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Federal Judge ***** ********

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by church mouse guy, Dec 1, 2005.

  1. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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    Federal Judge ***** ******** ruled that a preacher praying in front of the Indiana House of Representatives could not use the beautiful name, the wonderful name, the holy name of Jesus.

    He was applauded by Indianapolis Jews.

    A federal court judge Wednesday barred prayers that mention Jesus Christ or endorse any religion at the opening of each daily session of the Indiana House of Representatives.
    Judge ***** ******** found that the House practice breached the clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibiting government establishment of religion. While not banning prayers in the House, Hamilton ordered that any person chosen to give the invocation be instructed it must not advance any one faith or be used in a bid to convert listeners.


    It seems to me that this is a clear violation of the US Constitution that says that there can be no law prohibiting the free expression of religion.

    The big question is if a laid-back George Bush and a laid-back Republican Party are going to pass legislation to curb these federal judges? Is Bush going to help Hoosier Republicans take this case to the Supreme Court and will the Catholics on the Court even care about freedom of religion?

    The Indianapolis newspaper will only leave the story online for free for one week:

    http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051201/NEWS01/512010428
     
  2. guitarpreacher

    guitarpreacher New Member

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    The judge didn't prohibit anyone from exercising their religion. He just said you can't pray in a specific spot at a specific time. If prayer is important to the Indiana legislators, they should gather for prayer before the session starts. I'm not opposed to prayer before the legislative sessions, but you have to realize that prayer there is a whole lot of show and not much substance. (that's not a reflection on the one praying, but more on the ones being prayed for)
     
  3. RockRambler

    RockRambler New Member

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    When I was a lobbyist, one day I look around the floor of the NC House and thought, "If the rapture occurred right now...would anybody be missing"?????
     
  4. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    This should please Baptists and others who want to go back to first century Christian practice - when Christian public praying was a criminal offense and no NT existed.
     
  5. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Isn't that funny. The senate has a chaplain who prays, etc.
     
  6. fromtheright

    fromtheright <img src =/2844.JPG>

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    I think that current SCOTUS case law would support the preacher, certainly in praying before a legislative assembly and I think also in using Jesus's name.
     
  7. JamieinNH

    JamieinNH New Member

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    I agree with guitarpreacher in that most likely it's more for show than anything.

    The Bible teaches us to go into our closet and pray. We are not suppose to "put on a show" when we pray.

    I agree that any member that wants to hold a prayer should do so before the session starts. Nothing is stopping them from gathering together before they go into session, and have a small prayer group.

    Also, Freedom is a funny thing. Since this country was founded on freedom, that same freedom that gives us the right to meet, have church, and worship as God wants us too, well that same freedom allows for people to stand against prayer too.


    Jamie
     
  8. kubel

    kubel New Member

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    About public prayer:

    Matthew 6:5
    And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

    Matthew 6:6
    But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.


    About the ruling:

    People have to understand that this nation is not a Christian nation. Also, I don't see why people are upset about this. They shouldn't have been praying in front of everyone anyway.

    Wednesday nights at our church is Bible study followed by prayer. Why don't I pray in front of everyone? Because when I speak, I will be more concerned with what the people around me hear than what God hears. Some people can pray publicly and be totally unconcerned with others around them- and can legitimately pray to God. That's great. But my point is, these politicians are not concerned with what God hears. They are doing it for show, "that they may be seen of men".
     
  9. hillclimber

    hillclimber New Member

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    Isn't that a sobering thought.

    Also praying in any other name is just so much babble.
     
  10. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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    Those of you who only pray in private must not pray aloud for anyone.

    The practice of prayer in public meetings is as old as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington in American history.

    This judge should be locked up in the Indiana mental hospitals for the criminally insane and terminally communist.
     
  11. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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    Federal Judge ***** ******** is a total hypocrite, just like the Democrats. I don't think that his name should be said by anyone again as long as he lives, just to see how he likes it.

    The reason that I say that he is a total hypocrite is that, as a federal judge, he will observe Christmas as a federal holiday and he will collect and accept federal money for the holiday, which is the birth of Jesus, whom he thinks that there is no free speech to say the name of Jesus anywhere at anytime.

    This judge is such a reprobate that one wonders why Congress does not remove him, unless it is that Congress is the same. And where has Mr. President been on this issue--MIA?

    And where is the self-appointed Mr. Wonderful, Governor of Indiana Mitch Daniels been on this issue--up in Carmel, Indiana, at his upper class mansion counting his money?
     
  12. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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  13. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    Excellent, biblical, and thoughtful post. [​IMG]
     
  14. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    I've read that Ben Franklin was a first class hedonist. Pretty good example if what Christ was warning us against in Matthew 6.
     
  15. hillclimber

    hillclimber New Member

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    I heard the same thing about ol' Ben.
     
  16. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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    So should one pray for one's spouse aloud in front of one's spouse or should one go into one's closet so one's spouse could not hear?

    If one's motives are not false, where is the sin in praying aloud? The preacher prays aloud, doesn't he? And isn't it wrong to ascribe sinful motives to a person who prays aloud in public? And doesn't the preacher have a constitutional right to say the name of Jesus aloud at any time and in any place?

    Does the US Military have a right to have a chaplain who prays for men before they go over the top?

    Are you saying that men like Peter Marshall who served as US Senate Chaplain were hypocrites?
     
  17. church mouse guy

    church mouse guy Well-Known Member
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    Baptist Press is reporting that Indiana House Democrats are against the ruling by this federal judge. According to the Baptist Press:

    Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, a Democrat, also criticized the decision and said he would support Bosma if he decides to appeal, The Indianapolis Star reported. Bauer called the decision "untenable."


    http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=22183
     
  18. Bunyon

    Bunyon New Member

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    When a federal Judge or any judge can tell the legislators what to do in their own building, we will have lost our democracy and will have replaced it whith a oligarchy.
     
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