indago
VIP Member
- Oct 27, 2007
- 1,114
- 109
- 85
Journalist Mark Scolforo wrote for The Associated Press 25 August 2016:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A group of people who don't believe in God filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday seeking to change how prayers are handled before sessions of the state House of Representatives.
The lawsuit in Harrisburg federal court said House officials have denied their requests to make an opening invocation, arguing nonbelievers are treated like a disfavored minority who can be discriminated against.
...The policy of making people stand, they said, violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution's First Amendment by coercing people to participate in prayer.
"A fundamental principle of our Constitution is government officials must not pressure or coerce people to take part in religious activities in any manner," Americans United for Separation of Church and State legal director Alex Luchenitser said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
article
There is probably a church somewhere close by that the House members can go to before their legislative sessions and say their prayers. That way they can reserve the House chambers for the business of the State, which is what the building is for in the first place.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A group of people who don't believe in God filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday seeking to change how prayers are handled before sessions of the state House of Representatives.
The lawsuit in Harrisburg federal court said House officials have denied their requests to make an opening invocation, arguing nonbelievers are treated like a disfavored minority who can be discriminated against.
...The policy of making people stand, they said, violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution's First Amendment by coercing people to participate in prayer.
"A fundamental principle of our Constitution is government officials must not pressure or coerce people to take part in religious activities in any manner," Americans United for Separation of Church and State legal director Alex Luchenitser said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
article
There is probably a church somewhere close by that the House members can go to before their legislative sessions and say their prayers. That way they can reserve the House chambers for the business of the State, which is what the building is for in the first place.
