Posted on 03/11/2009 1:44:22 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
A former chaplain with the Virginia State Police says he had no choice but to step down after a new policy took effect requiring generic prayers at department events.
Last summer, Rex Carter and five others resigned from the volunteer chaplain program. The move came after a new rule was instituted that restricted prayers by the volunteer chaplains. Carter, who is still a State Police officer, said he had no other choice once he was told he could not pray in the name of Jesus.
~~snip~~
Recently, a State Senate panel killed a bill that would have prohibited State Police officials from restricting prayers by volunteer chaplains.
(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com:80 ...
He did right, resigning.
You have to wonder. Why ask someone to pray if you don’t believe his prayer means anything. And if you do think his prayer is real and effectual, let the man pray the way he knows how to pray.
The Virginia State Senate was recently taken over by the left. We hope to change things this November.
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."
Unfortunately, the Virginia Senate doesn't have elections this year. All members of the House are up, but the Senate isn't up until 2011.
All religion must be generic except for those who follow Allah. (sarcasm off)
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Didn’t the change initiate in the governor’s office? I read once that Kaine supported the change. Governor McDonnell’s administration would have a religious liberty provision, unlike Tim Kaine. But I might be remembering it wrong.
God bless this man.
Godless policemen. Not safe.
Excerpt from the First Virginia Charter (April 10, 1606) - in the days long before 'PC-speak':
... [3rd paragraph]
Wee, greately commending and graciously accepting of theire desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke which may, by the providence of Almightie God, hereafter tende to the glorie of His Divine Majestie in propagating of Christian religion to suche people as yet live in darkenesse and miserable ignorance of the true knoweledge and worshippe of God and may in tyme bring the infidels and salvages living in those parts to humane civilitie and to a setled and quiet govermente, ...
The founders would gag at the mush-speakers we've become...
Whenever I hear about this kind of issue, I pretend that the government-sponsored chaplain (school teacher or whoever) was preaching radical muslim doctrine, and I am totally okay with doing away with the practice.
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 16 January 1786by Thomas Jefferson
(excerpt)
"Be it enacted by General Assembly that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities."
No, you’re correct. I think we’re talking past each other. I believe you are correct that it was a Kaine appointment who issued the directive and Kaine supported it.
I thought you meant that we’d be changing the makeup of the Senate this year.
Maybe you're right. The alternative would be to pray the way he knows how to pray, and dare them to fire him. Maybe they do, and maybe they don't, but he continues in his job until they push him out. But for sure, he should never let anyone dictate the form or even the content of his prayer.
No protest from the Christian Police?
HokieMom wrote: “The Virginia State Senate was recently taken over by the left.”
The Virginia State Motto... Sic Semper Tyrannis...
Sure wish we could! Getting Attorney General McDonnell in there will be awesome. I did hear a democrat say she heard Terry McAuliffe on the radio and he was being a "total jerk" so that's good news.
I think you may be missing the whole point. Virginia is establishing a special, Jesus-free state religion, in violation of the Establishment Clause.
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