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Subject: if only we could take out the "Jesus" references ...


Author:
Ian (Australia)
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Date Posted: 13:28:57 11/10/04 Wed
In reply to: Ed Harris (Venezia) 's message, "Speaking of which..." on 23:49:54 11/06/04 Sat
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Author:
Ed Harris (London)
[Edit]
Date Posted: 15:45:06 11/10/04 Wed
I quite agree. But, of course, we needn't remove the vague references to 'god', since people of whatever religion have some kind of god... except for the Buddhists, I suppose, but then we could hardly have a reference to Sidhartha Gautama and karmic oneness in the anthem: it would be a bit New Age for me.

But, as Disraeli said, there should be some state acknowledgement of god, not just because he wanted to suggest that the function of the state had a spiritual as well as a material dimension, but also to acknowledge "our belief in morality and hope for the future of humanity". (A touch of Enoch Powell here, perhaps? "I never think of religion, but I believe that there should be an established Church and that the Queen shouldbe the head of it"...)

That's why I think that the U.S.A.'s oath of allegiance and all that "in God we trust" stuff works so well: it doesn't say which god!

But, to summarise: yes, enough with the Jesus bit already, but that doesn't mean that the anthem needs to be entirely secular. I accept that, even though, if I were pressed for a religious opinion, I would have to call myself an agnostic at best, and an atheist at worst.

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