Yarborough: Non-Christian Prayers Could Spell Trouble!

[stjr]

Councilman Yarborough is at it again.  Unfortunately, he probably speaks for many in Jax.  Still, his open intolerance of others is truly amazing for an elected official in a major city in the 21st century.  Read it below to believe it:

Different faiths cast eager or wary eyes on Jacksonville council prayers

Source URL: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-07-22/story/different-faiths-cast-eager-or-wary-eyes-jacksonville-council-prayers

By Jeff Brumley

Some non-Christian clergy in Jacksonville say they are willing and eager to give invocations at City Council meetings now that the ritual has been opened up to members of different faiths.

But when that first Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Muslim or other minister will take to the podium is yet to be seen as the city works out the details of whom to invite and when.

And some Christians, including at least one council member, express concern the new policy could either be taken too far, validate non-Christian religions and even contribute to the city’s moral and spiritual decline.

Before, Councilman Don Redman, the council’s former chaplain and a Baptist, delivered Christian prayers to open the meetings. Council President Jack Webb squashed that practice when the city received written protests from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Anti-Defamation League.

Webb, who’s Catholic, said inviting ministers from other religions makes the process more fair to the many non-Christians represented by council and could help relieve some of the social tensions afflicting the city.

“I think there’s a need for healing in the community,” he said, “and I think this will go along way toward that.”

But that doesn’t mean council members and citizens attending their meetings can expect to see rabbis and imams delivering their prayers right away.

In fact, the first to say a prayer under the new system will be Councilman Clay Yarborough’s own pastor, the Rev. Mac Brunson of Jacksonville’s First Baptist Church.

Brunson declined to be interviewed about the prayer he will give on Tuesday, but a blog that follows the church said Brunson recently invited the entire church, which has thousands of members, to be there when he gives Tuesday’s invocation. Yarborough, the council’s current chaplain, said he expects a higher turnout at the meeting as a result.

Yarborough said Webb’s new system includes asking council members to invite clergy, so he asked to be the first to do so.

Webb said he’s working with the city General Counsel’s Office to develop a rotation of available and willing clergy to participate.

At least two ministers contacted by The Times-Union said they ready to go.

“We are a city that has many faiths and it’s appropriate that our elected officials would welcome people of all faiths” to give the invocations, said Rabbi Joshua Lief, spiritual leader of Congregation Ahavath Chesed in Mandarin.

“In reality, we [in Jacksonville] have always been open and welcoming,” Lief said. “Unfortunately, council in the past [were] closed to possibility.”

Panditji Srinathan Kadambi, the priest  at Hindu Society of Northeast Florida, said if asked he will pray for the citizens of Jacksonville and the world from council chambers.

“If we begin any kind of action with a prayer, that means whatever efforts we are making will be blessed by God,” Kadambi said.

Permitting a Hindu to pray before a council meeting “is right because I live in Jacksonville,” he said.

But it could also spell trouble, others say.

“If they’re going to pray to somebody else, I don’t have a problem with that â€" it’s everybody’s City Council,” said Jerry Skirvin, co-founder of PrayOnJax.org, a website and petition drive developed to protest the what Skirvin described as the anti-Christian campaign behind the ACLU’s warnings about council prayers.

“We’re going to watch and see what happens,” Skirvin said. “Just don’t go overboard with non-Christian religions.”

Yarborough, council’s chaplain, told The Times-Union in an e-mail that opening the prayers to non-Christians could spell trouble for the city on a number of levels.

“If city leadership embraces pluralism and tries to validate all religious viewpoints, it indicates that the spiritual, financial, educational, emotional … health of Jacksonville is at greater risk,” Yarborough wrote. “With no moral absolutes and no defined value system, decay is the result.”

The Rev. Stephen Goyer said it’s arrogant to assume Christians possess some special, unique power to ward off tragedy and disturbances with their prayers.

It also borders on viewing prayer as a form of magic or “miracle incantation that guards us against any sort of tragedy or disruption,” said Goyer, pastor of Riverside Presbyterian Church and member of the board of OneJax, an interfaith organization.

[reednavy]

What a f*cking dumbass.

However, why should we be surprised, he attends FBC!

[brainstormer]

I too chuckled when I read that the very first pastor invited was the non-controversial Mac B. of the holier than thou FBC.  Things never change. 

[Jordan T]

If this is the kind of thing that will happen in this city over prayers at council meetings than for me it's solved, no more mixing religion with any sort of politics on any level. By the way I'm sure the people involved with city council who follow a particular faith will pray on their own and with other believers who follow the same faith before this meeting takes place. Also what Rev. Goyer said I appreciate.

