The Lord's Prayer

A sincere and faith-filled period of brief grace to many, but to some a source of anguish.  Which simply demonstrates how confrontational people can be when they feel that their particular biases, wishes, traditions and impulses are being trod upon.  Usually by a majority social unit, ignorant of the pain their customs are causing to the minorities among them, irritated beyond belief that so much is taken for granted, including their silent acquiescence.

Well, Peter Ferguson, for one, will be silent no more.  Why should he be silent.  When those around him are complacently enjoying themselves while he suffers loss of enjoyment of life.  That's quite the statement, to be sure, but he is sure, quite certain, that in knowing that town councillors reciting the Lord's Prayer before embarking on the municipality's business of the day in Grey County, he is in desperate anguish.

He has cast his lot in with the advocacy group Secular Ontario, whose purpose it is to eradicate this dreadful practise.  They have targeted 18 cities, towns and counties across the Province of Ontario.  To cleanse them of the disgusting practise of invoking the Lord's Prayer before moving on to municipal or county business.  Much like the quaint old practise of saying grace before a meal.

According to Peter Ferguson, the Christian tradition has caused him "anguish, discrimination, exclusion, rejection and loss of enjoyment of life".  He, therefore, feels entitled to cause anguish and loss of enjoyment of life to those who wish to bring their faith to bear in the public arena.  Councillors are infringing upon his Charter right to freedom of conscience and religion.

"I don't like politicians who break the law, and our county council is breaking the law.  I don't really care about religion that much, I care about the law.  I care about being fair", he insisted from his home in Kimberley, one of mine municipalities within Grey County.  He is suing for $5,000 in damages, and a court order for a stop to prayers opening county council meetings.

"No one is forced to take part.  They are invited if they choose.  We have added the silent reflection for anyone who wishes to, whichever deity or thought process they follow", Peterborough's acting mayor told the Peterborough Examiner, after a woman took legal action against her city council.  Both these cases have not yet appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

As for the legal action taken against Grey County council:  "Grey County was settled by people based on tolerance.  I think there's a fair tolerance.  If somebody had another prayer, we would have included it", said chairman of the council, Duncan McKinlay, explaining that feedback from residents expressed a fear of wasted time and resources.