I don’t know whether to laugh or...
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the thought of city
governments all over California asking Burbank what to do about their
own prayer problems. So far, this lawsuit has cost Burbank about
$22,000 and a lot of time, and the fight goes on.
Why?
Why do any legislative bodies need to start their meetings with an
invocation, prayer or other appeal to the spirit world? I know, “it’s
traditional.” We have inherited a lot of our lawmaking practices from
the Romans of 2,500 years ago, when the world was still thought to be
flat.
Before every meeting of the Roman Senate, they sacrificed some
helpless animal, and the entrails were read to see if the gods had
decreed that the day was auspicious for making important decisions.
So maybe we should kill a chicken and examine its liver Tuesday
nights. Sounds gross, doesn’t it?
I see no difference between augury and the practice of asking some
imaginary spirit to “bless” the proceedings of what should be nothing
more than a business meeting. It’s just another form of placating
something that some people still insist has the power to strike us
down for offending it. And it’s a chance for the local priests and
shaman to grandstand.
Welcome to the 21st century, folks. We need to outgrow this
infantile dependence on the impossible, and get on with real life.
Why not save us all some money, and a lot of bother, and just call
the meetings to order without all the frou-frou?
Or is that too sensible?
ELAINE HAMPTON
Burbank