Although I have never thought that this would be the outcome, the best thing about the controversy surrounding “A Blogger’s Prayer” is that bloggers – both theists and atheists – are now discussing prayer. Praying really does wonders.
I accepted the Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) organizers’ invitation to lead the invocation with the knowledge that those present would be a mix of believers and non-believers, theists and atheists, Christians and non-Christians. Since I was invited to do an invocation, I could not presume that I was there just to ask everybody to stand in silence for a while. The MC or the two beautiful and eloquent hosts could have done that with more finesse. I was there to offer a prayer, to verbalize my praise to God and my supplications for the blogging community.
I am a Christian so my prayer has a Christian flavor. If I were an Imam, my prayer would have had a Muslim tone. My seminary training and my experiences as a priest have taught me to be sensitive to people of other faiths and to those who do not adhere to any faith at all. In this context, sensitivity means respecting other people’s beliefs and non-beliefs. But that does not mean that because of the presence of non-believers I have to delete God from my rogation. Or because there are non-Christians around I have to leave out my Christian identity.
Trust me, there is no prayer that can please everyone. Not even silence. If you don’t agree with me on this, I challenge you to send me one.
I have attended many gatherings where prayers were not said at all, not even a short silence was observed. As a practicing Catholic, was I offended by that? Of course, not! I respect people and I still enjoy their company, even if they do not implore God. I have also attended many gatherings wherein people of other faiths led the invocation or some other form of religious expression. Should I be offended when a Muslim or a Jew or Hindu prays? No! In fact, I expect the Muslim to practice his faith and quote verses from the Koran. Just as I would expect the Jew or the Hindu or a believer of another faith to be true to his/her religion.
I am only offended when I am coerced to pray, when I have no other choice but to say a prayer against my will – which was not the case in the Philippine Blog Awards 2007. I offered a prayer but nobody was forced to pray with me nor to accept the words I uttered as doctrine. You could have left the auditorium or closed your ears or did some other non-violent action while I was praying, and I would perfectly understand your disagreement to my invocation.
What I am still trying to understand is why some atheists would react so negatively to a prayer which doesn’t mean anything to them nor is intended for them. But they didn’t react at all to Yuga’s use of the word “sh*t” in the video, even if there were minors around. Is it more politically correct to say “sh*t” than a prayer now? And it is just sad that they have to resort to using degrading, discriminatory words. Look who is being insensitive here. I would have appreciated it more if their reactions were written in a constructive, fraternal way. I have to say that I have deep respect for mature, open-minded and polite atheists. While I was studying in Rome, Italy, I had an atheist classmate who was writing a thesis on atheism. Sometimes we’d eat lunch together and he never felt bad that I prayed before eating just as I was not offended that he didn’t.
My prayer did not make the PBA a Christian event. If nobody prayed, would anybody think of it as an atheist event? No. The prayer was a very minor segment in the colorful evening of smiles and trophies. I wouldn’t call the invocation a mistake by the organizers. I would remember it as the evening when my favorite bloggers have received their well-deserved awards.
Thanks to all those who think that my prayer is witty, funny, meaningful and relevant. And to all those who left comments and blogged about the prayer – salamat kaninyo!
But then again, I am glad that my prayer has sparked a lively debate in the blogosphere. The liveliest, I think, is the one found here and of course here. It’s Holy Week after all and it’s a time for us to confront ourselves with life’s most important questions.
May you all have a holy Holy Week.
Any thoughts on Pope Benedict’s Sacramentum Caritatis?
Fr. Stephen Cuyos,
You may not be offended if a Muslin or a Jew of Hindu Pray, and myself would not be offended if anyone prays, because in our place of work, every one whose religion requires them to pray so many times a day has a prayer room, but not everyone like you and me, and those that are different from us should be respected for their own faith and beliefs. And privately we debates and argue and discuss religion, especially with our Muslims co-workers and neighbours and Jewish and Hindus and Buddhist, but I still have to hear a priest or an imam or a pastor deliver an invocation or a religious message in a gathering that has nothing to do with religion or faith.
I do not agree that religious messages or invocation be delivered in a gathering not for the purpose. A rendition of National Anthem or National song is proper for public events.
To deliver an invocation in a gathering that is not for religious purposes, where attendees may come from different faiths and no prior warning to those who may get offended is not only a breach of common sense, but imposing your own on others and it may not be illegal or unconstitutional, but just poor judgement….
The thing is, the brouhaha was never about the instance of an invocation (read the complainant’s post), but the content of said invocation. If the invocation itself was the problem, that was already taken up by the organizers — Abe already commented on it. If it was poor judgement — and I don’t believe it was — the organizers already went out of their way to apologize. That horse is dead. As for the content of the prayer: to call it bigoted and religious zealotry? Come on.
For tolerance of each others belief:
Dedicated to Pinoy Bloggers
“To deliver an invocation in a gathering that is not for
religious purposes”
This is where we need to shift paradigm or ways of thinking. For anybody who desires to live a wholistic life, a compartmentalization between a “religious gathering” and a “secular gathering” is not necessary, if not, unhealthy. The very root meaning of the word “religion” is to “re-connect,” to reconnect to that Being Bigger than us. Is there such an invocation that does not strive to reconnect to this Bigger Being? Even atheists do this more dogmatically by reconnecting to the thought or belief they stick to. It is only a question of whether the absolute they adhere to has a big ‘G’ or a small ‘g’.Even their self-admission of non-belief can become their god!So why compartmentalize when faith, regardless of religious affiliation, demands from us to see the Divine everywhere and in everyone? For those who do not believe in the Divine permeating through every human (and ecological) event including the Philippine Blog Awards Night, it is their burden to live or communicate the kind of absolutes upon which they carve their own god. And this communication need not violent. Or should i say: SHOULD NOT BE VIOLENT.Shalom!
