Banning protests

from outside places of worship may or may not work. I do not know. What I do know is that there is a great deal less tolerance towards people who do worship at all. 

Yesterday I overheard someone being ridiculed because they attend church. I will give that young man credit for simply saying, "I have my beliefs. You have yours." He then walked away ignoring the jeers which followed him. 

I doubt I believe anything like the things he believes. From the way he was dressed I suspect he belongs to a very strict religious sect. I do not doubt he has the right to believe those things. Provided he does not attempt to make me believe them as well then we would probably get along just fine.

What disturbs me is not so much what other people believe but their demands that the rest of us believe it too. A major department store in another state apparently did not put up a Christmas display this year. They did not do it because others threatened to protest about it. What should have been fun for children to go and view was stopped by a small group of people who threatened there would be trouble if it went ahead. 

Here we no longer celebrate Christmas in at least one child care centre. One parent complained several years ago. She was backed up by a few more. The parent in question has no religious beliefs at all. The parents of children of other faiths had no problems with Christmas being celebrated but one mother managed to persuade three or four more that the celebration of a great festival should not go ahead. All the children missed out on something which should have been a memorable occasion. Was that right or wrong? Was it right or wrong when the same centre did acknowledge Diwali?

I remember Christmas celebrations at infant school. We would be told the story and write about it ourselves. We would decorate the classroom with paper chains we had made ourselves after measuring and cutting. We talked about Christmas trees and the meaning of them. There was a great deal to do and learn in all this. On the last day of school we would have a "party" with paper hats we had made and cherries to eat after we had eaten our sandwiches. 

It was all "fun" but I doubt a child of today would find it enjoyable in the same way. Most of us would have been church goers but many of the city children would never have been into a church. Even children in rural areas where church going was once an unbreakable Sunday ritual no longer go to church.

As we passed the lads jeering at the church goer the friend I was with remarked that she saw the changes as having begun with the demands of a few. These are the people who wanted the shops to be open all day on Saturdays and those who felt organised sport should be played on Sundays. That other people have to work in the shops and that teachers and students have to give up their Sundays to sport is of no consequence to those who see it as convenient for themselves. They simply shrug and say "Nobody goes to church anymore."

Perhaps people don't go to church. Beliefs have changed for many, especially the younger generations. I can't help wondering though, is it right that the beliefs of a minority should dictate how the majority enjoy something that does no harm and brings great pleasure?