Prayer case at the Supreme Court: Debunking some myths

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/11/11/prayer-case-at-the-supreme-court-debunking-some-myths/

BY BARRY W. LYNN
November 11 at 6:43 am


Religious activists pray following oral arguments in the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway dealing with prayer in government, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on November 6, 2013. The case deals with whether holding a prayer prior to the monthly public meetings in the New York town of Greece violates the Constitution by endorsing a single faith. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has represented two courageous women from Greece, N.Y., since 2007 when they came to us for advice about how to deal with their town board, which began all of its monthly business meetings with a Christian prayer.

Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens, respectively Jewish and atheist, found this deeply disturbing. They said it created an atmosphere in which they felt like second-class citizens based on their views on the God question.

All efforts to negotiate a reasonable settlement of this matter failed, so we filed a lawsuit in 2008. This week, that suit ended up in the chambers of the U.S. Supreme Court.

I cannot recall another case in which so many red herrings have shown up in television studios and, yes, even during Wednesday’s oral argument at the court. If public venues were the sea, these false fish would have changed the clear cerulean blue to purple.

more at link

[stopbush]

1. I'm so sick of the Christians.

[cbayer]

3. That's an awfully broad brush you are painting with.

[stopbush]

5. Yes it is, and I stand by it.

[cbayer]

7. Okey, dokey.

Does that include Obama?

Bill Moyers?

Gene Robinson?

William Barber?

DU members who identify as christian?

[hrmjustin]

9. Are you tired of all Christians or just the conservative ones?

[stopbush]

12. I'm tired of religionists in general. I notice the Xians - all of them - more

because they're 1. everywhere and 2. insufferable.

[hrmjustin]

13. I don't know what to say to this so I won't.

[cbayer]

14. Hilarious that you then decide to voluntary participate in the religion group

where one might expect to run into religious people.



Not buying it, stopbush.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Is that Sister Sarah at the end there...

and if it is, what will it take for her to go away forever?

Other than that, Lynn makes good points, as usual.

That the Court would take this case says a lot in itself, and we'll see how it leans soon enough.

[cbayer]

4. He did a good job of laying out arguments to counter the RW talking points.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration has weighed in on the town's side.

We shall see.

[libodem]

6. Those are some good women!

God, bless 'em. I like that one is Jewish and one is an atheist. I believe in the separation of church and state.

It has to be uncomfortable to confront the status quo. It is a lonely place especially when others try to shame you as not being on God's side. It's got to be a giant cross to bear. So to speak.

[cbayer]

8. Agree, they are brave, imo.

I hope they win, but I'm not very optimistic right now.

[demwing]

10. why no optimism? /nt

[cbayer]

11. Two things - the earlier SCOTUS rulings on this and the fact that

the Obama administration weighed in in support of the defendants.