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Members Of Congress Support Men In ACLU Prayer Case
September 16, 2009
Congressional Prayer Caucus members, including U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, are supporting Frank Lay, Pace High School principal, and Robert Freeman, the Pace athletic director, as they head to federal criminal charges for praying.
On Thursday, Freeman and Lay will be in federal court to face contempt charges for praying before a meal at a field house dedication despite an order against prayer in Santa Rosa County Schools issued in response to an ACLU lawsuit.
“Please know that we are standing with you in prayer and support as you face your trial on Thursday because of an offering of prayer,” the letter signed by Miller, Rep. Randy Forbes of Virginia and Mike McIntyre from the DNC wrote. The men wrote the letter as members of the Congressional Prayer Congress, a group comprised of 54 “members in the United States House of Representatives dedicated to protecting religious liberty, acknowledging tbe important role that prayer plays in American life, and recognizing our nation’s rich, spiritual history”.
“The tradition of offering prayer in America has become so interwoven into our nation’s spiritual heritage, that to charge someone criminally for engaging in such an innocent
practice would astonish tbe men who founded tlus country on religious liberty,” the letter states.
Click the image of the letter to enlarge in pdf format.
Comments
15 Responses to “Members Of Congress Support Men In ACLU Prayer Case”
We need to get back to what the founding fathers meant by seperation of state and church. They were opposed to any government REQUIRING participation in a state-run religion. They were in favor of freedom of choosing your own religion, and there are many examples of this in government and documents.
What does “In God We Trust” mean ? Is this not a recognised statement that is practically a symbol of the USA ?
I think the ACLU has too much idle time on their hands. They need to take a look around, and see if Americans are having their rights violated by persons who are not citizens of this country. They will find the the USA and it’s loyal citizens are under fire from many self serving outsiders. This is one final chance for them to prove that they are not Anti-American.
Thinker,
I am a woman not a sir. I have already been forgiven for my sins. I do not have to have Hoe that I will be forgiven. I just want the same kind of peace and joy that I have inside myself for you. I do care about people, even if I do not know them because we are all made in the likeness of God. Once I was lost and someone came along and picked me up and shoed me the way, now I desire to help others find the peace that I now have. The world can make you have a hard heart but Jesus can heal it and give you passion for others too. Enjoy the beautiful day he has made for us all. We are all his children.
I just want to be found loving and encouraging others! I am praying that you will be blessed.
To Thinker,
The true simple definition of “love” is the complete willingness to make self
sacrefice for the benefit of others. Even if they are unknown to you. Sadly,
nonchristians are unable to comprehend this fact. Romans ch 1 calls this
condition a “reprobate mind”. True perfect love can ONLY be found in Jesus
Christ. Just bide your time and I promise the truth WILL be made known to
you as you humble yourself in shame with head bowed and on bended knee
is HIS presents and admit to him face to face HE IS LORD.
Loving the Lord in cantonment -
You are full of joy? Good for you. Buddhists called it enlightenment. They get there without Christ or even a God.
You call me angry? To some degree that’s accurate but sir, it is justifiable anger. If you have no anger in you then you are living in a dream world. Christians are much too pushy about their claimed beliefs. That is why this court case existed.
My idea of a wise and true follower of Christ is someone who waits until someone notices their “glow” and asks THEM how they got it. That may never happen. Faulty merchandise has to be sold with greater effort. It’s the same with faulty philosophy. God, if she exists, will forgive you. This is my last word.
Thinker,
Why are you so angry? True there are bad people in the world. Christians are not perfect, just forgiven. I do not want to get in a debate over our Lord Jesus because it is clear that you are full of anger and as a christian it is not my goal to promote anger. I hope you can find the peace that I have that lives in side of me. I have JOY and no one can take that from me!!
JW –
You apparently promote your love as unconditional. That’s not love, it’s only basic respect for your own species. The author Ayn Rand defined love in the best way I’ve ever heard: “Love is the expression of one’s values, the greatest reward you can earn for the moral qualities you have achieved in your character and person, the emotional price paid by one man for the joy he receives from the virtues of another.”
