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Shoulders of Giants

(370 posts)

66. Owning slaves and beating your wife was legal then as well.

Mon May 5, 2014, 11:30 PM

May 2014

The death penalty was the punishment for homosexuality in several locations back then as well. I'd rather not live according to the "founding fathers". Despite this, I still believe the 5 conservative justices decided wrong. The 1st amendment prohibits the "establishment of religion" The 14th amendment makes the Bill of Rights applicable to the states.

In my opinion, starting an official meeting with a prayer, even if our country has done this since the beginning, is the "establishment of religion," especially if its a denominational prayer, and is therefore unconstitutional. Just because something has been done since the founding of the country does not mean its constitutional. Sodomy laws are unconstitutional, but were around until about a decade ago for example.

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Supreme Court Allows Prayers at Town Meetings [View all] SecularMotion May 2014 OP

The Obama Admin. also supports this. IronGate May 2014 #1

Care to cite that? nt msanthrope May 2014 #4

U.S. backs government prayer: Freddie Stubbs May 2014 #8

If that's true, then the Obama administration is wrong. Shoulders of Giants May 2014 #9

It is true. ForgoTheConsequence May 2014 #30

Then Obama is wrong then. Shoulders of Giants May 2014 #31

I think the point is that before we come down too hard on the SCOTUS over this decision totodeinhere May 2014 #33

No we didn't. Shoulders of Giants May 2014 #36

The Constitution was never amended to outlaw such things. And it was clearly believed permissible 24601 May 2014 #63

Owning slaves and beating your wife was legal then as well. Shoulders of Giants May 2014 #66

Agree! The passage of time does not make all things right! We must maintain the RKP5637 May 2014 #76

No doubt about it - slavery was constitutional. And it took the bloodiest war in our history and 24601 May 2014 #78

Its only a little prayer!!111!!! (cough Rick Warren cough) nt riderinthestorm May 2014 #58

Lets imprison the SC Justices who are criminals, i.e. Alito, Roberts and Thomas randys1 May 2014 #2

Except that Roberts saved Obamacare. Nye Bevan May 2014 #13

No I want to imprison him for lying under oath randys1 May 2014 #50

Do you mean during their confirmation hearings? Nye Bevan May 2014 #60

LOL oh man you should do stand up randys1 May 2014 #74

You left off Scalia Gothmog May 2014 #54

what bullshit kennedy is spewing heaven05 May 2014 #3

I wouldn't say "using the christian god as their guide" hedgehog May 2014 #5

yes, agreed, I stand corrected heaven05 May 2014 #10

! Yes, one should never post while talking to someone else at the time! hedgehog May 2014 #39

yeah true, I'm guilty sometimes heaven05 May 2014 #77

WTH? LittleGirl May 2014 #6

Here in the South... yallerdawg May 2014 #7

When blessings are offered at the dinner table... CANDO May 2014 #14

Exactly! indivisibleman May 2014 #20

they really need about three atheists in a row rurallib May 2014 #29

Works for me! hedgehog May 2014 #40

That's a good way to handle it, Nye Bevan May 2014 #42

I also wait patiently until then end, when they say "amen". AAO May 2014 #61

This is what I do. bigwillq May 2014 #67

I sit and stare straight ahead HockeyMom May 2014 #19

But both parties are the same dbackjon May 2014 #11

We are one vote away on the SCOTUS from losing Roe v Wade Gothmog May 2014 #55

As noted upthread, the Obama administration supports this particular decision Fumesucker May 2014 #68

How to turn conservatives against this decision: alp227 May 2014 #12

And, sadly, all the vets dive under their chairs. yallerdawg May 2014 #15

then let next chaplin be Islamic and then a Budhist monk weissmam May 2014 #16

+1000000 SoapBox May 2014 #22

The House of Representatives and the Senate have both used Muslims as guest totodeinhere May 2014 #49

Funny Cryptoad May 2014 #17

Yep Jesus said better to pray in your closet than in public! VanillaRhapsody May 2014 #51

Yep, bunch of freaking hypocrites, literally... Agony May 2014 #53

People who want it have freedom of religion. The rest of us just want mpcamb May 2014 #18

"Atheists were welcome to give the opening prayer." mac56 May 2014 #21

In the spirit of this ruling indivisibleman May 2014 #24

That one is priceless. AAO May 2014 #62

An Arizona state legislator who is an atheist opened a session as follows: onenote May 2014 #65

This one is not too bad, although it's the Agnostic's Prayer not the athiests.. Fumesucker May 2014 #69

The only place this would make sense would be in a theocracy. indivisibleman May 2014 #23

I'm sure that someone will come up with a Satanist prayer to say at these meetings sakabatou May 2014 #25

I find it hard to reconcile that it is okay.... Swede Atlanta May 2014 #26

Mark Twain's War Prayer? St. Francis' Peace Prayer? factsarenotfair May 2014 #27

Message delivered by prayer to "Divine, Lord, Master"? Mondavi May 2014 #32

Government validates a sky god? Mondavi May 2014 #28

The ruling was supported by the practice of inviting representatives of all beliefs to lead the Marshall III May 2014 #34

Am I allowed to sit down with my arms crossed during the prayer then? Dawson Leery May 2014 #43

Absolutely. Marshall III May 2014 #46

Read the Majority opinion, they support your right NOT to participate. happyslug May 2014 #47

So then it's not "prayer"? What is it? Mondavi May 2014 #70

No one has said that this is not prayer. Marshall III May 2014 #72

"God damn it, we forgot the silent prayer!" malthaussen May 2014 #35

even in progressive California Niceguy1 May 2014 #37

Was this matter not settled in 1962? Dawson Leery May 2014 #38

No, in 1962 the issue was prays among people who COULD NOT walk out happyslug May 2014 #48

It was a different issue. former9thward May 2014 #73

Why don't they just overturn everything in the Constitution in one swoop instead LoisB May 2014 #41

You do have to wonder, though, if their prayers ever... SeattleVet May 2014 #44

Here is the actual opinion happyslug May 2014 #45

Well then I guess I'm going to have to show up to more town meetings with my drum and fringe Scootaloo May 2014 #52

That's what I'm talking about! 1000words May 2014 #56

K&R DeSwiss May 2014 #57

In his Prayer Breakfast speech, BHO said "religion is under attack," "spreading Christianity is a blkmusclmachine May 2014 #59

Using Christianity as a means of conquest is nothing new Mondavi May 2014 #71

Thanks for the link ... but its shame you misquoted it so thoroughly. JoePhilly May 2014 #75

Dear Lord, deliver us from these imbeciles. Amen nt Xipe Totec May 2014 #64