Post by Jinsei on Jul 4, 2007 19:16:59 GMT -5
Jesus Invited to NC Council Meetings
In the small North Carolina town of High Point, someone attending a town council meeting last November complained to the ACLU, because council began their meetings with a prayer invoking Jesus. Now, seven hundred people, led by a gentleman named Mike Pugh, have shown up to rally on Jesus' behalf.
A 2003 U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling says that municipalities may not use the "name of a specific deity associated with any one specific faith or belief in prayers given at town council meetings." This means that not only is it unconstitutional to invoke Jesus, but also Allah, Odin, Isis, or any other Divine being. This seems fair enough, but Pugh and his followers aren't buying it. They say they're being denied their rights, and are willing to take it all the way to the Supreme Court. His proposal would basically schedule a rotation of clergy from various faiths, and all would have the same right to invoke the name of their deity during prayer.
In a similar case in Manatee County, Florida, a school board wished to open their meetings with prayers... but only those of a Christian flavor. When asked if it would be okay to have a non-Christian clergy person deliver a benediction before meetings, one board member was quoted as saying, "Oh, I just wouldn't be comfortable with that." A settlement was later reached in a lawsuit filed by a Jewish family.
But back to High Point... while it's certainly understandable that council members would like to pray to their god or gods to allow them to make wise decisions, is a municipal government meeting truly the place for prayer? Mayor Becky Smothers said, "Council is perfectly able to pray informally before we get up on that dais — but once we are assembled and we are sitting in those chairs, we are elected."
This case will be worth watching. If Pugh and his group get their way, and the court allows for rotating clergy of different faiths to deliver prayers and call upon their gods, will they be tolerant when a Wiccan High Priest or an Asatru Goðar stands before council and speaks?
From Patti Wigington
paganwiccan.about.com/b/a/000022.htm
In the small North Carolina town of High Point, someone attending a town council meeting last November complained to the ACLU, because council began their meetings with a prayer invoking Jesus. Now, seven hundred people, led by a gentleman named Mike Pugh, have shown up to rally on Jesus' behalf.
A 2003 U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling says that municipalities may not use the "name of a specific deity associated with any one specific faith or belief in prayers given at town council meetings." This means that not only is it unconstitutional to invoke Jesus, but also Allah, Odin, Isis, or any other Divine being. This seems fair enough, but Pugh and his followers aren't buying it. They say they're being denied their rights, and are willing to take it all the way to the Supreme Court. His proposal would basically schedule a rotation of clergy from various faiths, and all would have the same right to invoke the name of their deity during prayer.
In a similar case in Manatee County, Florida, a school board wished to open their meetings with prayers... but only those of a Christian flavor. When asked if it would be okay to have a non-Christian clergy person deliver a benediction before meetings, one board member was quoted as saying, "Oh, I just wouldn't be comfortable with that." A settlement was later reached in a lawsuit filed by a Jewish family.
But back to High Point... while it's certainly understandable that council members would like to pray to their god or gods to allow them to make wise decisions, is a municipal government meeting truly the place for prayer? Mayor Becky Smothers said, "Council is perfectly able to pray informally before we get up on that dais — but once we are assembled and we are sitting in those chairs, we are elected."
This case will be worth watching. If Pugh and his group get their way, and the court allows for rotating clergy of different faiths to deliver prayers and call upon their gods, will they be tolerant when a Wiccan High Priest or an Asatru Goðar stands before council and speaks?
From Patti Wigington
paganwiccan.about.com/b/a/000022.htm
The amount of stupidity committed on this planet in the "name of God" is mind-buggering! For instance, why does every nation at war believe that God (who advocates love and peace) is on their side? Not to mention the atrocities of the Inquisition!
Isn't it interesting how few religions have developed this polarity in order to have an external deity to conveniently blame for their 'transgressions'? Personally I prefer the Hindu concept of Shiva being both the creator and destroyer, while still being an emanation of Brahma (the Force) and yet not 'evil', just a cosmic manifestation of the Universal Mind. Surely 'evil' only exists in the minds of humankind and not in the unfolding universe? Is a lion 'evil' because it preys on cuddly critters, or is a black hole 'evil' because it devours galaxies? Sometimes I just want to beat humanity with a large stick for being so narrow-minded and completely ridiculous! 
But then I remember that if folk can be brainwashed into eating MacDonalds, invading Iraq or voting for politicians, then they can probably be persuaded to believe anything!