I hope some day you will see the light and realize, as I have, that Christianity is a cult. It differs from cults centered around a LIVING human cult leader. In such a cult the leader eventually dies or leads his flock into trouble, and that’s the end of it. But in Christianity, the image of Jesus, whether a real person or mythical (lots of evidence both ways) has been painted by clergy and kings onto the imagination of the young and impressionable for many hundreds of years. I find it to be a form of mind control, used by monarchs and political leaders, incompatible with democracy, and the oldest con game in the world. It has opened the door for child molesters (Catholic Priests) and sadistic killers (The Spanish Inquisition) on one hand and provided power for those wishing to do good on the other. It is no more moral or evil than any one of us individually. I can’t invite you to come to church but I can invite you to come to your senses. I’m not your brother. Now y’all go on to church and sit down, shut up and pay attention while you get indoctrinated. Google the Freedom From Religion Foundation and/or read: “A letter to a Christian Nation” by Sam Harris. Help is out there.
No surprise here. We all know politicians are crooks, so why wouldn’t they support fellow criminals. Birds of a feather…………..
Dearest Mr. or Ms. “Think When”
Go look it up in Wikipedia: I quote it here: Bellamy’s original Pledge read, “I Pledge Allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
I’m older than you and a lot less antagonistic. I recited the original pledge in school and also the new one.
“Stinkin Thinkin” uh? Grow up and look before you leap. There’s rattlesnakes out there.
FarmerTom – God Bless You! Christians have the right to pray in schools just as much as non-christians have the right to not pray in schools.
Thinker – I love you brother! You help me realize what a blessing it is to have Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour. I would love for you to come to church this Sunday and worship in the Lord and find out what his love is all about.
Christians are not trying to presecute non-christians. We want to share what Christ has done in our lives. Christians are being persecuted everyday by athesists and “free thinkers” because they think that their actions should not be held accountable because there isn’t a “physical” being standing in front of them, but there is the holy spirit that is all around us.
Thinker, you will see our lord and saviour Jesus Christ one day brother. Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord!
I am a voter. I vote with my christian mind. I am very proud of Jeff miller and the others who are not affraid to take a stand and say what they believe in. I know God is real and I feel sorry for Thinker, that you have not began to follow our God.
I pray that you will get to see how real our God is before it is to late.
I am so tired of being forced to put up with every ones ideas. All I ever hear, “EVERY ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT EVER THEY WANT AND BELIEVE IN WHAT EVER THEY WANT ” EXCEPT CHRISTIANS!! Why have we, christians , allowed everyone to push us down and shut us up for as long as we have? Why is it that students can wear gay pride shirts but we can not wear Jesus shirts? If we have to put up with others and their thoughts then why do we not have the same right?
We are called to be the salt and the light of the word! Pick this day which side you stand on and stand up! When others cut you down for loving Jesus consider it a cost for Christ. How much has he paid for us? The very smallest thing we can do is STAND UP and do not be affraid!! Jesus has your back!!
Thinker and his “stinkin’ thinkin”…….
I have an idea that I am a lot older than you ,”Thinker” and I remember learning it this way: One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
With the way things are changing, and not so much for the better I might add, the day will probably come when all any of us has is “prayer”.
Anyway, I quite like having the practice of praying…..so I will continue!!!
I challenge all christians to be in prayer for this case, that is the answer.
Bonding together, taking a strong stand , for what we believe. Do not be addicted to approval. Follow your heart. DO WHAT YOU BELIEVE GOD IS TELLING YOU TO DO, AND STAND FIRM IN HIM AND HIM ALONE.
Gal1;10 Paul says, Now am I trying to win the favor of men? If I were seeking the
popularity of men I should not be a servant of Christ? Guess What, If we do not
stand then who can we blame?
Thank you FarmerTom – well spoken.
Standing there listening to this prayer to a mystical being that nobody can see…and being literal and scientifically minded or a Buddhist…and not prepared for this by experiences with Christians…well…if I were that young person and having to answer to all the demands of these teachers, I would be frightened. What if somebody got up and chanted to Zeus…would THAT be okay? Would you think THEY were sane?
Remember this? –”One nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”— It’s not indivisible anymore, have you noticed? (double meaning). Ever since Christians got political and insisted that “under God” replace “indivisible”. This country was started by people running from religious persecution. Now American Christians are moving to gain power to persecute agnostics, atheists and people of other beliefs. Let’s go back to the old way or we’ll descend into religious tribal warfare, like in Iraq. Keep church and state separate!! You can always teach at a private school. It’s a free country.
Prayer at accepted venues is one thing, and a *public* school is not such a venue. These guys *knowingly* broke a court order telling them to shut up. They deserve far more than a slap on the wrist– they should both be fired from their jobs in a *public* school. Perhaps they’ll find the atmosphere at a *private* school, where their prayers would be allowed at the very least and perhaps welcome as well, more suited to their temperament.