EOC Week 6

Supreme court Prayer

The separation of church and state has been a big issue lately. Some people and groups feel offended and like second class citizens when certain governments and places start am meeting with a Christian prayer. A perfect example is with Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens.  One Jewish and an Atheist sound this really disturbing. They said it created and bad atmosphere and felt out casted based on their view on the God Question. Many theologians would quite convincingly argue that an assumption of “one God” is itself sectarian, but the court has set a different floor on that definition. Thirty-seven states have guidelines for chaplains and/or guest prayer-givers that at the very least strongly suggest (if not require) non-sectarian prayers, as do the guidelines of the U.S. House of Representatives, which note that the body consists of “members of many different faith traditions.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/11/11/prayer-case-at-the-supreme-court-debunking-some-myths/

Many of the prayers offer at the opening of town council meeting in Greece, NY were similarly worded. For years and years they were delivered only by a Christian clergy, they would ask attendances to stand and bow their heads. They frequently involved Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In 2011 the 2 sued over the prayers and lost in the federal court. In 2012 the won in the 2^nd amendment U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They ruled that the towns approach to public prayer added to the endorsement of Christianity.  After the ruling a layer for the town argued that the  2^nd circuit erred in the using of the endorsement to decide whether the town officials had violated the 1^st Amendment. “American are not bigots, and we can stand to hear a prayer delivered in a legislative forum by someone whose views we do not agree with,” said Hungar. “That is the tradition of this country and that is why it doesn’t violate the Establishment Clause.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/supreme-court-prayer_n_4228715.html

I personally think that there should be a separation of church and state. I think in public places that prayer should not be allowed because not everyone has the same beliefs. It made me uncomfortable especially in when it is in public places. If I wanted to pray I would go to church.