High court rejects appeals on public prayers, student speech

[alp227]

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from a North Carolina county that had regularly opened its public meetings with Christian prayers.

The church-state dispute is a victory for two Forsyth County residents who brought suit against the Board of Commissioners. Janet Joyner and Constance Lynn Blackmon were represented in their court challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

"When government meetings are opened regularly with Christian prayer, it sends the unmistakable message that non-Christians are second-class citizens in their own community," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, who heads Americans United, a Washington-based group. "The Constitution clearly forbids government to play favorites when it comes to religion."

Court records show that 26 of 33 invocations given at the council meetings in 2007 and 2008 contained references to Jesus Christ, the Trinity, or other Christian symbols or names. Clergy members from the community often delivered the sectarian invocations. The county seat is Winston-Salem, one the largest cities in the state.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/us/scotus-appeals/index.html

[JoePhilly]

1. Flying Spaghetti Monster be PRAISED!!!!!

[yellowcanine]

15. May his noodly appendage touch thee and heal thee according to his will.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

16. Ramen.

[Evasporque]

24. Pastafarians rejoice with pesto and praise....nt

[BlueJazz]

2. The strange (and scary) thing is I hear people all the time asking...

"Well, what's the harm in it...it makes everybody thankful and happy"

I usually say something like: "If I have to explain it to you, I don't want to waste my time"

They-Just-Don't-Get-It

[Populist_Prole]

3. They're trying to sound reasonable, without actually being so

They-Just-Don't-Get-It

They get it alright: They just don't WANT to get it.

[SaintPete]

4. But thats the problem

it doesn't make everybody thankful and happy - just a select group that shares a belief.

And those in that group need to hear that message - "You are not 'everybody'...you are just you."

[Populist_Prole]

14. "You are not 'everybody'...you are just you." Great line!

Deceptively salient due to its simplicity. I can see my preachy as all get-out RW father having steam come out of his ears if I told him that. Can't wait to spring that on him.

[usrname]

5. Tell them, next time, it will be..

Sala'am al Lechem (who knows how it's spelled) and "Praise be Allah!" If they're genuinely happy with that, then we'll try "By Odin's wrath..." or "Oh powerful Zeus..." And if those don't offend, I'm sure we can do some pagan ritual that requires some nudity and frolicking (that's the best religion). Or we can throw a young virgin into a nearby volcano (given that it's in NC, maybe the nearest mining run-off tailings pond).

[Lint Head]

6. I think they should pray to me! I am the almighty poobah and seer of all things

great and small. Especially if I have a really good pair of binoculars.

[msongs]

7. evidently theyve never been to an AA meeting, which frequently close with christian worship nt

[FiveGoodMen]

8. And if they had?

[SemperEadem]

9. AA is not a governmental agency that is governed by the constitution

which clearly spells out that no government agency is allowed to play favorites with one flavor of religion over any other.

AA is a private institution that can do whatever it pleases with their time and membership.

[Blacksheep214]

12. Even in AA

Not everyone is happy with the religious aspect. There are options like walking out of the room until it's finished.

What do we do at a city meeting? Wait to walk in late?

[PassingFair]

21. Sometimes people are court-ordered into those programs.

There should always be alternative programs that
don't include a belief in a "higher power" for those
that don't have those beliefs.

[SemperEadem]

23. church is too caught up

in being the "go-to" place for courts and local governments which do not have the money and resources to
deal with problems in society.

I agree there should be alternatives to programs which attempt to indoctrinate people into believing what they
dictate in order to receive the help the they need. Jesus isn't always the freakin' answer.

[wordpix]

19. totally different, the article is about GOVERNMENT business meetings

[Blacksheep214]

10. I've been to the races at CMS-Loews

I will pass on the nudity and frolicking thank you!

[Wistful Vista]

11. I used to go to the Indy 500 most every year...there was always a lot of sidewalk fucking the nite

before...

(I am very serious)

[Blacksheep214]

13. Larry the Cable Guy

and Paula Deen.

Like I said ....

[midnight]

17. It makes me wonder why Washington has a prayer breakfast?

[RainDog]

18. political buddy fucking

the christian right was very upset when they learned that Dubya's inaugural prayer breakfast was paid for by the Rev. Moon, who calls himself the Messiah.

they thought they were the only ones who got to use religion to buy politicians to tell the Constitution to go fuck itself.

But the Rev. Moon helped to sponsor fascists in Central America during Reagan and Bush I who murdered a lot of people so he got his payback. He gives a lot of money to Republicans b/c they have sided with fascists for decades.

And that's also why the religious right votes for them.

[bertman]

20. Just yesterday at an MLK commemoration I had to listen to

a minister vociferously proclaiming how badly we need Jesus in government.

(Shakes head and mutters to self)


REC.

.

[MNBrewer]

22. This good decision of the court must result in a Republican victory, right?

Nothing good can occur on DU if it doesn't benefit the Republicans in some way.