Legislator in Pennsylvania Refuses to Say the Pledge of Allegiance (Because "God" is in it)

Independent Sentinel ^ | 10/05/2012 | Sara Noble

[SeekAndFind]

It was just a routine House State Government Committee meeting and Chairman Daryl Metcalfe asked Pennsylvania state representative, Babette Josephs, to lead the patriotic pledge. She refused because it has the word “God” in it.

This is what the dingbat said:

“Based on my First Amendment rights and based on the fact that I really think it’s a prayer. I don’t pray in public.” [Inquisitor]

More from the Inquisitor:

Josephs noted after the meeting that Congress chose to insert “under God” into the pledge when she was about 14 years old. The Democratic politician maintains that the additional wording turned the patriotic statement of allegiance into a prayer, WPXI notes.

Babette Josephs had this to say about the incident:

“How many years ago was 1954? I have not said the Pledge of Allegiance since and I will not say it into the future unless they take those words out and make it less of a prayer. Especially if you’re in elective office and you’re invoking the name of God all the time; to me it’s the height of hypocrisy. I will not do it.”

Here’s the video:

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO

abc27 WHTM

Maybe she has a little dementia. She claimed Daryl Metcalfe was angry but he doesn’t sound angry to me. The voters are very wise to have seen through her pettiness – she lost her primary.

It is her right to not say the pledge but it is hardly a prayer. We’re not praying when we say it, we’re pledging allegiance to our country.

I think she would have had more of a case if she led the Pledge and just left out “under God.”

Secularists want to change our history. This is not simply about wanting to separate church and state to the extreme. Secularists want to banish God from everything and prevent believers from mentioning God. The Founders never intended us to ban God and never mention his name.

Secularists want the United States to become an atheistic society.

 

[Our man in washington]

Eh, it’s a free country. If she feels that way, it’s not a big deal. I mean, her logic could be:

1. Jesus specifically spoke against public prayer.
2. By inserting “Under God”, the pledge becomes a prayer.
3. Taking out “Under God” would be to not say the official pledge. Since the pledge is one whole unit it would be wrong to pick and choose the wording.

Point #1 is definitely true. One could make an argument for point #2. Point #3 is the weakest point, but it’s not an outlandish view.

I’ll criticize Josephs on her policy views, but not on this.

[ObozoMustGo2012]

Why would you enter public office with the name “Babette”?? Please don’t tell me that was her given name! Was “Barbara” too “square”??

[ConorMacNessa]

And one of the groups that fought for the inclusion of those words was the Knights of Columbus, of which I am a member.

If the time comes when the words "under God" are legally written out of the Pledge, I will continue to say them in public any time I have the opportunity to do so.



Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[SuperLuminal]

Dirt bags need dirt naps...

[ASA Vet]

Just don’t say the words “under God” and stop being a drama queen!

The original 1892 wording worked for my grandparents.

I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

My parents had to learn the 1924 version.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

That's also how I learned it in 1952. When I went back to school in September 1954 we had to add the new words because someone named Eisenhower said so.

Now I use the version I learned in Grade K because I want to. No drama involved.

[SampleMan]

She has a point concerning Democrats invoking the name of God being the height of hypocracy.

[Fester Chugabrew]

The “God” referenced in our national pledge of allegiance is a generic “God.” It can be the God who reveals Himself in the biblical texts, or it can be a god of one’s own making. As such, I have to problem with any citizen who recoils from its use. The God who reveals Himself in the biblical texts is a jealous God. He is not interested in allegiances to anyone or anything higher than Himself, and that includes one’s own nation. Allegiance to Caesar has its limits.

[austinaero]

So now saying the word “God” means one is praying? Talking about the proximity of “God” means praying? I hope this negative attention somehow turns out to benefit Romney in PA. No wait, I PRAY this benefits Romney in some way in PA!

[Fester Chugabrew]

to = no

[kcvl]

Previous occupations

Prior to her election to the legislature Josephs was active in law and political organizing.

Executive Director of Citizens Coalition for Energy Efficiency 1980–1981

Co-founder and Executive Director National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League PA and its foundation, the Clara Bell Duvall Education Fund 1978–1980

Private law practice 1977–1979

English Teacher in the Philadelphia Public High Schools 1963–1964

Pledge of allegiance

In October 2001, Josephs was the only House member to vote against a rule requiring students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools.[5] The constitutionality of the law was later challenged, and in 2003, the U.S. District Court struck-down the law on constitutional grounds.[6]

[kcvl]

She looks like an old atheist lesbian...just like most radical feminist liberals.

[NoLibZone]

Any one know which political party she is in? /sarc

[savagesusie]

How can she take the oath for her job? Our Natural Rights come from God—not a wiccan devil. She doesn’t understand “Rule of Law” which means a “Higher Power” than “man”. How stupid she is....no logic........these people are mentally ill. She may be senile.

[Lurking Libertarian]

How can she take the oath for her job?

Maybe because she is not required to take an oath?

Article VI of the U.S. Constitution says: "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

Even in 1789, the Founders made sure to respect the rights of those who did not follow the majority's views of religion. Too bad you can't do the same.

[vette6387]

“Why would you enter public office with the name “Babette”?? Please don’t tell me that was her given name! Was “Barbara” too “square”??”

She probably has a dog named Fido but it’s spelled Phideaux!

[vette6387]

“Ignore God as you wish, Babette.
But, you do so at your own peril, of a certainty.”

Yeah, from the look of her, she should be more careful of her words.

[OneVike]

1. Jesus specifically spoke against public prayer.

You are sadly misinformed. What Jesus spoke against was hypocritical prayers in public. However, Jesus and His disciples prayed in public all the time.

Jews are required to pray three times a day. So what the Pharisees were doing was purposely scheduling their day so that they would be in very crowded public places at those times so that the people would see them pray. They were more interested in the praise of men.

When you pray for specific needs for your self, Jesus said do so in secret and your father in heaven will reward you publicly. However, when you do so for the specific purpose of receiving praises from men, Jesus said you already received your reward openly from men.

That is what Jesus was speaking of, and that is why He called them hypocrites. If there is a reason for public prayer, God does not look down on it. There are times to pray in public, and there are times not to do so. Doing for the specific purpose of receiving glory from men is bad. It shows how ones heart is.

Having Gods name in a pledge is not wrong and it is definitely not hypocritical to do so, unless you do it just for praise of men.

[Vermont Lt]

I respect folks views on religion and saying pledges. I really do.

What I don’t like are sanctimonious a-holes who make such a big deal about it—and who act like those of different beliefs are idiot fools.

Whatever happened to common courtesy and respect for each other?

[Gunslingr3]

I find the Pledge of Allegiance antithetical to the Declaration of Independence.

“one Nation indivisible” is entirely at odds with the principle “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it”

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Bitter leftist clinging to her drugs and paganism.