What do ya think about this happening in Tampa? "Atheist Invocation Sparks Outrage"?

Question

Across America, many local government meetings begin with public prayers but a Tampa city council meeting recently started out with members leaving because of the invocation.

Atheist Michael Harvey was about to give the invocation at a Tampa City Council meeting when some members became angry. A debate continued for nearly 30 minutes until three members walked out.

Mary Alvarez left saying she shouldn't have to "listen to an atheist sit here and tell me what I should or should not believe in."

Tampa atheists were granted permission to speak during the invocation after scolding the council for praying to "invisible men in the sky."

Harvey doesn't believe in God so praying for civic wisdom for public servants, the whole idea behind any invocation, was impossible.

Rest of story at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,127614,00.html

Answer 1

These people really don't understand what message they've been sending to non-Christians, have they?! Wow.

I would hope the invocation, whatever it was, wasn't insulting.

And I don't see why there needs to be any kind of prayer. Can't they pray in the car on the way, or at home before they leave?

Answer 2

I think it comes done to a matter of mutual respect.

Okay.... An Atheist doesn't want to participate in praying to a Divine being he/she doesn't believe in. A Christian doesn't want to listen to the opinions about the non-existence of God an Atheist wants to put out there. And what about those gathered that hold some other theological or philisophical point of view?

Why can't we just have a moment of silence for quiet contemplation on what what it is we have gathered together to do? If someone wants to pray, cool. If another wants to take a moment to logically make a mental list of things that need to be addressed, fine.

We just need to get past this egotistical need to be the one who is "RIGHT" and get on with the business of taking care of each other.

Answer 3

Idiots. So much for Christian love and brotherhood. Oh, I forgot. That only applies to other Christians. Did he or did he not have a right to speak the invocation? Yes, he did. Did he preach? No. Did he tell people what to believe? No. He just asked people to do their jobs using reason and logic. This was not a church, it was a town meeting for solving...you know...real world problems.

Truely heresy.

Answer 4

It disgusts me, the attitide people have towards atheists. We tend to be a better educated, moralistically superior race than those beleivers... But its okay that the atheist has to sit and listen to someone talk about sky deities, but God forbid (sarcasm!) that a Christian be forced to listen to the perspective of an atheist!

In Texas, The State Legislature has refused to allow an Atheist Church to receive tax expemt status. Their reasoning: Churches and religions are for worshipping God! And Atheists dont beleive in God, so we dont deserve to have a "beleif system."

Funny....they can beleive wahtever crap they want, but we arent allowed the same freedom.

This country scares me more and more with each passing day...

Answer 5

just ridiculous.

in buddhist thought, a prayer is sometimes called an aspiration. in this case, i would hope mr. harvey would have said, "let those of us in these positions of responsibility and civic trust, let us show wisdom and compassion in the dispatch of our duties."

and what exactly is so freaking wrong about that?

maybe the Chrisitan contingency on the city council were miffed at his speaking up at all.

sheesh. why can't we all just get along already?

Answer 6

it is an extremely wide question. Atheism actually ability 'devoid of god' and because maximum human acts of devastation have been interior the call of one god or yet another, this might propose that they are much less risky than those with a faith. in case you think of approximately it in a greater precis way, atheism promotes loose thinking and the choice to have self belief what you elect for devoid of the project of somebody telling you what is genuine devoid of any data. in this variety, many faiths surely sell lack of expertise over awareness. (The reasoning in the back of this lays with early society human beings attempting to type a workable society that applications properly mutually. faith is an extremely effectual thank you to try this, as a result why there are such countless similarities between them). So reckoning on what you propose by utilising harm, in early human society atheism would have been greater destructive to the form of the human race yet in present day situations (the final a hundred and fifty years or so) faith is dropping its place in present day society.

Answer 7

As usual, atheists are trying to prove a point, and are being especially jerky and smug about it. Also as usual, religious types are taking the whole thing WAAAAY too seriously. Everyone needs to re-friggin-lax down in Tampa. Mary Alvarez has a point about not needing a lecture about her religious beleifs, but that argument works equally well for the atheist's position, since he should not have to endure a lecture about religious beliefs either. A moment of silence would fit the bill and be respectful of everyone involved, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Answer 8

Yet another display of the double standard of xtianity. This woman who left didn't want to hear how to believe from an atheist, yet it never occurred to her that the atheist may not want to hear how to believe from her either. Once again, xtians show that they really don't believe in freedom of religion. Once again we are in a double bind. Once again I'm disgusted at the insanity and deceptions of that religion. Blatant hypocrisy and a violation of the constitution. It scares me to think about the extent that xtians have carte blanche in this country.

Answer 9

Sounds like a perfect time to hold a vote. Maybe we can get all of the people with unfounded beliefs to leave the government this way. Then those who are not bogged down by religious dogma can get something done. Wonderful!

Answer 10

It's funny how Christians have no problem imposing their religion and beliefs on others, but get mad when someone else does it. And he was even giving a neutral prayer for wisdom. Something everyone should pray for.