I attended the memorial service at the Cenotaph here in St Albert.
During the service I reflected on the purpose of it: on its Christian nature, on the many religious connotations such as the opening prayer, the singing of our national anthem, O Canada, whereby we implore “God keep our land, glorious and free”, or in the closing chant God save the Queen, all of which ultimately focused on thanking God for our military personnel who have sacrificed their lives so we could be free.
I couldn’t help but wonder at some point during the ceremony how long it would be here in St. Albert before the same people who are advocating the removal of God from our school systems would start lobbying to remove Him from a ritual as sacred as our Remembrance Day ceremonies. I did not have to wonder long as on returning home, the Saturday edition of the Gazette was in my mailbox with the headline ‘School prayer issue still undecided’ and in the article a plea to remove God from our Thanksgiving Day celebrations.
So fill your godless boots, people (you know who you are) and target the Remembrance Day rituals next, in case your children someday decide to attend one and get an earful of “sordid” religion.
Remembering a couple of catch phrases: “When in Rome do what the Romans do,” or simply put: majority rules. We do live in a Christian-based society developed over the years by the tenacity and perseverance of our forefathers. I believe a vast majority of our populace still believe in God and do not care to change that belief. You who choose to be different, and that choice is your right, do not in my opinion have the right to expect that all others should conform to your differences.
God bless you and have a Merry CHRISTmas.
Ed Haddock, St. Albert
