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The Supreme Court is wrestling with how prayer should be handled at public meetings.
What’s your take on the issue?
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How about opening public meetings with a “Moment for Silent Reflection?” This way those who wish to ask for God’s presence or God’s blessing can do so in the sincere spaces of their hearts and minds, those who don’t wish to do so can just relax, and those scheduled to make presentations can take more deep breaths!
Sounds like it would make everyone happy!
When you say “public” meetings I am assuming you mean either government meetings or some other function paid for (in part or whole) with our taxes such that the “state” is seen as the sponsor. In that case invoking any religious statement, no matter how non sectarian, still is ‘the state’ advocating religion. It certainly does not represent me, a citizen and an atheist. And I don’t see how this prayer could possibly include all religions and sects of religions. The simple truth is that prayer is divisive and exclusionary when used in a government function by persons supposedly representing everyone in our pluralistic society. Some folks will at the least be left out the religious club of the day, and at the worst feel like they will not be fairly represented by their elected officials. A moment of silence would work just fine.
Also, what about Matthew 6, vs 5 and 6 where God also forbids this kind of public display of prayer? Please edify me, an ignorant heathen.
There is no middle ground here. The only totally fair answer (not to mention the only Constitutional one) is not to have any prayer at state supported meetings or work environments. SCOTUS judges even acknowledged that in yesterday’s discussions on the matter in Greece, NY. But I seriously doubt SCOTUS will just forbid prayer opening government meetings. I would be shocked…albeit ever so pleasantly!
Pray aloud in your churches or temples or synagogues or homes all you like.
Pray, privately and silently, 24-7, if you wish.
However, it’s unnecessary, divisive, and inappropriate for government to prayer before government meetings.
There is no way to “publicly pray” to any supernatural deity (or all 10,000 of them) at government- sponsored events without being exclusionary and discriminatory, which is directly contrary to the mission and purpose of a public meeting like a City Council intended to serve ALL residents.
Government-sponsored, government-directed, or government-led prayer or other religious ritual is totally inappropriate in a diverse country like America. Even non-sectarian prayer excludes nonbelievers, as it excludes Hindus or those who believe in multiple gods.
If the Constitution’s prohibition on the establishment of religion means anything, it means that a citizen should not need to choose between the right to petition his government and the right not to pray.
Instead of praying for some supernatural deity to solve the city’s or county’s or the nations’s problems, start solving them! I say, get off your knees, and get to work. You can hold successful meetings and come to rational and valid decisions without invoking a supernatural being.
I whole heartly support the idea and concept of a moment of reflective silence.
Let’s get out of the Idea we are a Christian Nation