Letter: Instead of strikes, we should have communal demonstrations for a mutually beneficial social-economic-political system

While prayer may focus one’s own mind on an issue and stimulate self-action or acceptance, there is no conclusive evidence that prayer initiates action by “God” or a god.

In a wider context, prayer needs to be communal, public, and directed not at a god but at each other – to clearly identify and define the issue being prayed about; and communally work towards a resolution.

In doing so it would become clear that prayer for the achievement of factional aspirations merely perpetuates conflict.

If NI nationalists pray for a united Ireland while NI unionists pray for continued integration with the UK, would “God” show favouritism?

If Israeli Jews pray for dominance in Palestine while Palestinian Arabs, Muslims, Christians and others pray to be free of Israeli dominance would “God” show favouritism?

In any such case “God” is presented with a dilemma, or potential conflict with a different god. Pro-Israeli demonstrations and pro-Palestinian demonstrations, a sort of communal factional prayer, achieve nothing. Pro-peace demonstrations in-state, cross-border, and elsewhere would be more effective in any of the above situations.

In NI the Belfast/Good-Friday Agreement was achieved by communal democratic resolution. It was subsequently damaged by factional interests. Instead of industrial strikes triggered by political intransigence or employer mean-ness, and factional identity-confirming parades, could we not have communal demonstrations for a mutually beneficial social-economic-political system?

Dennis Golden, Strabane