• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Federal court halts Christian prayers at North Carolina county meetings [W:656]


Who is requiring you to be there?
So you have been forced or required to attend Rowan County, North Carolina county council meetings I presume?
 
No one is being forced to listen to a prayer because no one is being forced to be at the meeting to begin with. You're at that meeting out of your own free will - not because someone forced you.

Utter nonsense. Any time you have an issue before the board, be it a major zoning case or a request for an additional trash pickup day, you are required to be at least represented. Those opposing also have a right to be heard. If you want to make your case, you will be there.

On the other hand, no one is telling you not to pray, just not to make the prayer official.
 
They are certainly welcome to their religion but we are not going to let them shove their wacky ideas down our throats and turn the USA into a theocracy.
WTF do you care.... your in Europe.

Besides, a council praying together before a meeting is FAR from "turning the USA into a theocracy"
 

Well then I suppose an individual is going to have to weigh what issue is more important to them. Being in the presence of prayer or arguing their boggle with the town board.

I've never heard of an "official prayer." I don't think prayers can be "official."
 
Yeah, we wouldn't want to harm your ears. After all, that is a pretty serious offense.

:shrug: - I won't apologize for people can't keep their religions at home and church.
 
WTF do you care.... your in Europe.

Besides, a council praying together before a meeting is FAR from "turning the USA into a theocracy"

I think the first sentence of our First Amendment outright bans a theocracy. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,"
 
I don't want to be exposed to homosexuality therefore I don't go to gay communities.....

I don't want to be part in religious activity while at a government function, therefor, I'm keeping my government secular.
 

WHO IS THIS EVERYONE THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE THERE?????!?!?!?!?!?

And... Why is it "important" ?? Nobody has yet shown one example of how this harms anyone.

Another question.... do you know anything about Rowan County, North Carolina? Have you ever been there?
 
:shrug: - I won't apologize for people can't keep their religions at home and church.

Oh shut up.....

I bet if I said "I won't apologize for people that can't keep their sexuality at home or in their bedroom" your head would explode.
 

There's a majority of people in this county that oppose saying a prayer at the opening of the county meeting?
 
I don't want to be part in religious activity while at a government function, therefor, I'm keeping my government secular.

You can fantasize about your ideal government all you want but we're talking about reality here.
 
Oh shut up.....

I bet if I said "I won't apologize for people that can't keep their sexuality at home or in their bedroom" your head would explode.

Most people keep their sexuality at home. It's prudes who want to ban it even at home.
 

Saying a prayer prior to a county meeting isn't establishing a state religion.
 
You can fantasize about your ideal government all you want but we're talking about reality here.

Lol, our government is secular whether you like it or not. If it wasn't, it wouldn't have made it impossible to create a theocracy. Seriously, do you understand the inherent contradiction between saying the government can't give preference to one religion over another and then say the government isn't secular? Why make theocracies impossible if it's religious? Good will? Slip of the tongue?
 
Because the prayer is part of their free time and not a part of the job.
I fail to see anything in the first amendment that says you can only pray on your free time. In FACT... saying people can only pray on their free time would be restricting the free exercise of religion.

Why are we paying for them to pray on our dime?
So you live in Rowan County, North Carolina??????

Why am i being forced to sit there and watch?
Are you a council member of Rowan County, North Carolina?
Here is the problem,
Yes, the problem is you fail to understand anything
They can pray to god as they wish, and i do not need to be a part of it.
No. You don't have to be a part of it. When someone is having a conversation near me, I do not HAVE to be a part of it either. Just sit there and quit eavesdropping on them.
Everyone gets what they want.
No. YOU get what YOU want... restricting their freedoms.
You feel that for some reason people who are not religious, or people who are religious and do not practice that particular faith should be forced to be a part of christian prayer time.
Nobody is forcing them.
Should you have to wait for muslims to get their mats out and pray to the east? Should you have to sit through a buddhist meditation? Should you have to wait for wiccans to have a ceremony to the goddess?
Sure if that is what the local council wants to do before a meeting.

This is a load of crap because you and every other religious person knows that people have to be forced to pray.
NOBODY IS FORCING YOU TO PRAY.... ART THOU DEAF?

That is why you want it at schools and in public meetings. You want those people to have to take a moment to give respect to your god.
No..... I want people to have the opportunity to respect their god, if they wish.
 
Most people keep their sexuality at home. It's prudes who want to ban it even at home.

I don't want to ban it - hell, I could care less if the announce it in the streets however, I don't go to their communities or events because I don't agree with their lifestyle.

Furthermore some gays can be pretty belligerent about their sexuality for no reason whatsoever.
 
Showing yet again that you fail to understand anything.

This is not a State Job.
 
Saying a prayer prior to a county meeting isn't establishing a state religion.

School prayer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Darn SCOTUS!
 

The state isn't paying anyone here.......
 

So then you made a strawman argument. Nobody is going to a county meeting and watching men make out or lesbians eating each other out. Nobody is having you watch gay demonstrations of sexuality at county meetings or otherwise. So why even bring it up? Oh, you have nothing else to argue.
 
If you're not doing it in an official school function, no. You're not. If you're doing it an official function, yes, you are. You don't get paid to preach. You get paid to teach.

That logic is ****ing retarded.


You also don't get paid to take a ****. No bowel movements allowed at work!
 

Yes our government is secular, that doesn't mean individuals with civil liberties are forced to be secular - even if they are part of government...

Using your flawed logic and ignorance of civil liberties only an atheist is legally qualified to run and obtain pubic office.

The First Amendment bans religion from becoming LAW - the First Amendment also protects an individuals right to religious freedom.

It's really not that hard to understand.
 
That logic is ****ing retarded.

You also don't get paid to take a ****. No bowel movements allowed at work!

Actually, I'm practically my own boss. So, I get paid to do whatever I really want. Which is why I don't drive around harassing kids for smoking weed.
 

No one is making you say a prayer and no one is forcing you to be at a meeting - you're only there of your own free will....

Get it?
 

The court didn't come down on the side of the U.S. Constitution.

In allowing the council to pray openly, what law is being made respecting the establishment of religion?

If anything it is prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…