Indiana appealing federal prayer ban

[Thom Little]

The state is appealing a federal court ruling barring sectarian prayer, including any invocation of the name of Jesus Christ, in the Indiana House of Representatives.

House Speaker Brian Bosma vowed this morning to fight “by all legal means” necessary the Nov. 30 ruling by U.S. District Judge David Hamilton. “We will find a way to have prayer within the order in one fashion or another,” he said.

.......

In his ruling on a lawsuit brought by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union on behalf of four citizens, Hamilton did not ban prayers in the Houses, but ordered that any person chosen to give the invocation must be instructed not to advance any one faith or use the opportunity to convert listeners. He based his ruling, he said, on a 1983 U.S. Supreme Court decision setting boundaries on legislative prayer.

Hamilton said while people are free to pray as they wish in their places of worship, “they do not have a First Amendment right, however, to use an official platform like the Speaker’s podium ... to express their own religious faiths.”


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051214/NEWS01/51214030

[meow2u3]

1. Fundies want to say only their prayers

before a captive audience. That's one way they surreptitiously proselytize; using the government.

[madeline_con]

2. “they do not have a First Amendment right...

... to express their own religious faiths.”


Shouldn't DUH-bya stop droning on about God, then?

[Trillo]

4. But the court decision is just a piece of paper!

:sarcasm:

[madeline_con]

5. OOOO! Good one! n/t

[Canuckistanian]

3. Does that ban include Flying Spaghetti Monster?

If not, then I have no problem with it.

It does seems to be discriminatory to mention only Jesus, though. What about Buddha, Allah, Mohammed, or Cthulhu?

[adriennui]

6. jesus christ!!!!!!!

more BS from the religious wackos. i don't give a damn if these fools pray 24/7 but we do have separation of church and state....or do we.

[Charlie Brown]

7. Oh, brother

If it's that much of an inconvenience to give a non-sectarian prayer from the House pulpit, maybe Mr. Bosma should abandon public service and become a preacher.