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A court has rejected a threat to ban prayer requests from church bulletins.

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by Revmitchell, Nov 2, 2008.

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  1. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    An invasion of privacy lawsuit was filed by a Jewish woman after her stepson printed a prayer request about her in a Christian newsletter. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel has details. "This is a case where a prayer request was put in a newsletter, a prayer request by a stepson for his stepmother with regards to her relationship to Jesus Christ or her actual journey of faith --, and as a result of that, there was a subsequent lawsuit over a year later," he explains.

    The stepmother, Staver notes, was apparently embarrassed and offended over it; however, the Florida Supreme Court rejected her complaint. Staver was asked about the results if the court had ruled otherwise. "There's no question that if 'false light invasion of privacy' was accepted by the Florida Supreme Court, then churches that publish prayer requests could have been liable for someone who says that 'I am highly offended at this,'" he adds.

    http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=305734
     
    #1 Revmitchell, Nov 2, 2008
  2. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    I am so glad this went this way.

    BUT it does beg the question, how did stepmommy dearest find out?

    AND it does raise the issue that we have to be so very careful with prayer requests don't we.
     
    #2 mcdirector, Nov 2, 2008
  3. Palatka51

    Palatka51 New Member

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    I feel that this is just the beginning of many law suits coming down the pike against the Church in these United States as many laws are passed that are favorable to abortionists and those in alternative lifestyles. Praise the Lord for our current set of judges that see common sense above petty liability suits.

    Will the next POTUS appoint judges that hold these same values?

    We will see on Tuesday, November 4th then on Wednesday, November 5th when the Democrats vote.:laugh:

    Just kidding, all parties vote on Tuesday, November 4th
     
    #3 Palatka51, Nov 2, 2008
  4. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Under the Hippa Laws this is tricky already...

    New way to operate in this world with Prayer requests...

    Get specific permission from people you are putting in prayer requests...
    Even oral ones...

    If, as a pastor I announce that so-n-so is in the hospital and needs our prayers without that person's permission, I am liabel for violating Hippa.

    I always, ALWAYS..get peoples permission before I announce from the pulpit.

    Suppose that I announce Ms. Jones is in the hospital and will be there a few days... A visitor may take that information and possibly rob her house... or pretend to be a hospital worker and call her elderly husband and pretend to need her SS number or insurance info.. .and steal her identity...

    Don't say it won't happen.. We have to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves...

    Use good common sense and ask for permission before opening our mouths.

    This is one reason our church does not have a prayer request section on our church's website... The whole world does not need to know Suzy Q is having an historectomy.
     
    #4 tinytim, Nov 2, 2008
  5. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    My wife being a paralegal and working in work com defense assures me Hippa laws do not come into play with regards to prayer requests on a church bulliten. Add to that once a law suit is filed personal information becomes public and Hippa no longer applies.
     
    #5 Revmitchell, Nov 2, 2008
  6. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Well, that is not what is being told to us pastors here in WV..


    Still, even if Hippa isn't a worry for us.. common sense and respecting people's right to privacy should come into play.
     
    #6 tinytim, Nov 2, 2008
  7. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday New Member

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    Make Up Your Mind

    Shouldn't they make up their minds? Do they want Freedom of Privacy or Freedom of Speech? Obviously, if we have freedom of speech, we have the right to tell others of our prayer concerns. But if they have the right to privacy, then we lose freedom of speech.

    I like what Lester Rolof said about this nation. He said, "The United States is an insane asylum which is being run by the inmates".

    I heard Sarah Palin say today that she and McCain would fight to defend every article of our Constitution. I was already hoping that Palin would get in. But now she sure will get a reminder letter from me if she does!

    God bless.
     
    #7 Doc Holliday, Nov 2, 2008
  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    There could be additional State and or Commonwealth laws that come into play.

    I have to be careful myself as a lively driver, I have a list of my customers which include address, phone, and doctors ect. Since that is from Medicaid, I must treat it as privilege information.

    Years ago, I as taught to ask someone "Would you like for me to pray for you". Suppose they say no - and then you put them on your (published) prayer list - then would they have a case for a law suit?

    Salty
     
    #8 Salty, Nov 3, 2008
  9. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    I treat people like I want to be treated...

    Let's say I was diagnosed with cancer... but I didn't want the average "joe six-pack" in my community to know it... I wouldn't want the churches in the community to publish my medical info!

    So why would I publish someone elses in our weekly bulletin without them asking me to, or getting their permission?

    What if someone was diagnosed with cancer... a person not in your church, but is in the community...
    But the local life insurance salesman goes to your church...

    Now supposed the person with diabetes didn't want his insurance to know he has it because he will lose his insurance,

    If you publish that information, the insurance salesman now has ammunition. (not saying that it was right to hide info from insurance companies... but you get my point)

    Or what if someone is struggling through a divorce...
    Would you want everyone knowing that?

    People have a right to privacy...

    They also have a right to prayer...

    Just ask before you publish private info...
     
    #9 tinytim, Nov 3, 2008
  10. Palatka51

    Palatka51 New Member

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    I am the compiler and editor for our bulletin and at first we used to publish our prayer requests with name and reason. A few years ago I felt that the reason for prayer might be an invasion of privacy and out of respect for the prayer recipient, I felt compelled to post only names. Simply put, God is all knowing and knows what we need before we even pray for it. Therefore the name is all that is needed as God already knows the details and how to fix it. :praying:

    :godisgood:
     
    #10 Palatka51, Nov 3, 2008
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