Please understand that the Twin Cities Senior Center (and all county senior centers) needs to be inclusive of all of the many varieties of American people who represent Lewis County.
This includes people with many different religious affiliations: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, First Nation, Catholic, atheist and many more.
Review the behavior being defended by a small group that includes members of the Twin Cities Senior center board:
• Praying a Christian prayer from the podium during pre-lunch announcements.
• Delivering a short Christian sermon from the podium.
• Praying Christian prayers aloud in a group at a table with loud “amens” meant to send a message.
• Christian proselytizing activities engaged in at the senior center.
• Bullying and harassing other seniors whose faith differs from this small group’s interpretation of Christianity.
These are the actions being defended by a few religious extremists who see no reason for tolerance for faiths, cultures, sexual identity, races and politics that differ from their own. Their defensive and protest actions have included cussing at and demeaning senior center staff and also other seniors at lunch. It has included using the word “Jew” as an insult, when a staff member was shouted at for being “a Jew” by a protester.
The behavior being defended may or may not be appropriate at a church gathering of like-minded people, but it is certainly inappropriate at an inclusive senior center comprised of many differing faiths, cultures, races and political affiliations.
The choices of these few audible prayers have served as a divisive bullying tactic. And it gives people the impression that this is a Christian space and causes those with a different point of view to feel unwelcome, othered and proselytized.
Rather than promoting an environment of welcome for Americans with many differing perspectives, this small group of vocal Christians demanding their right to pray aloud instead of silently chases people away and let’s them know in no uncertain terms that they are not welcome in a senior center where a few loud voices promote and flaunt their Christianity.
Therefore, in the interest of harmony among a community with many different beliefs, in the interest of diversity and serving the many versus the few, making everyone comfortable and making sure meals are available to all the seniors who may need and want them, and in the interest of making the Twin Cities Senior Center open to all of the many American seniors who represent the area — please understand that a policy of silent prayer is best.
A policy that doesn’t allow hate speech is best. Thus, the senior center can be enjoyed by senior Americans from the many different walks of life represented in Lewis County.
There is just no need, purpose or justification for vocal prayers, loud amens or the showing off of Christian prayer (or any other religion’s vocal prayer or divisive political talk) in a space meant for a diverse population.
Read Matthew 6:5-8. Summary: “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners …”
Linda Comer
Centralia
