Sunday, May 2, 2010

Retrieving the First Amendment

Kerry Dougherty's editorial in today's Virginian-Pilot truly rings the Liberty Bell. I hope you'll take a couple minutes and read it. (They're a bit slow at the Pilot today with their links. As soon as they have it up I'll post it here. Or you can try to find it yourself at www.pilotonline.com).

Often I'm asked (because of the "controversy") if I pray in Jesus' name when my prayers are in a public setting such as town functions. Frequently I am asked to pray for ceremonies and now commissioners' meetings because of my dual roles as a local church pastor and as a chaplain with our fire department.

My answer is simple: "Praying in Jesus' name is the only way I know how to pray. Anything else would be something less than prayer." Thankfully we have a Constitution that not only protects us from government dictation of what we can or can't believe, but also guarantees us freedom of speech.

Even when that speech is to God.

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