueneme