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McDonnell reverses prayer policy Date published: 4/29/2010
BY CHELYEN DAVIS RICHMOND --After lobbying by religious groups, Gov. Bob McDonnell has reversed a state police policy of banning sectarian prayers at public police gatherings.The policy had generated heated argument that boiled down to disagreement over whose religious rights are take precedence--those giving a prayer or those listening to a prayer. The state police policy was implemented two years ago after a federal appeals In that case, city Councilman Hashmel Turner wanted to pray to Jesus in prayers in open council meetings. The courts ruled that that made the prayer sectarian and thus was not allowed, although nondenominational prayers are allowed. As a result, State Police Col. Steven Flaherty had directed police chaplains--who are troopers who volunteer chaplain services--to avoid denominational prayers at public events, such as trooper graduations. Six chaplains resigned in protest, igniting a controversy that had a group of ministers criticizing then-Gov. Tim Kaine and Flaherty for the directive, saying it violated the chaplains' right to pray according to their own conscience. Efforts in the legislature to pass bills making it illegal for the state police to put such limits on chaplain prayers have failed. A House bill this year didn't even get a committee hearing. McDonnell believes both the current policy and the one the state police had prior to the court ruling are legal. But he believes it is a First Amendment issue, and that government must respect the free exercise of religion. "To me, for a government official to direct chaplains how to pray or not pray is not the right view of the First Amendment," McDonnell said. McDonnell's spokeswoman Stacy Johnson said the state police will now revert to the former policy, which was to allow chaplains to pray according to their own faith. McDonnell said the policy puts state police chaplains in the same position as chaplains in the military, the National Guard and other law enforcement agencies. The Family Foundation, which had been critical of the policy implemented by Flaherty and Kaine and had pushed McDonnell for its reversal, issued a statement thanking McDonnell.
wanted to pray to Satan or Allah? Or to the Great Pumpkin? Prayer to anyone or anything should not be done with any government support--whether from our idiotic governor or anyone else. The original decision in this matter was the proper Constitutional one. Let's hope the ACLU can help accomplish that.
get offended because those vegans call you a murderer everyday, chant "meat is murder" in every public setting, hang pictures of slaughterhouse activities all around town, and when they see you eatingmeat, get in your face and deride you as lower than pondscum.
I read the entire spectrum of publications, right left, no position and also the funnies in the back of the NY Post.
And the good thing is I could read the same stuff over and over again because I forget it as soon as I read it...that's how memorable it is. Of course there is no real news any longer, unless you find a local Pennysaver in Podunk IL which may still publish that Mr. Obama's chicken laid an egg. A small one.
It is the right of the chaplain to pray how he sees fit. That
cannot be infringed upon. Free exercise - of the one praying.
Why do people who don't even believe in a god got so
offended by it? Should I get offended by vegans because I
eat meat? Ridiculous.
wing friends find out you've been reading that left wing rag?
Will they excommunicate you or something?
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