Texas Pastor Told to Remove Jesus’ Name From Memorial Day Prayer at Houston National Cemetery…
If we keep flushing our Judeo-Christian heritage down the toilet we’ll turn into the UK.
(Fox News Radio) — A Texas pastor who was told he could not pray in the name of Jesus during a Memorial Day ceremony at Houston National Cemetery has been granted a temporary restraining order.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes issued the order preventing the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the Houston National Cemetery from ordering Pastor Scott Rainey to remove the name of Jesus from his prayer. The judge ruled that such censorship violated the First Amendment.
“It is very clear that a pastor has a right as a private citizen to speak his mind freely and not have the government censor or edit the content of his speech, said Jeff Mateer, general counsel of the Liberty Institute and the attorney representing Rainey. “Our veterans fought and many died for our religious freedom and to have it stripped away under the façade of inclusiveness is the height of offense to those who have served our country.”
Rainey, the pastor of Living Word Church of the Nazarene, has delivered prayers at the Memorial Day service for the past two years. But this year the cemetery’s director asked him to submit his prayer in writing.
The prayer concluded with the words, “in the name of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.”
“People should be very alarmed that the government was attempting to censor someone’s private religious prayer,” Liberty Institute attorney Erin Leu told Fox News Radio. “That violates the First Amendemnt and it’s clearly unconstitutional.”
Posted by ZIP on Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at 11:29 am | 
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Praying in Jesus’s name isn’t part of the Judeo part of the Judeo-Christian heritage.
I remember all of our (public) high school sports events and school ceremonies began with a prayer. At that time , no one would have imagined that our freedom of religion and freedom of speech would become freedom FROM religion and censorship.
George Washington and the whole Congress got on their knees and prayed before the meetings.
God will withdraw from us if we don’t stop this!!.
He was with this country for many many years when we were a godly country. The more we withdraw from him the worse our condition grows. Anyone with half a brain can feel His turning from this country .That is what frightens me most. I always knew He was with us and we couldn’t be defeated, now I stand in fear of what will happen to this once proud country, with the most wicked president and politicians we have ever had. And catering to athiests and Muslims and turning from the God of our Fathers.
I meant to emphasize a Christian prayer. And it was lead by administration, teachers or students as well as clergy.
Here’s a thought: To be “inclusive”, how about INCLUDING leaders from other faiths to share their prayers, rather than asking one from a particular faith to be dishonest about what he believes in?
I mean, wouldn’t that be the LOGICAL step toward being INCLUSIVE?
I don’t know what I’m saying. That clearly means a person must think about what they’re saying and the definition of the words they use…
“George Washington and the whole Congress got on their knees and prayed before the meetings.” – Tanya
Quite true, but i bet they didnt say “in the name of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.” or possibly any reference to Jesus.
Many times reference to a specific title can be devisive even among Christians. By finding a less sectarian word, yet still fitting title for Him, a prayer can include many more faiths then one (or even just a few denominations of one). Often times wordings like “our Creator”, “our Lord”, “the Supreme Judge”, or dare I put in a Masonic term “Grand Architect of the Universe”. All of these titles are non-denominational and fit into the description of Jesus and/or God (however you view Him or Them). This way one can lead a prayer while allowing each person there to privately insert their own belief.
This has to stop…more and more need a backbone to keep fighting for the right side of life.
Another judge-to the hall of shame. man we have alot of work to do.
@BeukendallMason
Most places won’t even allow God to be mentioned. Why do they want to stop the printing of “In God We Trust” from our money. And “One Nation Under God” from the pledge of allegence. They want it all to be done away with, not just in Jesus name.
Wake up!!!
Im all about inclusion… but once u start accomodating different religions ur really opening the floodgates to the “Wickens” and shi&. There r alot of fraudulent “religions” out there. This could get really weird-really fast.
The left is still trying to kick gods ass to the curb. Way to go assholes.
How about me mentioning God’s name…………….God Damn all liberal commie rat bastards…………………
“One nation under God” was not included in the pledge of allegiance until 1954.
Freckles.
One nation under God” was not included in the pledge of allegiance until 1954
and your point is?
BeukendaalMason, Christians are commanded by Jesus to pray in the name of Jesus. It is the name that has the power, not the title. Jesus specifically gave His name to use, not His title.
Tina: you misread the piece, the judge is on the pastor’s side.
The VA and the cemetary were against the pastor mentioning Jesus? WTF!!!
The ACLU I could see doing this but, these guys?
What the hell is going on in America!!!!
PC, if Christians are commanded to pray in the name of Jesus, then they shouldn’t be leading prayers at governmental events. There are plenty of people
buried in the cemetery who weren’t Christians and thought that Christianity was problematical. So if there’s going to be a prayer , it should be respectful of their beliefs.
If, as you say, Jesus’s name is supposedly what gives the power, then where’s the evidence that prayers said in the name of Jesus are more effective than the same prayer with Jesus’s name left out. If you can’t come up with the evidence, then you shouldn’t be making the claim.