Written by Don Byrd
The editorial board of the Los Angeles Times urges the Supreme Court to rule government prayer practices unconstitutional in an op-ed this morning. Specifically, they respond to the amicus brief of the United States Government, which argues the prayers must be allowed because judges shouldn’t be “in the business” determining sectarian from non-sectarian prayers.
Read the whole thing, but here’s a snippet:
The court should reject that position, which would give governments a blank check to pray in a whole community’s name with language drawn from a particular faith. If the 1st Amendment’s ban on the “establishment of religion” by government means anything, it means that a Jewish, Muslim or atheist shouldn’t have to endure routine official prayers “in the name of Jesus” as the price of participating in local gxovernment.
I would only add….neither should Christians have to endure such prayers. My Christian faith is not helped by the voice of government making it easier, more comfortable, more acceptable to choose the Christian path. Even if you don’t buy that argument, if government can choose to highlight Christian prayer for meetings today, it can someday choose another faith as the cornerstone of its prayer. If we wouldn’t want to endure that indignity then, we shouldn’t ask others to endure it now.
