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The dispute regarding invocations at Grand Junction City Council meetings seems to have conflated two issues. (See “Prayer’s presence, exclusion divisive”; June 7, 2008). To date, the disagreement seems to be solely about whether Christian-specific prayers are constitutional. But we’d note that the permissibility of the prayers is a different question than their advisability as a matter of policy.
A fair reading of the First Amendment does not prohibit the Christian prayers. But if City Council meetings are attended by people from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, then perhaps a non-denominational prayer would be more appropriate.
The father of our country, George Washington, understood that some church-state entanglements, while permissible, were nevertheless imprudent. He once opined that a tax for Christian ministers in Virginia was permissible, but he hoped that the measure would not pass because it was creating a public outcry. Washington did not believe in a strict separation of church and state, even after ratification of the First Amendment (while he was president), but his official uses of religion were usually nondenominational.
The Grand Junction City Council should consider following Washington’s example.
TARA ROSS
JOSEPH C. SMITH, JR.
Authors, Under God: George Washington and the Question of Church and State
Dallas, Texas
2 Responses to “City Council should follow George Washington’s example”
Posted June 12th, 2008 at 8:28 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
“A fair reading of the First Amendment does not prohibit the Christian prayers.”
These folks had better stick to writing their ultra right wing books with a Christian bias. The First Amendment as interpreted by the courts does indeed prohibit Christian prayer at public meetings supported by taxpayers, and this is well documented. I hope the documentation of their book on George Washington was more accurate than this, but I would not hold my breath.
Neither one of the authors is a professional historian. Ross is a lawyer in Dallas Texas and Smith is a writer of religious offerings usually recommended by Christian book clubs. Indeed their George Washington Book is loved by Fox News and all the right wing organizations but reviewed poorly by everybody else. Of course this letter above makes no mention of their obvious bias in this matter.
Posted June 12th, 2008 at 8:35 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
the self-marginalized one said: ” The First Amendment as interpreted by the courts ”
Just more activist judges shoving THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS down the throats of the Citizens.
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