Commissioners of Rowan County, North Carolina are reflecting the overwhelming community support for ignoring the cries from various anti-Christian organizations to censor the name of Jesus Christ in public.
For background, read Jesus' Name Unconstitutional in Public, Says Supreme Court
UPDATE 3/29/13 - Local churches support commissioners for prayer (video):
UPDATE 4/5/13: State legislators propose prayer law to stave off ACLU
-- From "Rowan board praises Jesus despite lawsuit warning" by Michael Biesecker, Associated Press 3/6/12
A Rowan County commissioner opened the board's Monday meeting with a Christian prayer, despite a warning from the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union that it would violate the law and potentially trigger a lawsuit.
The ACLU recently began contacting local governments across North Carolina after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., that found sectarian prayers at public meetings violate First Amendment protections. So far, at least 15 government bodies have changed their prayer policies.
Of the 25 government bodies contacted by the ACLU, only the Rowan County board has flatly refused to make changes, according to the ACLU.
Four of the five commissioners of the Rowan board have said they plan to continue praying to Christ. They have said their prayers are different than those from the case out of Forsyth County considered by the 4th circuit, because individual commissioners take turns leading the prayer rather than volunteer local .
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Deadline passes, commissioner prays in Jesus name as usual" By Kay Johnson, Reporter, WBTV3 3/5/12
A crowd of folks signed up to speak in support of the commission. An overflowed crowd filled the hallways and sang hymns.
"The ACLU has attempted to intimidate them [commissioners] but they can not issue orders," Resident Larry Wright said.
Mike Meno with the ACLU told WBTV last week, "I hope the commissioners understand the potential consequences of this especially the consequences this could have on taxpayers who they would bring into the situation potentially."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Commissioners answer ACLU with a prayer" by Karissa Minn, Salisbury Post 3/6/12
[County Commissioner Jon] Barber not only prayed in Jesus’ name and addressed “our Heavenly father,” but referenced “the salvation of Jesus Christ” and declared his name “as the only way to eternal life.”
[At the meeting,] Ricky Perry, a China Grove pastor, said he considers the ACLU’s actions an attack on Jesus Christ, Christianity and this country’s freedoms.
“People say they are for freedom and for Christianity, but the commissioners should have to hide in the back room to pray,” Perry said. “When somebody tells you how to pray, what could infringe on your rights more?”
Shakeisha Gray, a Salisbury resident and Unitarian Universalist, said she and others feel that commissioners’ actions are “not only unlawful and unjust but disrespectful and hurtful.”
China Grove resident William McCubbins, who identified himself as a Jewish man, said he isn’t offended by the prayers in Jesus’ name.
“I want you to know I do not feel excluded in any way, shape or form,” he said. “I come here often, and you guys are the most inclusive group of people I have ever
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
To see more video news reports of the Rowan County board meeting, CLICK HERE.
