http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080325/NEWS01/803250325/1002/NEWS
The legal group, Alliance Defense Fund, has challenged the opening prayers of the Town Board meetings in Greece, New York, as not being nonsectarian. Statements like the one below are being challenged by the group as a violation of the separation of church and state and for not being sensitive to the diversity of the religious beliefs in the community.
"I ask Lord even now that you would continue to show your favor upon this gathering, for I pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and with the Holy Spirit, One God both now and forever, Amen."
ADF is pushing for prayers that do not reference a specific deity or the language and symbols specific to one religion.
To help be more diversified, next months prayer is going to be initiated by a Wiccan resident but the ADF said they are still not dropping the lawsuit.
The law appears to be on ADF's side as court cases have ruled that government bodies may only use generic prayers; prayers specific to a single religion are unconstitutional. http://www.religioustolerance.org/wicgf.htm
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Comments: 6
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U wishing you laughter
I'll never forget the time in high school when for our Honor Society's spring induction ceremony, I had to give the opening prayer. Now, I didn't get to do it off the cuff, I had to read a pre written Christian Prayer. I had an accident at the end and ended up saying
"Goddess. . . ." which I quickly changed to "God Bless us" LOL Most of the crowd didn't pay attention, but my slip wasn't lost on my friends who cackled like monkeys.
This should be something interesting to follow. .