Freedom From Religion Foundation files federal lawsuit against Rick Perry for Prayer Day.

 

EDIT: This is the correct link. The other one is relevant and interesting, but this is the lawsuit one.

 

I'm sure most of you will think it's silly that he's going to an event to pray our problems away. Hell, I'm a fan of God myself, but He's not going to make the debt go away or reduce the deficit. So I'd prefer more practical solutions from our politicians.

 

That said, he's entitled to his religious beliefs. It'd be one thing if he were using taxpayer funds for this. But he's not. As the article states, it's privately funded. So he's going on his own time, on his own dime. No one is being forced to attend. So this group's claim that he's breaking the constitutional prohibition against the establishment of a national religion is just idiotic.

 

It seems to me that this group and others like it just want to ban acts of Christianity. Seven in Heaven Way in Manhattan, and a politician attending a religious event on his own time and dime, etc...these are not acts that establish a national religion. They are just people expressing religious beliefs which isn't outlawed anywhere. Not in this country, at least.

 

Also, it's funny that the same group that raised a fuss about that street in NYC went out on the 4th of July and flew planes with banners saying "Godless America" and "Atheism is Patriotic". They're free to do that as far as I'm concerned, but it looks incredibly bad when the same group rages against similar displays of Christianity. Hypocrisy, anyone?

 

Again, I will stress that I don't really care if people are atheists. I don't care if atheists want to spend their own time and money throwing conventions and Days of Non-Prayer and Non-Fasting. Your atheism doesn't affect me; that's between you and God. And if you believe He doesn't exist, well, that's your perogative. But I've always been annoyed by atheists who try to stop Christians from practicing their beliefs, which is what is going on here. And the fact that the do things like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, where they're holding themselves to one standard and Christians to another, that just pisses me the Hell off.

Edited July 14, 201114 yr by FlySox87

I read the whole article and couldnt find a mention of lawsuit (federal or otherwise). I read that people were critical of his decision and I believe that they, like Perry, are free to express their opinions.

I read the whole article and couldnt find a mention of lawsuit (federal or otherwise). I read that people were critical of his decision and I believe that they, like Perry, are free to express their opinions.

 

Did I post the wrong damn article? Whoops.

 

Here ya go.

 

I read about the lawsuit, and then searched for other articles to find out where the funding came from. Which I managed to do with the NYT one. And then I sort of forgot that the NYT didn't mention the lawsuit that was my big issue to begin with. Criticism is fine, but this lawsuit is clearly a move to deny Perry of his beliefs and that is not acceptable.

 

My bad.

Edited July 14, 201114 yr by FlySox87

I think its a strained argument at best. If Perry went to his regular church and got on stage and said a few words, Im not sure that really is the equivalent of state sponsored religion. So as long as there is no connection between Texas and the event, I dont really see why Perry being Governor is relevant.

I think its a strained argument at best. If Perry went to his regular church and got on stage and said a few words, Im not sure that really is the equivalent of state sponsored religion. So as long as there is no connection between Texas and the event, I dont really see why Perry being Governor is relevant.

 

I can respect that. You actually respect freedom of religion, even when it's not your religion and your beliefs at stake. I'm cool with that.

Thinking I'm agreeing with FlySox here.

I'm agreeing with Fly as well.

 

But it's Perry, so this has to be shown.

 

 

Ok, Tex is baiting me, so I'm stealing this one.

 

On April 21, Rick Perry asked Texans to pray for rain that would help end the drought and fires in Texas. Here is a graphic of the Texas drought conditions at that time.

 

 

Here is what the drought conditions in Texas are this week.

 

God is strongly opposed to helping out Rick Perry.

 

Unless it has to do with raising taxes, democrats want no religion other than Islam anywhere near politics. THAT, they seem to have no problem with.

Yes, all of us on the left hate christians and love muslims. We are atheist commie muslims who just want to raise taxes and ban jesus.

 

praise to allah.

Unless it has to do with raising taxes, democrats want no religion other than Islam anywhere near politics. THAT, they seem to have no problem with.

 

Bulls***.

 

 

Unless it has to do with raising taxes, democrats want no religion other than Islam anywhere near politics. THAT, they seem to have no problem with.

Here's the press release from FFRF

 

 

The website for The Response, linked from the governor’s official website, http://www.governor.state.tx.us, conveys Gov. Perry’s hope that the prayer rally will provide divine guidance to the nation, and Perry’s videotaped invitation to join him on Aug. 6 to turn to Jesus and ask for God’s forgiveness. The homepage bears Perry’s open invitation as governor to “fellow Americans” to join him and other “praying people” in “asking God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision for our state and nation. There is hope for America. It lies in heaven, and we will find it on our knees.

