Last week local news around here reported on a controversy in Delaware county. It seems the county commissioners have been opening their meetings with a Christian specific prayer.
Here is a report on the dispute. As you watch, it try and figure out who is not understanding the “spirit” or history of the 1st amendment:
It seems that Delaware County Prosecutor David Yost is the one not understanding what separation of church and state means. It doesn’t mean “scrubbing the name God from every inch of the public arena” and doesn’t only mean the government can’t establish a state religion.
Separation of church and state means government neutrality in religious matters. Saying a prayer to Jesus is not being neutral.
The 1st amendment only applies to actions by the government NOT about all expressions in public. If the commissioners want to say a prayer they can, but should do it outside their duties as commissioners. They can gather “round the pole” say their prayer then enter the meeting room and start the meeting.
Such actions may not be illegal as such but it tells me that OUR government believes that Christian adherents are more valuable, and all others are less valuable, members of the political community.
Is that really the message we want OUR government to support – that one segment of people is more valuable than all others?
If a public servant can’t see or understand the harm they are doing then I have to question their judgement in all other areas.
