The Right’s favorite “founding father” gets thrashed…
World Batshit Insane Daily (WND) is up in arms about the most recent battle in the “war on faith.” Apparently at the bi-monthly meeting of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina, officials would invite speakers of “all faiths and denominations” to give an invocation at their meeting. On the face of the issue, it sounds like a good-enough idea. But, “all faiths” does not ring as true with every prayer ends in giving all props to Jesus.
Two concerned individuals, Janet Joyner and Constance Lynn Blackmon, were bothered by the incongruity of extending a call for all faiths, but due to local demographics and social pressure, only seeing Christians. While it was county policy that no prayer could attempt to convert others, when Jesus is constantly referred to as the one true savior and guiding force of right in the universe, it is easy to feel like undue credit is being given to the deity of the majority.
The pair of citizens decided to sue the board of commissioners with the help of Americans United and the ACLU, which has the writers at WND outraged. How dare some citizens use their governmentally secured freedoms to impose on someone else’s “god given” rights?
Thankfully, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a two to one decision in favor of limiting the use of any particular deity’s “revealed or inspired” name in governmental proceedings. Judge Wilkinson handed down the majority opinion.
“While legislative prayer has the capacity to solemnize the weighty task of governance … it also has the potential to generate sectarian strife. Such conflict rends communities and does violence to the pluralistic and inclusive values that are a defining feature of American public life.”
“It is not enough to contend, as the dissent does, that the policy was ‘neutral and proactively inclusive. Take-all-comers policies that do not discourage sectarian prayer will inevitably favor the majorit[y] faith in the community at the expense of religious minorities living therein. This effect creates real burdens on citizens – particularly those who attend meetings only sporadically – for they will have to listen to someone professing religious beliefs that they do not themselves hold.” – Wilkinson
The conservative legal action group, The Alliance Defense Fund, has stepped in on the side of the Board of Commissioners and is petitioning the Supreme Court to overrule the Fourth Circuit’s decision. Like a number of recent restrictions on language of prayer used at governmental gatherings, such as Federal Judge Fred Biery’s recent restriction on public school prayers, political appointees in the Judicial branch will likely move to negate the 4th circuit ruling before it reaches the Supreme Court.
(Source: WND)
9 comments
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Aliasalpha
October 31, 2011 at 07:48 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wouldn’t one of thse cases getting to the supreme court be a good thing so it could be given the highest bitchslap in the land?
DaveL
October 31, 2011 at 10:09 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@1, I wouldn’t count on it. Scalia, in particular, has demonstrated he’s willing to make himself look like a complete idiot if that’s what it takes to promote government endorsement of religion. That is to say, religious expression her agrees with. See oral arguments in Salazar v. Buono.
dizzlski
October 31, 2011 at 11:17 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ya know, just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean its not crazy.
dizzlski
October 31, 2011 at 11:18 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m sorry.
Rob
October 31, 2011 at 13:52 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Interfaithiocity by ideologues is the same as funny-mentalism unchecked. Thanks for the post.
lordshipmayhem
October 31, 2011 at 14:32 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
If they do have to put other religions’ prayers in rotation at the start of their meetings’ I’d love to be present when it’s Bacchus’ turn.
They might be debating more intelligently than has been their wont once they pour a bottle of wine down each others’ throats.
papango
October 31, 2011 at 23:47 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Paganism actually works out as a pretty good compromise. I work in a New Zealand government department, and we have a lot of ceremonies. We have a kaumatua who comes in and does a formal traditional Maori speech as each occassion requires. So we get the ritual elements of the ceremony, but as Papatuanuku and Ranginui (the earth mother and sky father who were invoked at the last welcome ceremony we had) aren’t anyone’s gods anymore (the kaumatua is an Anglican priest, himself, when he’s not opening buildings and welcoming people) it’s not really ‘religious’.
Rhoda
November 1, 2011 at 03:08 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It is exhausting reading that stuff. I couldn’t help myself and commented. I think I’ve lost some IQ points as a result.
Assassin Actual
November 1, 2011 at 04:21 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thats why you can comment here, rather than jump into WND’s basket of crazy (+5). The thing that gets me about that site is its obsession with selling books and whatnot.
Thank being said, wanna buy my book ?