TORONTO (RNS) A Canadian man is suing his local government to stop the recitation of the Lord's Prayer before council meetings, saying the practice causes him "anguish, discrimination, exclusion, rejection and loss of enjoyment of life."
Peter Ferguson is seeking $5,000 in damages along with a court order for the local county council to stop opening its meetings with the Christian prayer.
Ferguson, who lives in the Ontario hamlet of Kimberley said in an affidavit that he is a nonbeliever and that the prayer breaches his constitutional rights.
"My distress from this discrimination, exclusion and rejection have reduced my ability to enjoy living and participating in a democratic country and in municipal affairs," Ferguson said.
Ferguson and another Ontario resident taking similar action against her city council are basing their case on a 1999 ruling by Ontario's Court of Appeal, which ordered the town of Penetanguishene to stop reciting the Lord's Prayer. The court said the practice was unconstitutional because it "imposed a Christian moral tone on public deliberations."
Both plaintiffs are represented by a lawyer for Secular Ontario, a small group that seeks to stop the public recitation of the Lord's Prayer in at least 18 cities, towns and counties across the province.
Ferguson told reporters he had been trying for over a year to persuade his local government to stop praying and turning council meetings into a "Christian zone."
"This has nothing to do with my personal beliefs," he said. "I care about the law. I care about being fair."
A local spokesman said the council hopes to avoid a legal battle and will try to make a decision "that is reasonable but also respectful of Grey County's heritage, and also respectful of cost to the taxpayer."
CMR | Aug 11, 2012 | 2:26pm
I am a Christian and totally believe in the separation of church and state. So, NO, I don’t think prayers of any kind should be said at governmental/secular meetings. But as for this idiot wanting $$ for “My distress from this discrimination, exclusion and rejection have reduced my ability to enjoy living and participating in a democratic country and in municipal affairs,” I think that’s TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!!!! GET OVER YOURSELF!
offended by your offence | Aug 20, 2012 | 5:07am
My question to Mr. Ferguson is this, exactly why do you find the lords prayer so terribly offencive to the extent that it causes him “anguish… [and to feel] regection, and loss of enjoyment of life.”? Surly these viseral emotions don’t flow solely come from his sence of fairness and his consern for the law of the land? Much more likely he feels so strongly about this issue because they violate his own beliefs that there is no god. So his arguement is reduced to I don’t believe in a god and I’m going to try my hardest to impead the voicing of others beliefs that run contrary to my own in a public forum because I want to live in an athiest bubble. Where my beliefs aren’t rejected, causing a loss of enjoyment of life. Yep that sound about right and a whole lot closer to the truth, don’t you think?
unworthy7 | Sep 27, 2012 | 4:44pm
Why doesn’t Peter Ferguson just show up for the meetng AFTER the opening prayer?
Or, wear ear plugs while it’s being recited?
Or, just stay home and watch People’s Court.
He’s just out to make money.