Politics and Prayer

The issue of Prayer in public view is an issue that has it roots in everything political and social. Everything from Prayer in school to Presidential Inaugural Prayers, it is a scene of great controversy. It is legal to give invocations before an American governing body such as a Town Meeting or City hall meeting. In the Central valley this issue is a lively and a daily debated issue. The issue is important to many because it affects so many people so personally. Some believe universally in the power of prayer and some simply do not. So does prayer have a place in society, Should it be allowed in Public forums like Town Halls and Schools or should it be discouraged?

Since the start elementary school we have all experienced the pledge of allegiance during the start of the school day. Now this was no crazy idea to pledge your allegiance to your countries, just as prayer in school and in public forums are no crazy ideas that are new. Prayer before town hall meetings is a long held tradition in many cultures Americas withstand. Prayer does not hurt anyone it does not cause war and it has never wounded anyone. All majors Religions speech of prayer as the means by which the followers can communicate with their creator. The communications are often, please for help, Cries for healing, and message of thanks. All of this is stated by Pastor Rick Warren in his Book the Purpose Driven Life (2004)

The first case of this debate is centered in the heart of California's Central Valley, in the town of Lodi, where the debacles over invocations at the start of town hall meetings are being fought against. Annie Laurie Gaylor, one of the Freedom From Religion Foundation Founders, declared that she was alerted to Lodi's prayer practices by a group member who lives in that area and felt" horrified and excluded" by the invocations'. This group is planning to take legal action over the issue. The issue for the defense of the invocations has been taken up by Gordon James Klingeschmitt, founder of an effort called Pray in Jesus' Name. According to the article "Lodi defends its public prayers", in the New York Times by Steve Chawkins; Mayor Larry Hansen stated "there's been nothing close to it. It was unprecedented," also he added that he received 1,500 e-mails mostly supporting prayer, from across the U.S. The Debate still rages on inter-mixing other issue all having to do with the bill of rights. The arguments that numerous atheist have with town hall prayer is that it makes them sick to hear prayer in town halls, this according to the LA times peace "Lodi defends it public prayer". But Lodi's town hall meetings are not the only place this has happened

Prayer in school is also attacked just as the pledge of allegiance is attacked. In an article by peter Applebomes (1994), a supreme court ruled that classroom prayer and scripture reading are unconstitutional even if they are voluntary. According to the same article students have found ways to still pray and exercise religious freedom in school by taking advantage of "moments of Silence" and other school sponsored reflections. The statics given in Applebomes Article address similar issues to thous in the LA times Lodi Article with the public prayer being a problem for non-believers. In the case of Lodi every measure they tried to put in place made the opposing party less willing to conform and a stronger will to abolish prayer in public view. These two separate instances bring about one of the united state strongest emotions in it citizens everyone has their own opinion on the subject. Form Applebomes, article it is easy to see that quite often the terms free thinker and atheist are the two strongest forces against what is really becoming the next step in the wrong direction. If we take away freedoms by censoring what people can do and say then we may not be the United State for long.

In more recent news about public Prayer President Barack Obama has made the decision not to have a National Day of Prayer observation in the white house this year, this according to Kristi Keck of CNN. In years past presidents like George W. Bush have held observances in the white house asking religious leaders to give a prayer or devotional on the national day of prayer. The lack of one this year has become another source for anti-prayer activist to say "look even the president prays in privet so why can't you.

Currently there is a lawsuit challenging prayer at Presidential Inaugurations this lawsuit in the federal Circuit Court of Appeals and may be ruled on soon (The Pacific Justice Institute 2009) according to the same Pacific Justice Institute article before mentioned, this Lawsuit demands that prayer be pushed away and practice in silence away from the view of others. The attorneys stated in the article that prayer is a constitutional right. And that the lawsuit if ruled in favor would be another strike against freedom of speech. One attorney stated that the constitution give us as Americans freedom of religion not freedom from religion. Which means that while we have the right to practice our own religion we do not have the right to demand that we not see others practice their religion whether it is recognized or not such as Atheist who believe against God or Agnostics who don't believe in anything but the physical world.

To conclude I agree with the Town Hall leaders of Lodi, California. I believe and agree that prayer in public view is a Bill of Right issue that is shrouded in "Separation of Church and state" debates. The issue is one of freedoms, (i.e. Freedom of expression, freedom of Religion, and freedom of Speech) these freedoms are constitutional right handed to us in the "Bill of Rights". I believe that prayer has a place in our society and in our school thous who choose to practice prayer should have the right to do so without persecution. If prayers in public view is blocked or stopped then so are our constitutional rights, "Freedom of religion, not freedom from religion" this quote has been passed down through the ages of the United States. We have the right to practice our religions while, the point of view of the other side will try to use the only loop-hole and that hole is that prayer many somehow hurts their feelings. You have the right to practice your religion as long as you don't bring harm to anyone. "Freedom cannot be censored, Freedom will only live if oppression dies and censorship is oppression."- Doctor Scott Vernon, Calpoly SLO (2008)

Work Sited

1. Applebomes, Peter. Prayer in Public Schools? It's Nothing New for Many. Nov.22^nd

1994

1. Chawkins, Steven. LA Time. Lodi Defends it public Prayer. Oct. 2^nd 2009
2. Keck, Kristi. CNN. Obama Tones down National Day of Prayer observance. May 6^th

.2009

1. Pacific Justice Institute, The. The institute Religious Legal Support. March 2^nd 2009
2. Vernon, Dr. Scott PhD. Agricultural Communications. Speech to Santa Barbara FFA

Section.Calpoly.2008.

1. Warren, Pastor Rick. The Purpose Driven Life (2004). Zondervan
2. Willis, Ellen. Freedom From Religion. The Nation. Page 3. Race, Ethnicity & Religion

February 19^th 2001 edition