It’s not there to rule anyone. No one cares if you decide to participate in Cowboy Church at a show or not. It’s there if you want to participate. I understand your past experiences form your current opinions but no one is “forcing” or trying to “rule” via cowboy church on a Sunday morning at a cutting or cow horse show, goodness sake.
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Extreme religious is a bit like racism, unless you are, say a person of color, you are not aware how pervasive racism against people of color is, everywhere.
If you are religious and your religion is dominant, is hard to realize how pervasive it can be in everything, not just one area, as extreme Christian rule is becoming, especially when it invades public life.
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Very telling of your out look on cowboy culture.
Religion has always has been a part of it. While I’m going to tell on myself, I’m not a church goer at all. I live in the middle of Mormon country. While we have cowboy church at shows or a prayer before an event, I’ve never been pushed into going to church.
The only time, admittedly, was living in East TX going to events put on by a church.
I’d say the more out spokeness(not extremism) has more has to do with push back of normalizing certain topics, which could be seen as extremism, like sexuality. This whole month is dedicated to a minority of the population.( I could not care less what you do behind closed doors) But a voluntary cowboy church at a horse show, or thanking the Lord for bringing a special horse into their life in a magazine is extremism in your opinion?
So how is that invading public life?
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The extremist christian religion has been always playing the camel’s nose in the tent.
Now they have the whole camel inside, see the current majority in the Supreme Court and how they are acting, not as constitutional guardians, but, well, like the extremist Christians they are.
Is permeating everything, if you look for it.
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I’ve asked about how voluntary church at a show, mention of thanking the Lord for a good horse in an article is extremism or invasion because you believe it shouldn’t be public at all. As I ask again, shouldn’t sexual preference or political affiliation be private the same?
And the example I gave above, it is not?
There’s extremism in everything. You can name it, anywhere from beer, religion, gardening, guns, making sourdough, horses, obviously politics…etc. Social media is full of it unfortunately.
Everyone wants to use the “slippery slope” or “camel nose in the tent” when it fits their narrative.
I’m sorry you had to live through a religious ruling dictatorship and I understand it forms a very strong opinion. I wouldn’t want to live that way either.
However, I feel the mention of religion,all though slight, is very off putting and seen as extremist in your eyes. The aforementioned scenarios are not forced. It’s always been a part of cowboy culture. I’m not saying all cowboys are saints, they are not. Let alone the show horse crowd all though there is a cross over out here.
You mentioned earlier about a push for a political party. Have you not read the current events on this forum? How is it any different? How does it not create divisiveness? Seems one sided reading the threads based on responses and “likes”.
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So, are there Hindi blessings for all the participating horses? Does a rabbi hold a cowboy service on the Shabbat? If your reaction is “Of course not! Why would they? Why should they?” then consider the response of non-Christian competitors or even “mainstream, boring church” Christians to the idea that “Christianity” is a normal part of riding horses, in any discipline. It must be very off-putting to many people.
Are Mormons Christian? (ETA a genuine question!)
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I believe that horses are significant in Hindu mythology, so sure, there might be some Hindi blessings for horses and if you have Hindu participants in the event, why not?
If a rabbi and some of his congregants think it’s appropriate to participate in a horse competition on the Shabbat and want to hold a cowboy service there, sure, why not? Bonus - no conflict with the Christian service on Sunday morning.
Depending on my mood when you ask, I will either tell you I’m an agnostic or a Taoist and I’ve got absolutely no problem with those who want to participate in a Cowboy Church service at a competition. And I think it’s really silly to suggest that holding a Cowboy Church service on Sunday morning before the team penning starts is the first step down the road to a theocratic dictatorship.
Why? No one is obligated to participate or even be present. I’ll be down at the Waffle House having breakfast while those folks are doing their thing. It would have no effect on me at all.
Some of the things people do with their horses, dogs, and kids? Definitely off-putting. Willing participants attending a Cowboy Church service? Nope. Not the least bit bothersome.
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Idk it seems to have morphed into more than cowboy church at some events though.
Rodeos announcers are constantly spouting prayers and I can’t tell you how many people go on and on about how it is still the only sport who prays. It is pretty pervasively Christian.
Plus the hypocrisy of those who make a big deal of their Sunday activities but don’t act very Christian when it comes to how they treat others and animals and how they act on Saturday nights at exhibitor parties.
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Well, just received the July issue of Western Horseman today.
Guess we may have to eat our words, is back to a real horse magazine.
That most of it is about real cowboys lives and some I know personally, as they ranch in our area, sure helps, but the stories are real and well told and not overblown.
Maybe the ones editing decided to stick more with the nitty-gritty of horses than more fluffy and spiritual matters for this issue.
Whatever, Western Horseman deserves credit for this issue, well done!
I think it should please most readers that have liked their magazine for years, all of them. 
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Thanks I will check it out!
I did wonder with the switch to the more traditional cover if they were heading that direction.
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I also felt that the July issue was more the traditional magazine that I have enjoyed for years. Maybe there was enough push back that the publisher has taken notice.
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So, all Christians are extremists that should keep their faith private? That’s judgmental and prejudiced. How do you know anything about someone else’s faith that you have never met or talked to? Did you read an article that told you that, so you believed it? News flash - the press is no longer known for its accuracy.
Most horse competitions that I attend open with a prayer. I live in a country where we are free to do so, at least for now. I guess if you had your way, I would not be free to do that publicly.
If the magazine has some articles that express the subjects’ religious beliefs, then in this country they are free to do so. If you don’t like it, then don’t read that edition.
While each person’s faith is their private business, they have the freedom to talk about it, write about it, etc. with others including people of different faiths.
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I’m happy to read you were satisfied with the last issue.
I have no affiliation with WH but I had been featured some time back. At no point during the interview was I ever questioned about my beliefs or encouraged to share about them.
