A US District Court judge has ordered a North Carolina county government to stop having an opening prayer at its official meetings.
These prayers were not the usual generic appeals to a higher power. They were pretty much over the top in terms of its overt Christianity, referring to the virgin birth, the resurrection, and that salvation was only through Jesus.
Recall that the US Supreme court has already agreed to hear a case during its 2013-2014 term about the constitutionality of opening prayers at the Greece, NY city council meetings. I discussed the history of such opening prayers, the defining 1983 case Marsh v. Chambers, and the case of Greece here.
Let’s hope this gets the ball rolling around the country. You just know it happens everywhere, just as creationism is taught everywhere. No more flaunting the Constitution! No more religious privilege!
It’s Christians v. Lions all over again!!!!11!!!!
When, oh when will the vast atheist conspiracy cease to persecute the poor little Christian congregations? All they ask is a tiny little corner in which to quietly worship, but you godless hordes won’t allow even that tiny crumb to fall!! How can anyone even have a chance to hear the Word of God in such a toxic atmosphere!!!!11!1!!!
/snark
(in case it wasn’t obvious)
The plaintiffs are making a major gamble by bringing their case now, to a court whose majority faction consists of Bush appointees and Bush appointers.
Too true. We have Scalia who sees crosses on graves as symbols of mourning, and not of Christianity. I wonder if he would agree that Christmas is not (or is no longer) a Christian holiday because it is a federal holiday. Would he say this to his friends in church?