Kirpans and the Pope

[Melanie_]

Catholic News

Representatives of the world's fifth-largest religion, Sikhism, will not attend an interreligious meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in Washington because the faith requires formally initiated members to wear at all times a miniature sword or dagger called a kirpan, and security concerns will bar kirpans from the room.

~snip~

Sikhs wearing kirpans, even those measuring a foot or more in length, have participated in interfaith gatherings with the pope at the Vatican, according to Father Francis Tiso, an associate director of the bishops' secretariat.

However, when Pope Benedict visits the United States as head of state of the Vatican, his security is primarily the responsibility of the U.S. Secret Service, which ruled out allowing anyone with a kirpan into the interfaith meeting.

~snip~

Father Tiso likened Sikhs leaving behind their kirpans to Catholics agreeing to ignore the tenets of Catholicism in order to be able to participate in an interfaith event.

"You don't take your faith and check it at the door," Father Tiso said. "We wouldn't set aside the (Apostles') Creed for the dialogue."

Another misinformed decision regarding kirpans. It sounds like the Catholics understood and respected the Sikh perspective, but the Secret Service is being thick headed about this.

[cybercoma]

Yeah, because comparing a sharpened knife, which is a weapon and symbolic of fighting to Sikhism, to a prayer is reasonable. Security says no weapons, their religion requires them to carry a weapon. Sucks to be them. Religion doesn't trump all, sorry. If scientologists started believing they had to carry semi-automatic rifles to show their fight for acceptance, they too would not be allowed to bring their weapons to the party.

[maldon_road]

Yeah, because comparing a sharpened knife, which is a weapon and symbolic of fighting to Sikhism, to a prayer is reasonable. Security says no weapons, their religion requires them to carry a weapon. Sucks to be them. Religion doesn't trump all, sorry. If scientologists started believing they had to carry semi-automatic rifles to show their fight for acceptance, they too would not be allowed to bring their weapons to the party.

No brainer to me. The US has been attacked by terrorists and Muslims radicals would give up their 72 virgins to assassinate the Pope on US soil. If Sikhs want to meet the Pope, let them go to the Vatican.

[cybercoma]

Any way you look at it, this is about the Sikhs carrying weapons. It's not about their religion and it frustrates me everytime someone tries to make it out to be about that. No one is banning their religion, or telling them they're not allowed to follow their beliefs. They're being told that they are not allowed to bring their weapons somewhere and the rule not only applies to them, but applies to everyone in that area.

I'm certain someone in here is more than willing to take the religious oppression route and before anyone even goes there, I'd like to point out that it's not about the religion. The only ones making it about religion are the Sikhs and those who support them carrying concealed weapons in areas that no other citizen is allowed.