Prayer at public meetings under attack...again

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=157778






Prayer at public meetings under attack...again






Jeff Johnson - OneNewsNow - 6/30/2008 9:00:00 AM







Christian legal experts are responding to efforts by "secularist" groups
to 
stop invocations at public meetings in both Ohio and Wisconsin.


The American Civil Liberties Union is demanding that the Greenfield, Ohio,

City Council stop opening its meetings with prayer. The Wisconsin State 
Legislature has received a similar demand from the Freedom from Religion 
Foundation.

Mike Johnson is senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which 
has written both government entities to assure them of the legality of 
opening prayers. "Prayer before public meetings is one of our oldest and 
most cherished American traditions," Johnson explains. "And it's truly sad

that some radical, secularist groups are trying to eliminate the
practice."

Johnson says groups like Freedom from Religion and the ACLU have 
successfully intimidated many public officials into believing that 
officially acknowledging religion is illegal. "The First Amendment allows 
public officials -- and not the ACLU and its allies -- to decide what is 
appropriate for acknowledging our nation's religious history and
heritage," 
he points out.

And that heritage, Johnson explained, is recognized, both historically and

legally, by the nation's high court, which has ruled opening invocations
are 
lawful provided they comply with certain conditions.

"The practice of opening public meetings with a prayer is deeply imbedded
in 
the history and tradition of this country, according to the U.S. Supreme 
Court," says Johnson. "It's a tradition that, literally, began with the 
first Congress -- and there's no need to get rid of that tradition today 
just because the ACLU is offended by it."

The attorney encourages public officials who want to know how to protect 
themselves from the ACLU and similar groups to visit ADF's website.











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