[TheProfessor]

How about just a moment of silence before meetings to cease this drama?  I'm just waiting for Clay to bring out the snakes!

[Jordan T]

How about just a moment of silence before meetings to cease this drama?  I'm just waiting for Clay to bring out the snakes!

I like that idea a lot.

[riverside planner]

I wish Jacksonville had more open-minded, inclusive ministers like Rev. Goyer. 

[Jaxson]

Councilman Yarborough is at it again.  Unfortunately, he probably speaks for many in Jax.  Still, his open intolerance of others is truly amazing for an elected official in a major city in the 21st century.  Read it below to believe it:

Yarborough, council’s chaplain, told The Times-Union in an e-mail that opening the prayers to non-Christians could spell trouble for the city on a number of levels.

“If city leadership embraces pluralism and tries to validate all religious viewpoints, it indicates that the spiritual, financial, educational, emotional … health of Jacksonville is at greater risk,” Yarborough wrote. “With no moral absolutes and no defined value system, decay is the result.”

Mr. Yarborough makes no sense.  It is not the duty of our city government to 'validate' a religion or sect.  It is not the duty of our city council to use public ceremonies to establish what religion or sect is legitimate for us to follow.  I am disappointed by Mr. Yarborough's stance for two reasons:
1. He presumes that, as a good Christian, it is his respnsibility to determine what religion or sect deserves a public forum in our city.
2. He presumes that the mere exposure to other faiths would taint the spirits of Jacksonville residents.  This is akin to the jealous boyfriend who keeps his girlfriend at home because he fears losing her to someone else.

Based on his quote, Mr. Yarborough is condemning the military.  The military has chaplains from different religions and sects.  As a matter of fact, larger military bases have a variety of 'chapels' which address the spiritual needs of servicemen and women who practice almost anything from Christianity to Wicca.  Are we to suppose that the military is somehow subject to decay?

While we're at it, are we to presume that Mr. Yarborough is telling us that the mere presence of other houses of worship is a sign of social decay?  Are we now equating non-Christian houses of worship with locl strip clubs and beer joints?  This is unfortunate...

[Charles Hunter]

Is his faith so weak that mere exposure to another faith will somehow harm him?

[buckethead]

Let's see here... Voters elect the enlightened Mr Yarborough.

Mr Yarborough represents the voters who elected him.

Those who oppose the platform don't like it.

It's Democracy! 

[Springfielder]

Yarborough, council’s chaplain, told The Times-Union in an e-mail that opening the prayers to non-Christians could spell trouble for the city on a number of levels.

“If city leadership embraces pluralism and tries to validate all religious viewpoints, it indicates that the spiritual, financial, educational, emotional … health of Jacksonville is at greater risk,” Yarborough wrote. “With no moral absolutes and no defined value system, decay is the result.”

That's one of the most ignorant quotes yet. IMO, he's such an embarrassment and is indicative of what's wrong with much of our city council.

Posted by: buckethead

Mr Yarborough represents the voters who elected him.

That's true, and the sad part is, he has a voice in what impacts all of us, including those who did not, or would not have voted for him.

[Doctor_K]

Let's see here... Voters elect the enlightened Mr Yarborough.

Mr Yarborough represents the voters who elected him.

Those who oppose the platform don't like it.

It's Democracy!  

It's also a glaring lack of separation of Church and State.  We live in (nominally) a representative republic. Not a theocracy.

And it's more evidence to StephenDare's posit of the hijacking and corruption of the Republican/Conservative movement in the US by right-wing fundamentalist whacko nut-jobs who wear their religion on their sleeves and flags.  IMO, there's no place for shenanigans like this in government.  On any level.

How about just a moment of silence before meetings to cease this drama?

+6

[buckethead]

I can assure you there are quite a few who agree with his assertion. They put him there. It is a true equivalency.

[buckethead]

Let's see here... Voters elect the enlightened Mr Yarborough.

Mr Yarborough represents the voters who elected him.

Those who oppose the platform don't like it.

It's Democracy!  

It's also a glaring lack of separation of Church and State.  We live in (nominally) a representative republic. Not a theocracy.

And it's more evidence to StephenDare's posit of the hijacking and corruption of the Republican/Conservative movement in the US by right-wing fundamentalist whacko nut-jobs who wear their religion on their sleeves and flags.  IMO, there's no place for shenanigans like this in government.  On any level.

How about just a moment of silence before meetings to cease this drama?

+6

So in our "Democracy", if a majority of voters wish to enact a local theocracy, they are not permitted to do so?

Are theocrats to be denied representation in government?

[copperfiend]

I wish Jacksonville had more open-minded, inclusive ministers like Rev. Goyer.  

My thoughts exactly.