Doing God in a divided Guyana..

 

Scrolling Facebook timeline and then get into discussion about how another public event had Christian prayers only. Swami Aksharananda wrote a letter about this event. and invoking the history of how Christianity is unofficially Guyana's religion no matter how much people try hard to do the 'prayers of major religions and so on' at official events.

I should be doing nice productive things instead of worrying about doing God in the divided country. I go listen to hear the MC did announce that the young man would reciting a Universal Prayer. I wonder if Swami has been wrong.

And I listen and I hear Tagore's words coming through with the Heavenly Father and Prayers for the President (of all people, what happen to the teachers and students and so on?) and then a nice Amen at the end. And prayer being said during the period of Navratra when many Hindus were worshiping the Divine as Mother.

Universal Prayer written no doubt by someone whose religious view of the Universe is Christian.

I had a long time ago, stopped a programme and asked to do a Hindu prayer after the one Shouter Baptist representative had prayed. The people allowed me to do that. And part of me thinks what fun it would be if every body who felt excluded by the Opening Prayers would get up and say .. Let me pray the way I would and then the whole event becomes one large prayer ceremony.

How to do God then in this Divided Guyana?

 1. Don't do God, get on with the event, don't worry with prayers. I don't even bother with the National Pledge any more, though I did write my own one. Let the MC acknowledge the humanity in every single person there not just the dignitaries.

2. Do a silent minute of meditation and grounding. Let people pray for themselves silently. Those of us who feel joyous and want to shout testimonies and so , should hold on until we get home (or better yet in a minibus which playing loud dutty music, can't go wrong with lil prayers and testimony there)

3. Write some statement which acknowledges the history of Guyana, which recognises the Indigenous peole's as custodian of the land we now standing on, which deals with the ancestors, which recognises that we are divided and that we have to work to nurture each other.

I heard how Guyana's Parliament has a prayer .. and so God/Goddess/Genderless God help me.. yes.. I mean.. they pray or rather the Clerk prays before the Parliament reinforces the divisions in Guyana. 

I mean the PNC did invoke the Bible and so when they were objecting to the removal of the 'cross dressing laws from Guyana's parliament so God can be  invoked many ways.

And so I imagine what if the MPs prayed with the Clerk a different prayer, I imagine praying with them even though I did not vote for them..

Imagining a different National Assembly’s Prayer

 

Almighty God Supreme Being, we, who are here gathered on this land which was taken from our Indigenous ancestors , do most humbly beseech Thee, to guide us in all our consultations, so that we may together build a land where knowledge is free, where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high, and where words come from the depth of truth. multiple truths

 

Grant us, O God, Thine aid and guidance, We pledge Oh Supreme Being that we will give in return for the gifts we take from the people- the salaries, the duty free allowances, the food , all the lil perks and so - our committment that we will deal justly, with the several causes that come before us, laying aside all private interests, prejudices and personal preferences, so that the result of our counsels may be to the glory of thy Blessed Name, will honour our ancestors, the maintenance of true religion, , will preserve this Earth, will liberate our people from the colonial history, and will preservejustice, the safety, honour and happiness of the President all citizens of Guyana, and the peace and prosperity of Guyana.

 

Grant us, O God, the vision so to lead, We give to the Oh Supreme Being, thanks for the opportunity to lead so that all the people of this fair land we do not destroy the Planet, that we take on that the Climate Change is real and that oil and gas wil not save us, and so that ay enter into that state of brotherhood and unity, where diversity is accepted, where we reognise all differences and we ensure equity for all and where the mind is led forward by thee into everwidening thought and action.

 

I should probably pray that the National Assembly adopts this prayer , but then it doesn't matter as well.. not everybody bothers with the promises they make in prayers.

And nothing will change.