The
Orange Order - An Irish Christian Liberal Democracy
within the United Kingdom and the National Government
of Ireland Act
Next
in a series of articles submitted to the Blanket
Michael
Gillespie • July 2006
It is understood in the Act that in an Irish Christian
Liberal Democracy the Church and State are separate,
the Churches having no authority over the State
and the State having no authority over the Churches,
but that the Irish clergy respect and abide by Irish
State Law.
On that understanding the Orange Order has two options:
The Orange Order can declare that its membership
is restricted to Protestants only. In that case,
the Act should declare the Orange Order to the
Church and therefore restricted to hold Orange
Order Parades on Protestant Church territory only.
The order will be restricted to parade with Protestant
emblems and not with Irish State emblems. In the
Act, King William is recognised a King, both State
and Christian. In that case, the Orange Order
will be forbidden to parade banners of King William
on Protestant Church territory.
If
the Orange declares that it is State and Christian,
the following should follow in the Act:
The Order should be defined in the Act as
the Royal Orange Order of Ireland
The 12th of July should be declared as a National
Christian holiday in Ireland. The Act should
recommend that the 12th of July celebrations
be attended by the Crown Irish, The Secretary
of State for Ireland, The Taoiseach, The Leaders
of the four Provincial Houses, and The Heads
of the four Christian Churches (These acting
as observers). The annual Orange celebration
should rotate among the cities of, Belfast,
Cork, Dublin, and Galway, in that order.
Church Services attended the Orange Order
when acting in an official capacity as Orange
men and women should be ecumenical in nature.
The Act should confer on the Royal Orange
Order of Ireland the Crown Irish special right
of access to Irish territory in all its aspects
unhindered.
The Act should confer on all Irish citizens
the Crown Irish special right of access to
membership of the Royal Orange Order.
The Act should permit the display of both
State and Christian emblems when the Orange
Order is parading.
The Act should stipulate as necessary that
an Orange lodge must appoint four chaplains
each coming form each for the four Churches
named in the Act as Christian
When
an Orange badge is parading publicly the Act
should stipulate as necessary that the Orange
lodge be proceeded by four Clerics indicated
as Christian each wearing an Orange sash and
each having made the Orange promise.
The following is suggested as the Orange promise,
taken on becoming a member of an Orange lodge:
"I promise to be loyal to the Crown
Irish and uphold and promote such loyalty
in the community and in the Irish Nation.
I promise to uphold civil and Religious liberty
and to promote such liberty in the community
and in the Irish Nation. I promise to be law
abiding and peaceful and to promote peace
and lawfulness in the community and in the
Irish Nation. I promise to be Christian in
belief, moral outlook behaviour in religious
practise and in speech and promote Christianity
in the community and in the Irish Nation."
Under freedom of mind, freedom of will, freedom
of speech, freedom of choice an Orange member
is free to join a political party of his or
her choice and stand for election in either
a National or Provincial election. The Act
should recognise King William and King James
as both being State and Christian. The Act
should recognise the battle of the Boyne as
an ancient battle fought a long time ago between
two Christian kings over the nature of the
State. The Act should recognise bonfire night.
Under freedom of behaviour the Act recognises
the Mock battle of Scarva. However the Act
stipulates as necessary, that in alternative
years, the roles of King William and King
James be enacte alternatively by a Catholic
or Protestant member.
The
Act stipulates as necessary that the Crown
Irish representation be placed in a prominent
display in an Orange Hall.
The Act should recognise the bible as a Christian
text which is both Church and State and can
be displayed and interpreted in a Christian
manner anywhere on Irish territory. If a denominational
interpretation of the bible is being given
such an interpretation is restricted to Church
territory.
Under freedom to plan and build, the Orange
Order is free to erect an Orange Hall anywhere
on Irish territory.
Since St Patrick's day has been declared a
National Christian holiday in Ireland the
Royal Orange order is free to take part in
St Patrick's day celebrations anywhere on
Irish territory and in the United States of
America.
What has been Stated for the Royal Orange
Order should apply equally to the Apprentice
boys of Deny, the Royal Black Preceptory,
the independent Orange Order and the Ancient
Order of Hibernians.
If Orange lodges from Scotland or elsewhere
are to parade on Irish territory, such parades
are subject to the National Government of
Ireland Act.
There
is no such thing as a dirty word. Nor is there a word
so powerful, that it's going to send the listener to
the lake of fire upon hearing it. - Frank Zappa
