by Anura Guruge
on October 4, 2023
The God-centric ‘Rotary Prayer’ that my ex-club was trying to get me to comply with!
‘Rotary International‘ is said to be NON-RELIGIOUS.
Up until now, i.e., August 2023, religious prayers were NEVER an issue at the Laconia Rotary Club — where I WAS a member as of TODAY.
All of the Rotary Presidents I have had the honor of serving under, until now, understood & appreciated the NON-RELIGIOUS aspect of Rotary.
Not so now. The new leadership (as of July 2023), under the cunning influence of a Club Elder, has started to use the God prayer. The Club Elder had the AUDACITY to have LAMINATED card printed with that prayer! This is 2023.
I really STRUGGLED over this.
Very unlike I, who prefers not to mull too much about decisions & actions, I wrestled with this for weeks.
I finally decided that I cannot …
Just cannot.
NO, I WOULD NOT ask for the Club to rethink its stance. I strongly believe in majority-rule & democracy. I THINK I am the ONLY non-Christian in the Club. Yes, some may not be practising Christians now, but I think they were all born Christian. I can’t think of any that may be Judaic. I am also the ONLY NON-WHITE. The bulk of the Club is made of up retired males. They don’t have to change their ways for I. I would NEVER expect us.
This is why Darwin gave me LEGS. I can walk out — & I will. SMILE.
