I don't get it ....

[dantheman]

Where's the " seperation of church and state " now ? http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/...s-to-Begin-with-Muslim-Prayers-102387499.html

 

[stancel]

Dude, we have become such a soft society. We are being taken over without the enemy firing a single bullet. It's a damn shame.

 

[honestlou]

Where's the " seperation of church and state " now ? http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/...s-to-Begin-with-Muslim-Prayers-102387499.html

I really don't understand your question. Do you think the city council meetings should never open with a prayer? Or do you just object to an Iman leading the prayer?

Islam is certainly not my favorite religion, but I think this act supports the separation of church and state, by the fact that the "state" in this case is encouraging diversity, thus avoiding the "establishment" of a state religion.

 

[Mouthpiece]

There has never been a true separation of church and state. I take no position on whether this has been good or bad, in fact, it probably has been some of both depending on the circumstances. There just never has been a true separation.

 

[oleheat]

If they decided to begin with a Christian prayer, you can bet the atheist groups would be out in force to make sure it didn't happen, along with filing a lawsuit for good measure......

 

[gocoastal]

If they decided to begin with a Christian prayer, you can bet the atheist groups would be out in force to make sure it didn't happen, along with filing a lawsuit for good measure......

But the article says that they always begin with Christian prayer, and they were trying to branch out...no atheists involved.

 

[deafdave3]

Well, the atheists don't have to pray! Geez, if you don't like it, don't get involved. I want to pray at public meets and schools, I'm gonna pray. If you are an atheist, just don't pray, that's all. Furthermore, as long as there are still tests in schools, people will pray.

 

[sraacke]

Well, the atheists don't have to pray!

And we don't. We just hang out waiting for the suspicious folk to get their silliness over so they can get down to taking care of government business. Personally I don't care if you clasp your hands together and bow you head, get down on the ground and bow to the east or smear yourself with apple jelly and have the Mayor Pro Tem lick it off, just get on with it. I'll be there reading a copy of Army Times until it's over.

 

[RCRAMIE]

If they decided to begin with a Christian prayer, you can bet the atheist groups would be out in force to make sure it didn't happen, along with filing a lawsuit for good measure......

Common mistake atheist don't believe in any god we don't just pick on christian religion like some of yall like to make it sound.

And we don't. We just hang out waiting for the suspicious folk to get their silliness over so they can get down to taking care of government business. Personally I don't care if you clasp your hands together and bow you head, get down on the ground and bow to the east or smear yourself with apple jelly and have the Mayor Pro Tem lick it off, just get on with it. I'll be there reading a copy of Army Times until it's over.

+1

 

[AK shooter]

If they decided to begin with a Christian prayer, you can bet the atheist groups would be out in force to make sure it didn't happen, along with filing a lawsuit for good measure......

I agree, if it was Christian prayer there would have probably been protest.

 

[BenCarp27]

I do not want to stop any person from practicing their religious right to prayer. The reality is Christians don't want to kneel on a rug. Muslims don't want to read a bible. Jews won't pray before a crucifix. You can't appease all groups, without offending others.
I believe this was the intent and purpose of placing a separation between church and state to begin with.

 

[Fisherman]

I do not want to stop any person from practicing their religious right to prayer. The reality is Christians don't want to kneel on a rug. Muslims don't want to read a bible. Jews won't pray before a crucifix. You can't appease all groups, without offending others.
I believe this was the intent and purpose of placing a separation between church and state to begin with.

Don't want to hinder these people at all from practicing what ever they want to do. But this is a Christian country (at least it was founded that way) and not hindu, moslem, budist or pegan. It's just distasteful to hear of our leaders listening to prayers to a false god.

 

[RCRAMIE]

It's just distasteful to hear of our leaders listening to prayers to a false god.

I agree!

Wait you meant besides your god my bad.

 

[gocoastal]

Well, the atheists don't have to pray! Geez, if you don't like it, don't get involved. I want to pray at public meets and schools, I'm gonna pray. If you are an atheist, just don't pray, that's all. Furthermore, as long as there are still tests in schools, people will pray.

I was pointing out that oleheat said If there was Christian prayers at the city council meeting (which there were), then the atheists would be up in arms about it (which has not been reported).

 

[gocoastal]

I agree, if it was Christian prayer there would have probably been protest.

Read the article.

"On Facebook, Council Minority Leader Luis Cotto wrote: "We start every single council meeting with a prayer. 99% of the prayers are Christian based, and in three years I recall one Rabbi coming through.""

Christian prayer - check.
Protesters - dubious.

 

[Hitman]

Well, the atheists don't have to pray! Geez, if you don't like it, don't get involved. I want to pray at public meets and schools, I'm gonna pray. If you are an atheist, just don't pray, that's all. Furthermore, as long as there are still tests in schools, people will pray.

Sadly that's not how it happens. One Atheist family can stop an entire city from praying at a friday night Football game.

And we don't. We just hang out waiting for the suspicious folk to get their silliness over so they can get down to taking care of government business. Personally I don't care if you clasp your hands together and bow you head, get down on the ground and bow to the east or smear yourself with apple jelly and have the Mayor Pro Tem lick it off, just get on with it. I'll be there reading a copy of Army Times until it's over.

Almost everytime you post something about christians you speak like this. Just saying.

 

[BenCarp27]

Don't want to hinder these people at all from practicing what ever they want to do. But this is a Christian country (at least it was founded that way) and not hindu, moslem, budist or pegan. It's just distasteful to hear of our leaders listening to prayers to a false god.

I agree, I don't agree with Islam no more than you. I was born, raised, and will die Christian. I don't like our leaders listening to Muslim prayer services no more than I would like devil worshipers holding service outside a public school. Constitutionally, however, both groups have a legal right to worship whom they wish. I don't want my rights taken away, altered, or infringed, so I won't do the same to anyone else.
The bottom line is the separation of church and state. If the council meeting starts at 7pm and a religious group wishes to pray before it starts, get together and meet at a quarter till. But I don't believe any group should be mandated or included in the official proceedings.
With schools, it is different. I agree to a moment of silence in the morning so kids and faculty can pray to whomever they so wish. I also don't think anyone should stop students of any faith from congregating on campus, allowing that it doesn't interfere with class time. Because in this situation, the schools are not forcing students of any faith to listen to an ideology apart from their own.
I just don't believe that any branch or facility of government should include religious rites in their proceedings.

 

[jms]

Just so you know . A church use to be in the U.S.Captial before the ACLU found out.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlfEdJNn15E[/ame]

 

[bearfutedninja]

i think they should just have a moment of silence to pray amongst themselves and be done with it. but you give and inch they will take a foot.

 

[Hitman]

The ACLU is extremely secular. As if that's not evident to anyone with eyes who has seen the news in the past 30 years.