Way to go man0y dear!
You always have been the sensitive person that you are.
You know it, I know it, God knows it and for those people who doesn’t get it, well, too bad!
Pag-amping kanunay!
Is that you on the ‘about’ photo Father? What a shame. Another good one off the market.
What you deed Fr. Stephen Cuyos dear is very special lead a prayer to all kind of Bloggers. Freedom of Press/Speech(Media).
CHEERS & CONGRATULATION TO ALL BLOGGERS!!!!
In my prayer I always include asking my GOD to bless/give graces to those who are in need/help no exceptional. After all GOD whatever others name/call him, IS GOOD.
Sensitiveness is a part of Filipino culture I like it.
Funny ha ! I have that too. But living working in a foreign land have to adjust myself with their culture. If one of my colleague asked me where part of the earth I came from I’m proud to say it I come from Philippines.
MABUHAY!!!
well,my friend,it seems you made quite a stir in your blogger’s world with this prayer.it could be tough for you knowing how sensitive you are.but try to look at this way…Jesus also made quite a commotion thousand of years ago about this time,when he tried to introduce something good but different to what the people are used to in their time.And it doesn’t change my friend,always, if you want to introduce something unexpected,there are always person/s around who will be offended.just the same,hold your fort…as long as you believe you haven’t done anything wrong.the prayer might be a little bit unconventional & a bit aggressive for those who does not want to hear it but then again that is you…an ever unconventional priest with a revolutionary mind…just remember am all the way behind you!and it seems a lot are supporting you. but just be careful…i don’t want to see you crucified.
the fact that a lot of people (even christians) felt that the prayer was inappropriate has to at least count for something. I have no idea why no one from the other side even dares to touch this figure.
Someone who is being discriminated against would likely not react in a “in a constructive, fraternal way”. If one were to do that, it will just be diluted in the sea of rhetoric that the hegemonic majority wields. through a fiery rebuttal, many people rallied around what should and shouldn’t be done. hurtful or not, it got people talking and for some reason, a huge chunk ended up agreeing in principle with me (despite the misgivings about the manner of delivery). That’s the undeniable truth.
I put everything on the line and stood up for what I believed in a showed that I would not compromise my convictions especially when they are under fire from those who chose to be presumptuous in an obviously secular event.
Benj,
All I can say to you is I respect your opinion. Peace, brother!
i really don’t understand the fuss & the commotion that exist around & within this humble “Blogger’s prayer…”
i live in Europe (Nederland) for more than 20 years now and i might say, Nederland is a land where 90% are non-believers & the 10% are composed of multi-believers.I guess less than 5% are Christians.But i had never been attacked or criticized for showing or exercising my faith.
At the front door of my home, is an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus & Mary.And I would say,my house is the only one in the neighborhood of thousands that displayed such.But nobody ever hassle me for that,except asking me what for religious congregation I belong.I simply said ,”I am a Catholic.”
I am working in one of Nederland’s biggest oil refiniry & as I park my car everyday in the company’s BIG parking area ,it is the only with a hanging crucifix in the front view mirror among hundreds of cars and no one ever bother me about it,except one asking WHAT FOR ? which I simply answered, “for my protection”.
Catholic prayers are said at house parties or whenever there is social gatherings held in public areas, where non-believers & non-Christian believers are present.When we celebrate Philippine’s independence day abroad,we offer prayers,while holding it in a very huge public place where prominent non-believers are around.But there never is a comment made about “our Catholic prayers” in the morning newspaper.Respect & tolerance of individual differences are observed abroad as well as the freedom of exercising our religion or not having one at all.
My point is… in a land where 90% are Christian believers,in a social gathering,is having an invocation prayer with just a very little Christian flavor in it already a big offense ? I don’t say why it has become discriminating for those who do not believed , when it is carefully delivered.It was not done with malice instead in a humurous way.And i agree with Fr.Stephen, being a Catholic priest, he has to invoke in a Catholic way.As for those who are non-believers, you could have shut out your ears for a few minutes so as not to hear the prayer.That is your way of exercising your freedom…not to listen!
I too live in Canada for more than 3 decades and I also hang a Crucifix on the rear view mirror of my Car and hundreds and thousands of Cars have all the stickers of whichever religion or faith they belong to. And in our house there is also an altar where religious images are displayed. But this is my private property and I can do whatever I wish within the reality of our Multi Cultural Society.
But in a country where tolerance and acceptance of all religions and faiths and conscience no longer an issue, we even get offended when somebody of different faith and beliefs than ours will take advantage of an occasion not for the purpose.
In private parties or gatrherings, you have to respect the host’s religion or belief as a guest. And to tell those who are not in agreement with yours to shut their ears and close their eyes as a way of exercising their freedom is not acceptable in even one of the most progressive Democracies of the World, the Netherlands and certainly will not be acceptable to us Canadians, but instead the issue is to be discussed, debated and argued in a healthy and acceptable manner.
Well Vic the issue was debated here in a healthy and acceptable manner. Did you see anybody bash benj or yuga the way they do it in Ellen’s blog?
Well, Benj has always been a “whiner” so that is really expected..I have never met the guy but I can sense so much negativity in him that I already don’t care about what he says. He isn’t the best person to promote atheism. It looks bad when he ‘opens his mouth.’