Editor’s note: Those of us at The Price of Liberty do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but as a family gathering and time for giving gifts and enjoying our time. And all too often, over the years, we’ve been working right up to and even on the day. But we recognize that many folks DO celebrate this day as the birth of Jesus Christ: His incarnation. We don’t agree with that, or celebrating that event, but we believe that people DO have a right to their religious beliefs and practices. With the only “restriction” on that right being the same as any other activity or right: we do not initiate force (aggression) against other people.

Sadly, most people don’t agree with our live and let live attitude.

The subject of today’s commentary isn’t directly about celebrating or not celebrating Christmas, but is closely related. This news came from the United Kingdom recently: ‘Your arrest is necessary’: Woman arrested for silent prayer, ‘anti-social behavior’ outside an abortion clinic In England, prayer (silent prayer) is “anti-social behavior” and results in a coerced trip in a Black Mariah. If you do it on the pavement by an abortion clinic, at least. You can view a video of the confrontation here: https://youtu.be/k6E105a58p8.

Prayer is an essential element of most religious belief systems. For christians, it is far more important than celebrating Christmas, or Easter, and is a major part of daily and weekly practice.

It is also a practice that has been outright banned in some cultures, some societies, some countries. One of the best-known examples goes back 2500 years, to Babylon, former capital of the Neo-Chaldean Empire, now ruled by Darius the Mede. Praying to anyone except Darius was punished by death: specifically being fed to the lions. Others have tried it. The FedGov (specifically the Nine Nazgul (SCOTUS)) seeks to ban it when done by teachers and staff in public schools – and some schools and cities seek to ban even the students from praying, resulting in frequent lawsuits). The Soviets didn’t try to ban it – they just constantly ridiculed it. Other Communist regimes have banned it, sometimes not just in public but in private. The reason given is because it denies governmental authority (as with Babylon, disrespecting the king or the equal) or because they are trying to stamp out all religious expression. As usual, the US is out-of-step: the FedGov seeks to prohibit it on the grounds of an unholy alliance (pun intended) of church and state: of rights.

But apparently the UK (or at least England (Birmingham)) views public prayer, even if silent and not showing any physical indications of praying (prostration, kneeling, bowing, lips moving, etc.), as something which is anti-social behavior, as it “includes behaviour [sp] which has caused or is likely to cause you harassment, alarm or distress.”

In other words, the mere act of praying – although the content is unknown – is considered to be aggression. Emotional aggression, if not physical violence. It must, therefore, be prohibited, at least in certain locations. Since you are aggressing – threatening, at least – your basic human right of free speech is taken away – even though your prayer is not actually out loud! As is your right to be in a public place.

Apparently the woman in Birmingham is  formally charged with breaking a “Public Space Protection Order.” Her actions threaten a public space, and the abortion clinic and its activities near where she was standing.

I view that with mixed thoughts: do the pieces of trash that constitute whatever passes for a governing body of Birmingham, and the leadership of its non-jack-booted thugs (the coppers) actually fear that the woman’s prayers will be answered by God? I am sure they would deny that – after all, you certainly cannot be a modern progressive or socialist in the UK and believe in God, much less that He will intervene (with lightning, perhaps?). Or do they fear that some madman will attempt to be God’s agent of retribution and firebomb the clinic? Or perhaps that the clinic workers will be “pricked in their hearts” and stop their killing?

Just what is their motive?

I suspect it is the same as motivated first Nebbuccanezer and then Darius to punish those who did not worship them, and instead dared only to worship and pray to Jehovah. They were defying the power of government: the excuse of harassment, claiming alarm or distress is just that, an excuse.

For government, Christmas is just another version of “circuses” to destract the populace and prop up the economy. How you celebrate may garner their attention. But not celebrating. But prayer in front of an abortion clinic? THAT is denying the power of government over you, and over the unborn to boot.