Secularise Royal Titles And Styles
A proposal to remove the words, “by the Grace of God” and “Defender of the Faith” from the current Royal title and style because they're inappropriate in a modern New Zealand context.
This is not republican legislation. It accepts that, for now, we are stuck with the British Queen. But if we are stuck with this institution why do we need to remain stuck with the religious mysticism that is used to add mystique to the monarch's right to reign over us?
page revision: 3, last edited: 20 Feb 2009 05:38
So, who do you think we can get to take it?
I don't see the point of removing one supersititious belief (that a creator endorses the doings of the monarch) and leaving another (that the descendents of obscure German princes are suited by blood to reign over New Zealand).
Maybe we should add a new title for the royals each year. I vote for "Mekon of Mekonta".
At the risk of undermining my republican credentials… I think it would be great to see this Bill at least read and debated in Parliament. I've no doubt it would make the monarchists feel very uncomfortable to have the religious elements of the monarchy highlighted, against the vast majority of New Zealanders who are opposed to the idea of state religion. So in my own Machiavellian way, I think this Bill would be good for the republic debate.
No doubt the Radical Right would start hopping up and down about the persecution of Christians, but I still think it'd be worth it.
And Lewis- embarrassing the monarchy about what it does worst struck me as a great tactic for Republicans. Do you seriously think some would oppose stripping the Queen of a title or two?
Believe me, there would be people who oppose removing the Queen's religious titles. The Monarchist League once took issue with repealing the sedition law because it might encourage "the threat from fanatical wings of Islam". Yes, really:
http://www.geocities.com/cox_nz/050407.htm
Oh, I thought you were referring to republicans for some reason… Yeah, some of the older Monarchists are kinda… well, kinda like throwbacks really :P
This is not a republican move as such…but it is in the sense that it further removes the nonsensical crap that goes to mystify the monarchy. Rich is right that the fundamental model is crap. We all know that. But trimming this stuff away from the monarchy inevitably leads one to wonder why we and with what advantage we maintain the genealogical nonsense over something more model.
Do you mind if I mention it in our newsletter?
I don't mind at all. I love the death by a 1000 cuts metaphor.