The town of Greece, NY opens their town hall meetings with a prayer led by various citizens and religious leaders. A citizen was somehow “offended” by this. Although the supreme court ruled in favor of legislative prayer 1983, somehow today’s court is revisiting the question. Last week a federal judge, inexplicably and in advance of this ruling, ordered a county supervisor in Maryland to cease and desist from similar activity. The county supervisor told the federal judge she would not comply with his ruling. The Greece v. Galloway case is slated to be decided in June, 2014. What do you think? Do you think the establishment clause within the first amendment of the Constitution is being violated when legislative sessions at any level allow prayer? How should Christians react to efforts by the federal judiciary to silence public prayer? Is there any place or situations where you feel public prayer should be disallowed? Is there any place where you feel public prayer should be allowed?
To me this is definitely covered under the free exercise clause. The flipside is that the athiest view is that since it is happening at a public meeting, the state is promoting a particular religion over another. How would we feel if the next supervisor is a muslim and wants to open with a prayer to Allah? Or perhaps wicca, and pray right the evil one himself? Under strict interpretation of our constitution, wouldn’t they all be acceptable? In this particular instance, I think we are take the road of Peter, and pray regardless of whether or not the government allows it. If you really want my specific answer, I do not think we are violating the constitution by praying, and we should ignore any attempt to silence prayer. My opinion is the only prayer that should be disallowed is one that is forced.
I agree. To me this is a case where the 1st amendment is being invoked falsely in order to destroy actual 1st amendment rights.
An historical look at the 1st amendment
This was great. Thanks for posting — I just forwarded it on to some Christian friends with an opposing view…