Royals 'bare feet' in temple blessing
The Head of the Church of England (the Queen) received a
Hindu blessing during her first visit to a Hindu Temple within England, part of
her Golden jubilee celebratory tour.
"...She removed her shoes and put on thin slippers out of
respect for the rules of the Highgate Hill Murugan Temple in Archway, North
London, on a visit during which she was blessed by four priests.
A garland of fresh marigolds and purple chrysanthemums was
presented to her as two women held a tray bearing three candles and leaves to
'cleanse' her senses and bless her with a long reign...
The blessing took place at the entrance to an elaborate
shrine to the six-headed god Murugan.
The Queen and Prince Philip, also shoeless, were then
introduced to worshippers...
On learning that they were Sri Lankan, he inquired,
tongue-in-cheek, if they were Tamil Tigers, the militant fighters.
"He asked, 'are you Tigers?'. I said 'No, we're
priests. We're not associated with violence.'..."...
The Queen wanted to recognise each of Britain's many faiths
during her jubilee tour of the country...." The Daily Telegraph, 07
June 2002.
What a job as a national states-person. Doing your best to
keep everybody happy and 'onside'. While the Prince swapped humorous Tiger
tales, the Queen of England stood before a six headed demon to receive a
blessing?
Having met numerous Hindu people, and often enjoying their
'kindness', I understand what it means to 'respect others', people of
all diversities and beliefs. But to claim to be a Christian, and then enter a
pagan Temple to receive a blessing from one of millions of Hindu gods (small g),
is a sad and significant compromise. Significant, because it would indicate a
'complete lack of understanding' with regard to the Lordship of Jesus
Christ, supposedly the centre of the Christian faith. I know I shouldn't
be surprised, but I am. Has the Church of England moved so far from the Bible
that many leaders and parishioners alike view Jesus Christ as 'just another
religious icon or figure'? Have we lost sight of Jesus Christ as "God"
singular (and with a capital G).
So liberal that we
believe in 'everything'
We quote from the Daily Telegraph, 21 June 2002, 'Liberal
'would be disaster for Church''
"The possible selection of the Most Rev Dr Rowan Williams
as the new Archbishop of Canterbury was described by critics yesterday as a
disaster for Anglicans and by supporters as an inspired choice....
...the Rev David Holloway, a leading evangelical, said the
selection of Dr Williams would cause 'a split within the Church of England and
the wider Anglican Communion: because of his support for homosexuals.'
Mr Holloway, a trustee and founding member of Reform, the
evangelical grouping, said: 'Rowan Williams would be a disaster because the
two most pressing areas for the Church now are moral issues and multi-faith
issues.'
'In Rowan Willaims you have a man who has admitted
ordaining a priest he knew to have a homosexual partner, and you have a bishop
saying that 'conforming your life to Christ doesn't necessarily mean giving
up a homosexual lifestyle'.'
Mr Holloway said that were Dr Williams to succeed Dr Carey he
would 'lack moral authority', particularly in the Third World where the
Anglican Communion is growing. There, he said, Anglicans based their abhorrance
of homosexuality on Biblical teaching. He said that in failing to condemn
homosexuality Dr Williams would be abetting the 'deconstruction of the
Christian sexual ethic, which is there to support the married family'.
'We need this appointment like we need a hole in the head.
The growth areas in the Anglican Communion are in its mainstream evangelical
churches, many of them abroad. They are totally opposed to Rowan Williams.'...
A member of the General Synod's House of Clergy, who
declined to be named, also forecast disaster....
However, a Welsh Labour MP said that Dr Williams would be an
inspired choice whose appointment would be backed by the Prime Minister and
whose leadership could boost the Anglican Communion....
Sources said on Wednesday that the Archbishop of Wales topped
a list of two names presented to Tony Blair and that his final appointment by
the Queen was 'virtually certain'...."
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