ICLU wants Jesus out of prayers in House, files suit

South Bend Tribune ^ | June 1, 2005 | MARTIN DeAGOSTINO

[w6ai5q37b]

Devotions OK, but no favorites allowed, rules say.

By MARTIN DeAGOSTINO Tribune Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Civil Liberties Union is suing state lawmakers to keep Jesus out of their proceedings.

The lawsuit, filed here Tuesday in federal court, would bar sectarian and proselytizing prayers by lawmakers and guest clergy on the floor of the House of Representatives.

It does not seek to ban all legislative prayers, which the U.S. Supreme Court has approved if they are nonsectarian. But the ICLU said the prayers must not promote or endorse a particular religion, as it claims the House prayers do.

The lawsuit cites 26 instances this year when invited clergy or lawmakers invoked Jesus Christ, including references to "Jesus our savior," "lord of lords" and even the hymn "Just a Little Talk with Jesus."

[w6ai5q37b]

"Separation of church and state" is written in the Soviet constitution

not

the US constitution...

The US Constitution has written, "

Congress

shall make no law..."

not

"The Indiana State Legislature shall make no law..."

The goal of phony "civil liberties" groups like ICLU is to remove anything Christian from public property, while simultaneously eroding private property rights so that everything is "public." Then there will be no place for anything Christian, including your own body, since that will also be a property of the state.

[FeeinTennessee]

This sort of thing boils my blood. It should with conservative Americans that value their Christianity. I can't see how we can just sit back and now raise some h*** over this. I'm tired of it.

[henkster]

Damned Pagans.

Now, if the Indiana Legislture was kissing the carpet five times a day, or ritually slaughtering kittens, the ICLU would have no problem.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

A prayer isn't a law. Whatever happen to free speech and free exercise and all of that?

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Christian sentiment is the only thing banned from government. You can advocate taxpayer funded sex-change operations, perverts as foster parents, etc......just don't pray or the ACLU is gonna get ya.

[lilylangtree]

The idea that the Constitution states that there is a "separation of church and state" is an fraudulent idea foisted on an unconscious and uneducated American public in the 40s by the parent ACLU. ACLU has been tearing the foundation of our country ever since. This must be stopped. First and foremost, the Constitution does NOT say anything about "separation of church and state". People must understand this.

[bird4four4]

Congress shall make no law establishing or restricting the free excercise of....

Wouldn't banning them from praying or any reference to Jesus be, a law restricting their constituional right to express religion?

I know I shouldn't expect them to be able interpret the Constitution, they're lawyers.

[chaosagent]

Exactly how can you have "prayer in the Judeo-Christian tradition" without being able to mention the Christian part of it?

[w6ai5q37b]

When democrats talk of "the rich," they are referring to anyone with a private sector job.

The Democratic Party is the party for the poor--poor in knowledge.

(By no means is this comment meant as an endorsement for the Republican party.)

[A CA Guy]

Too bad there aren't any conservative lawfirms who go after groups like this as well to bankrupt them.

[ViLaLuz]

Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., filed a measure to amend the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. Section 1988, to prohibit prevailing parties from being awarded attorneys fee in religious establishment cases, but not in other civil rights filings. If you want to corral the ACLU, then consider a letter or email to your Congressman urging them to cosponsor this legislation.

More details here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1413875/posts