- Posted by Christopher Estep on October 29, 2008
My local county board has had its rights affirmed by an appeals court who said that prayer before meetings is fine.
ATLANTA (AP) -- A federal appeals court has upheld a suburban Atlanta county's practice of allowing clergy to open meetings with Christian prayers.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals 2-1 ruling on Tuesday allows Cobb County officials to open meetings of its Board of Commissioners and planning commission with invocational prayers from invited clergy.
Cobb County officials said clergy from all faiths are allowed to deliver the prayers, but lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union contended the invocations are "overtly Christian prayers" that send a message that the religion is sponsored by the county.
Read the last paragraph carefully. Notice that the issue isn’t prayer. It’s “Christian prayers”. If they had an Imam there doing the prayers (but not a Rabbi) or a neo-pagan, there would be no problem. The issue is Christianity again.