Memorial Service Without Religion? Are We All Atheists Now?

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STORY LINK:
[url="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/prayers_at_ground_zero_jEHyYTyuKo1wF9XzHGpu2M"]http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/prayers_at_ground_zero_jEHyYTyuKo1wF9XzHGpu2M[/url]

After the Twin Towers were leveled on 9/11 ten years ago, two steel beams in the shape of a cross were found; they were subsequently moved to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. Last month, when it was announced that the World Trade Center cross was being moved to its new home at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, American Atheists sued on church-state grounds to stop it.

-ban prayer-
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”[color=#000000][/color][/left]

[Byzantine]

This is so disappointing... I was actually going to write a blog post on this, complete with a section along the lines of a florilegium, but had to eat dinner and then lost my train of thought.

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[size=3]Atheism is a non-prophet organization[/size]

[Basilisa Marie]

I think its better to not have religious leaders there than to have some feel slighted because x amount of Christians over whoever were there, and I know too many people would have a FIT if an Imam was there. It'd just turn a memorial into a political fiasco. If you keep the memorial secular, faith groups are completely able to have their own memorial services nearby.

And honestly, a Christian attending a secular memorial doesn't make him or her an atheist. To think so is just silly.

Edited September 24, 2011 by Basilisa Marie

[CatherineM]

Why exactly does an atheist have a memorial service anyway? I know this isn't that kind of thing, but it made me wonder. Do atheists have funerals? If so, why?

[Basilisa Marie]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1316920457' post='2309460']
Why exactly does an atheist have a memorial service anyway? I know this isn't that kind of thing, but it made me wonder. Do atheists have funerals? If so, why?
[/quote]

I'd imagine it's more for the people attending, so that they can get together and get some closure while remembering the deceased. There's no point to much more than that.

[Mr.Cat]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1316908402' post='2309400']I think its better to not have religious leaders there than to have some feel slighted because x amount of Christians over whoever were there, and I know too many people would have a FIT if an Imam was there. It'd just turn a memorial into a political fiasco. If you keep the memorial secular, faith groups are completely able to have their own memorial services nearby.

And honestly, a Christian attending a secular memorial doesn't make him or her an atheist. To think so is just silly.[/quote]
[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1316921089' post='2309466']I'd imagine it's more for the people attending, so that they can get together and get some closure while remembering the deceased. There's no point to much more than that.[/quote]

[Basilisa Marie]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1316921089' post='2309466']

I'd imagine it's more for the people attending, so that they can get together and get some closure while remembering the deceased. There's no point to much more than that.
[/quote]
Just to be clear - no point to [i]do [/i]much more than that FOR ATHEISTS.

Lol, yay for getting props from the resident atheist? Thanks, Mr. Cat.

And in a perfect world, I'd much prefer an ecumenical service with lots of religious leaders there. But it would probably turn into a giant hate-fest afterward (I don't trust you, FOX news) for any Muslims in attendance, and to not have an Imam would be a gross insult. Even ten years later, I just don't think "we" can handle something like an ecumenical service as the official memorial gathering for 9/11. I mean, look at all the controversy over the "9-11 cross."

Edited September 25, 2011 by Basilisa Marie

[MithLuin]

Really, 10 years later, we can't handle it?

The day of, I attended the ecumenical candlelight service my university had on the Mall of our college campus. I remember there being representatives of the various religious student groups present (including Ba'hai). I know we had a Muslim Student Association, so I'm pretty sure they were represented, too.

Granted, this wasn't a newsworthy event - just by/for the campus community. I agree that news cameras and political attention can wreck anything. But still...I think we could have handled it!


As this article points out, for many families, the opening of the memorial is the first time they've had a graveyard to visit, so this 10th anniversary memorial service was very much meant to be a funeral for these families. The non-invitation of clergy to participate in this even was disgraceful. After all, we invite clergy to take part in many aspects of public life (including the swearing in of presidents), so they were conspiculously absent here.

President Obama did recite part of Psalm 46, but still.

([url="http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/09/11/idINIndia-59271620110911"]source[/url])


But the real issue was pointed out by Fr. James Martin, SJ: chaplains played a significant role in the aftermath of 9/11, and should continue to be involved in ministering to the families on this anniversary and dedication of the new memorial.

[url="http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?entry_id=4561"]http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?entry_id=4561[/url]

Edited September 25, 2011 by MithLuin

[Ed Normile]

There should have been all faiths represented there, yes even Muslims. I am certain there were those lost of all faiths and it should have treated like any other funeral for a host of reasons.

ed