"Flying Spaghetti Monster..." My mother-in-law has one of those
FSM emblems on her car (but I'd hesitate to call her a Pastafarian). B)
To my American neighbours:
To add perspective to a situation, it helps to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Try "Ganesh Bless America" on for size. If that serves to alienate you, why would "God Bless America" be less alienating to non-Judeo-Christians? As for putting "In God We Trust" on
money ... I wonder what Jesus would say about that! It seems to me that the separation of church and state, started over 230 years ago, is unfinished.
Meanwhile, north of 45:
The city of Montreal has 'Mount Royal' (honestly, a very large hill) at its center. Atop this "mountain" is a tall, illuminated cross. I never thought much about it until the city recently spent big bucks to renovate it (refurbished the structure and added high-tech lighting whose colour can be changed depending on the event). They might as well have spent a fortune erecting an illuminated billboard announcing "Here be Catholics".
Catholicism is the predominate religion in Quebec and has had a long history of involvement in Quebec society, its values, and government. How much so? French-Canadian swear words are typically religious objects such as tabarnacle, host, and chalice. A backlash in the Sixties sought to create a far more secular society and brought about dramatic changes. However, the recent example of spending tax dollars to refurbish a religious symbol indicates we also haven't succeeded in separating church from state.
Not too long ago, a small town in Quebec published a 'code of behaviour' for new immigrants. It was resoundingly denounced because it came across like commandments penned by hayseeds. Gems like "You can't stone your wife" demonstrated a profound lack of knowledge about Muslims. It resulted in a provincial commission to study the problem of 'tolerance' and 'shared values' in our society. It resulted in a travelling circus of public inquiries. They served as venues for the most intolerant of our citizens whose views probably helped reduce immigration and
tourism! The conclusion, if you can call it that, was a milquetoast report that indicated we should be more accepting and that the government would lead by example ... except for removing the crucifix in our National Assembly because that was a historical artifact rooted in our heritage. God Bless Quebec; Here be Catholics.
Then again, there are less tolerant places to live. Being booed for wearing a cap during "Ganesh Bless America"
is far better than being stoned! Let's give thanks for life's little blessings.
PS
Before someone says Montreal's cross is a symbol of Christians and not simply Catholics ... doesn't know much about Quebec's history. Let's just say that a generation ago, non-Catholics were a 'visible minority' and all that that implies in North American society.