The church is asked to remove the cross from the chapel, because it appears “intrusive and threatening” to non-Christians. – Not relevant, says the head of the parish council.
The cross atop the Løten chapel is “intrusive and threatening to those who do not belong to a chosen way of life” and should be removed. The Human-Ethical Association believes so.
Was The oriental who wrote first on the subject.
The Humane-Ethical Association of Hamar has compiled a list of buildings and monuments with crosses located at cemeteries in the three municipalities transformed into parishes, Hamar, Stange and Løten.
“Because everyone has their own thoughts on life and death, they should
common areas on cemeteries should be designed in a neutral lifestyle (…) Symbols should be dismantled to give a neutral feeling to life”, writes Magne Kvalbein, head of the local team of Human-Ethical Association, in the letter to joint ecclesiastical councils.
This clearly means that any use of the cross must disappear in these places.
And, in Løten, the request is answered in cash.
– I think it is not appropriate for us to install a ladder and tear down the cross at the top of the chapel, says Mona M. Nygaard, leader of the Løten parish council in VG.
It won’t be Christmas without there being noise and outrage over the use of both Christian and secular symbols and terms during Advent. Here are some cases from previous years:
This year, therefore, it is on Løten that the great cause for neutrality in life takes place.
– There must be a way
And Nygaard doesn’t think much of the Human-Ethical Association’s survey.
– So you won’t comply with the request of the Human-Ethical Association?
– No, dear friend, there must be a way, she says.
The head of the parish council says the Church is not required by law to offer humanists rooms for their ceremonies. But they do it anyway, offering both church and non-church rooms.
– Have you received complaints from people who have reacted to the fact that you have a cross on the chapel?
– No, never, he says firmly.
The investigation by the Human-Ethical Association also concerned the chapels of the other cemeteries of Hamar and Stange.
Thus Magne Kvalbein responds to the refusal of the head of the parish council.
– We will wait for the Church Council of the three municipalities to have adequately discussed the matter, and then I hope they will find a possible solution, he tells VG.
– Respect for the religion of the deceased
Kvalbein clarifies that the investigation concerns the chapels, not the churches.
– Do you understand that the church wants to protect its symbols?
– Yes, but this does not apply to ecclesiastical buildings, but to smaller buildings that have more purposes than the Christian ceremony. And these are 100% municipally managed buildings. But the church bears administrative responsibility and therefore must do so according to the funeral deed.
Kvalbein says that according to church practice, churches are to be used exclusively for Christian ceremonies, while chapels and crematoria are to be open for non-Christian ceremonies.
– Funerals must take place with respect for the religion and vision of life of the deceased. Those places must then be prepared for that use.
And by facilitation he means that Christian symbols should be able to be covered up, set aside or removed.
– The whole case illustrates a great lack of suitable buildings for open-minded ceremonies, says Kvalbein.
I can’t afford to get fired
The chapel on the church grounds is over 100 years old. The church also has other chapels located in other parts of the municipality.
– What is the chapel for?
– Primarily funerals and some hymn nights and other events. But due to electricity prices, we cannot afford to light both the church and the chapel this year. So now everything goes to church, Nygaard says.
It says the church has approx. 5,900 members out of a population of approx. 7700 in the municipality of Løten. He believes that 60-70 percent of the municipality’s young people are confirmed in church every year.
