BF2S Forums The Marching season

I FEEL compelled to respond to a feature you carried last week in the News Letter regarding the Orange Order's arrangements for the Twelfth of July 2008 celebrations.

I am a member of the Orange Institution and was horrified to read some of the details contained in its media pack. As Grand Lodge has made these arrangements public, I feel I have the need to respond to them publicly.

It was stated that at the Twelfth celebrations in Tandragee "the local Chinese community will provide a dragon display".

I wish to stress that whilst acknowledging that the Chinese community have every right to follow their own religious beliefs and practices, I believe it is fundamentally wrong for those beliefs to have any place or part in our Twelfth celebrations.

I find it deeply offensive that the Orange Order should do this and believe that if this is what the modern wing of Orangeism wants, if this is what it takes to attract funding from Dublin, if this is what it takes to get the Twelfth included in the tourist board's guide then I believe it is leading the institution down a pathway that will eventually bring the destruction of Orangeism based on Biblical truth.

Isaiah the prophet said: "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."

I believe this decision is an insult to the name of Jesus Christ and to the Protestant faith and I believe for the honour and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ the dragon display should be cancelled immediately from the programme.

China is a country in which followers of Jesus Christ are persecuted for their faith. Some have been murdered, others tortured and imprisoned and it is strange that the Royal Black Institution raised money to support the work among the "persecuted Church" in China, but the Orange Order includes a display of pagan culture from that very country at the Tandragee celebrations.

I believe the Orange Order has sunk to a low that is verging on blasphemous, in my view, and totally undermines the first resolution on religion that will be read at each Twelfth.

The Orange Order stated in its media pack that "the flagships will be the standard bearers for the 18 demonstrations being organised by the Grand Lodge of Ireland on July 12".

If Tandragee is the accepted standard the Grand Lodge wishes to display then I think it is disgraceful and can do nothing but bring shame on the name of Orangeism and insult the glory of Christ.

Again, I state my respect for the Chinese people to hold their beliefs and practices; my criticism lies with the Orange Institution for making it a part of what we do.

Rev Stephen Dickinson
Glenarm

Last edited by IG-Calibre (2008-06-30 04:45:10)