 

It shouldn't be linked from the Governor's official website, imo. And there needs to be a clear difference between Rick Perry the Governor of Texas and Rick Perry, Evangelical Christian in the promotion of the event. I think that's where there problem lies: he's using his position to endorse and promote a religious event, blurring the line.

I'm going to pray to Zeus, Flash Gordon, Bilbo Baggins, Bigfoot, and Xena Warrior Princess that Texas breaks off and floats away.

Yes, all of us on the left hate christians and love muslims. We are atheist commie muslims who just want to raise taxes and ban jesus.

 

praise to allah.

 

Islam is the Light, PBUH.

 

Gingrich actually did try to claim that secularization will also lead to radical islam running the country!

Here's the press release from FFRF

 

 

 

 

It shouldn't be linked from the Governor's official website, imo. And there needs to be a clear difference between Rick Perry the Governor of Texas and Rick Perry, Evangelical Christian in the promotion of the event. I think that's where there problem lies: he's using his position to endorse and promote a religious event, blurring the line.

I dunno...what does it count as if a public official, for example, were to urge people to pray for something? Or were to give advantages to religious organizations like tax-exempt status?

I dunno...what does it count as if a public official, for example, were to urge people to pray for something? Or were to give advantages to religious organizations like tax-exempt status?

 

Well at the bare minimum linking from the official government site gives explicit endorsement from the state of Texas for the event. That should absolutely be removed.

 

And if the promotion of the event implies that the State of Texas is endorsing it, that's also problematic. File that under the "under God" and "In God We Trust" stuff for me, though: shouldn't be there, hopefully it's removed eventually but it's really not worth worrying over.

Well at the bare minimum linking from the official government site gives explicit endorsement from the state of Texas for the event. That should absolutely be removed.

 

And if the promotion of the event implies that the State of Texas is endorsing it, that's also problematic. File that under the "under God" and "In God We Trust" stuff for me, though: shouldn't be there, hopefully it's removed eventually but it's really not worth worrying over.

I could come up with hypotheticals all day if I wanted...but here's sorta my thinking. The Governor of Texas is presumably allowed to spend state funds to attend events that the Governor of Texas wants to attend. The Governor of Texas is also allowed to spend funds to publicize actions of the Governor of Texas. Given those 2 facts, I can't really criticize strongly the use of state funds to publicize an event involving the governor of Texas.

That seems like an easy skip away from being able to openly promote a specific religion with state funds.

That seems like an easy skip away from being able to openly promote a specific religion with state funds.

You're never going to get fully around that though. An Executive or a Congressman is constantly allowed to promote things the Congressperson does using state funds. If a Congressperson attends a church and puts that church on their schedule, they're promoting that church. If Keith Ellison goes somewhere and gives a speech about Islam, then somewhere along the line the state is paying to support Islam.

You're never going to get fully around that though. An Executive or a Congressman is constantly allowed to promote things the Congressperson does using state funds. If a Congressperson attends a church and puts that church on their schedule, they're promoting that church. If Keith Ellison goes somewhere and gives a speech about Islam, then somewhere along the line the state is paying to support Islam.

 

Well in my mind there's a clear demarcation between that and actively promoting a religious event on the official Governor of Texas website.

Here's the press release from FFRF

 

It shouldn't be linked from the Governor's official website, imo. And there needs to be a clear difference between Rick Perry the Governor of Texas and Rick Perry, Evangelical Christian in the promotion of the event. I think that's where there problem lies: he's using his position to endorse and promote a religious event, blurring the line.

 

I disagree. No one is forced to attend, and no tax dollars are funding this thing. The Constitution doesn't prohibit politicians from being openly religious. That's not the goal of the First Amendment.

I'm going to pray to Zeus, Flash Gordon, Bilbo Baggins, Bigfoot, and Xena Warrior Princess that Texas breaks off and floats away.

 

I'm doing the same with California.

I could come up with hypotheticals all day if I wanted...but here's sorta my thinking. The Governor of Texas is presumably allowed to spend state funds to attend events that the Governor of Texas wants to attend. The Governor of Texas is also allowed to spend funds to publicize actions of the Governor of Texas. Given those 2 facts, I can't really criticize strongly the use of state funds to publicize an event involving the governor of Texas.

 

Which means anytime Barack goes to church, you should be upset.

Which means anytime Barack goes to church, you should be upset.

Do you even bother reading what I write any more?

The Governor of Texas is presumably allowed to spend state funds to attend events that the Governor of Texas wants to attend. The Governor of Texas is also allowed to spend funds to publicize actions of the Governor of Texas. Given those 2 facts, I can't really criticize strongly the use of state funds to publicize an event involving the governor of Texas.

 

Really? I did not know this. Well, have a blast, Rick Perry!