An Alternative (Humanist) Invocation

[salvorhardin]

This is something I published both at my blog and FreeThought Fort Wayne. Thought I'd share it with my DU R&T friends. I also cross-posted it to the A&A group. As a non-believer, it was nice to have Obama include us but this was actually written as a form of positive protest against the inclusion of Rick Warren in the inaugural ceremonies.

A few weeks ago, after it was learned that Barack Obama had chosen mega-church pastor, schlocky self-help guru and homophobic bigot Rick Warren to give the Inaugural Invocation, many of us liberal types were shocked and outraged. Obama had run a campaign based on hope. Hope for change, hope for a better world. Yet he had chosen a man who would deny not only that hope, but the basic civil rights of a large segment of our population.

And while most of us were ranting, and frothing at the mouth, at Obama’s insensitivity, Quaker Dave from The Quaker Agitator had a better idea. Instead of highlighting the hate and bigotry of Rick Warren, he believed we should post our own messages of hope, compassion, tolerance and diversity. And what better day to do it than on Obama’s Inaugural Day. So The Alternative Invocation blog swarm was born.

I happened to think this was a pretty good idea and a nice example of a positive protest. Of course, I am an atheist and a humanist so it was unlikely I was going to be invoking the blessing of any gods, Christian or otherwise. Instead I present you with an alternative, humanist, invocation.

Today we come together to celebrate the 43rd time we the people have reaffirmed the founding principles of this great experiment we call America as our country turns its eyes to a new leader. A leader who did not come to power by violence, bloodshed or chicanery but through a peaceful, democratic expression of the will of the citizens of the land. It is this moment, the culmination of the democratic process, that distinctly marks us all as Americans.

At this time of transition it is traditional to call upon the Almighty to sanctify, bless and guide the new President and our country. And this is a historic transition for our country. Even while we rejoice in the election of the first African American to what is arguably the most powerful office in the world, we are faced with unprecedented hardships at home. We remain at war, our economy is collapsing, and people everywhere are without jobs, without healthcare and losing their homes. So it is not unexpected that we seek divine providence to guide us and our leaders through these troubled times.

Yet I can not think of a better time to break from tradition because it is not through supernatural forces that the long and bloody tradition of African American oppression has been overcome. It was the hard work and unflinching moral principles of thousands of Americans who would not stand by while their fellow man was not afforded the sames rights and privileges as all others. And it will not be gods that will see us through the turmoil and bring back the glorious promise and prosperity of the United States.

It’s us. Mere mortals, bound by our common humanity and love for those same democratic principles we are here to celebrate today. It doesn’t matter what we believe about the hereafter, or the fount of creation. These are human problems brought about by all too human faults and failings and can only be solved by human action, insight, understanding and compassion.

So let us not call upon the heavens, but ourselves, all of us, to carry on the great legacy of our Founders. Let each one of us work to the best of their capabilities to do what they can to ensure that all Americans are free from the scourges of war, poverty, crime, and disease so that they too may aspire to the Office of the President of the United States just as Barack Hussein Obama did. Because in the end, our leaders are only as good as the people that produce them and hope does not come from on high, but from our hearts and our deeds.

Thus I choose to invoke not the power of deity, but the power of the people. The power of us all.

http://freethoughtfortwayne.org/2009/01/20/an-alternative-humanist-invocation

Anyway, it's a little clunky but it's the message I would have liked to have heard today.

[Strong Atheist]

1. Well done.

Nicely said. K&R.

[salvorhardin]

2. Thanks!

I'm a little disappointed that this particular blog swarm didn't really take off. Still, do click through to The Alternative Inauguration site and read through some of the others. A few of them are really good. One I liked was Mike Haubrich's Alternative Invocation: http://www.tuibguy.com/?p=2997

[frogmarch]

3. Wow, excellent! K&R

I read Mike H.'s invocation, and it was good, but what you wrote is outstanding. :thumbsup:

[salvorhardin]

4. Thank you

I appreciate the compliment!

[Occam Bandage]

5. This isn't much better than Warren's, really.

It's just as preachy and exclusionary, and a bit politically divisive as well.

[salvorhardin]

6. Why do you say it's divisive?

I don't know how you can be more inclusive than addressing humans as humans and saying it's up to humans (us) to solve human problems. Also I wrote without regard for religion. Can you tell me how I could have tailored my language to be more inclusive? As for being preachy, well, I wanted something a little preachy. YMMV.

Remember, this was an exercise in peaceful, positive protestation of the pick of a homophobic bigot to deliver the invocation. As an atheist I couldn't care less about the invocation, unless U.S. taxpayer dollars funded it (I don't think taxpayer money went to this part of the inauguration, except for the stage and security -- I may be wrong). The offense was in the person chosen to deliver the invocation.

And overall, given Obama's inclusion of nonbelievers in his inaugural address and seemingly strong support for science and technology, I was pretty happy.

[Occam Bandage]

7. "A leader who did not come to power through...chicanery" is a not-exactly-veiled stab at Bush,

given the near-universal belief among Democrats that Bush cheated his way into the oval office in 2000. Explaining how things are going to be better in the next four years is expected during an invocation; claiming that the last President was illegitimate is an unnecessary partisan to open a speech that is usually crafted to unite. I understand that you may be purely talking about the American political process as opposed to, say, the Myanma, the Russian, or the Chinese, but the message one sends isn't always the message one intends.

As for inclusiveness, you write: "I don't know how you can be more inclusive than addressing humans as humans." What you have done is not so much addressed humans as humans; you have specifically denied the validity of the spiritual motive the majority of humans claim. That is a fine point to make, and a defensible one. It is, as you say, a good protestation of Warren's hectoring invocation, and I agree.

However, I believe it is an effective protestation not because of its intrinsic quality, but because it shares a particular flaw with Warren's invocation. Where the invocation should call upon our better natures and leave theological particulars aside, Warren's veered off into a call to Christian prayer, and yours veers off into a call to abandon religion. That, however, is the type of flaw that is not easily recognized by people who firmly hold certain beliefs, and the parallel might be illuminating.

[salvorhardin]

8. Wow. I didn't see a call to abandon religion at all.

In fact, I was deliberately trying to avoid that and concentrate on the humanist aspects. Oh well.

Also, I'm not aware that anything is expected during an invocation except a call to some deity to guide, assist and/or protect. But then I don't exactly have life experience to go on in this regard. In fact, I can recall the last time, if ever, that I've actually read/heard an invocation.

But you're right about the use of chicanery being a subtle stab at Bush.