Jesus is not an illegal word, the Bible is not a banned book, and evangelistic speech is not a crime. - Gordon James Klingenschmitt
Later today, people will be gathered on the steps of Lodi's city hall and praying. Another group of people will apparently be cursing the effort to keep the option of saying "Jesus" during this Northern California city council invocations.
Is it a big deal?
Well, like a good pastor friend of mine said, "I will be praying in Jesus name regardless." Regardless if this country squelches all expressions of faith. Regardless if one faces the threat of a potential lawsuit...or arrest...or prison time...he and I and others will still be praying in Jesus name.
It just seems very sad that in a country whose people once boasted about their First Amendment rights, quietly, without much battle from many, saying "Jesus" in the public square has met so much intolerance.
Below is "Chaps" prayer and petition. You can sign by going here.
A PRAYER TO ALMIGHTY GOD,
and
A PETITION TO MAYOR OF LODI, CALIFORNIA, LARRY D. HANSEN,
and COUNCILMEMBERS MOUNCE, HITCHCOCK, JOHNSON, KATZAKIAN:
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:
We the undersigned, respectfully petition you to defend religious freedom by allowing visiting pastors
of all diverse faiths and denominations, to pray aloud publicly according to the dictates of their own conscience,
at or before city council meetings, even if they dare to pray aloud publicly "in Jesus name" or invoke their own specific deity.
Please do not cave-in to atheist intimidation by the enemies of religious liberty, including
Americans United and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, who are threatening to sue to silence all prayers.
Please conform your decision to First Amendment precedent which allows Jesus prayers among other rotating diverse prayers,
as already decided in the 7th Circuit (Hinrichs v. Bosma) and 11th Circuit (Pelphrey v. Cobb County)
and by the Supreme Court of the United States in two decisions: Marsh v. Chambers and Lee v. Weisman.
Jesus is not an illegal word, the Bible is not a banned book, and evangelistic speech is not a crime.
Please simply adopt a policy similar to Tulsa City Council, and declare the prayers are private speech, not government speech,
or allow the prayers to be said aloud during optionally attended time, just before the first government business is gaveled to order.
Please allow pro-bono Christian lawyers, from the Alliance Defense Fund or others, to defend your pro-Jesus prayer policy in court.
We pray to God you will stand with us by taking a courageous stand for liberty, in Jesus' name. Amen."
More articles by Alex Murashko at LA Church & State Examiner.
Comments
I fail to see how this is an attack on religious liberty. Nobody is saying that you can't express your personal faith in public, but they are saying that city officials should not give off the appearance of endorsing one religion or another. This can make people who are non-believers feel marginalized by the government.
Can't the Christian members of the council pray independently prior to the meeting? Can't they know in their heart how the prayer is directed even if Christ's name is not mentioned? Do we really need to waste energy, money and other resources on THIS problem with everything else going on in the world?
It seems today that many Christians obsess more about these fights than they do over doing Christ's work. You don't need to be able to say "In Jesus' name" during a city council meeting to feed the homeless, care for those in trouble or spread the word through mission.
Focus less on the separation of church and state, and more on doing what Christ asked us to do.
Simon, you have good points.
The very fact that this has become an issue is evidence of the wish to impress the supposedly Christian nature of governmnet on others thereby intimidating them and sending the message they'd better play along to get along.
There is 0 reason to have prayer at any government function. It serves no useful purpose other than generating a sense of conformity. It wastes time and causes division.
There is no shortage of churges in the U.S. and no one has been discouraged from praying privately anywhere. Dragging the State into this is useless, harmful, and in my view, contrary to one of the wisest decisions made by our founders to keep this a successful nation.
When you freakin religious retards decided you could continue to do it in congressional and senate sessions, when it now has been clearly demonstrated to be unconstitutional.
Read this for some common sense: www.sacbee.com/1190/story/2098417.html
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