"Since I've been on City Council, City Council has always opened up with the prayer and the pledge. Nobody has brought the issue to me."UPDATE 7/24/14: Atheists Sue Michigan Mayor Who Barred Their Booth
-- Mayor Dennis Browning
For background, read Prayer at Civic Meetings Flourish Across America as more Citizens Rebel Against Atheist Threats
And also read of countless examples of citizens banding together to defy the atheists and pray in school and other local government bodies.
In addition, read Texas Law Tells Schools to Ignore Atheist Threats and read the long list of states enacting laws to bring prayer back to schools.
UPDATE 5/13/14: U.S. Supreme Court rules prayers to Jesus Christ OK at government meetings
-- From "Group challenging prayer at city council meetings" by James Felton, WNEM-TV5 (Saginaw, MI) 2/20/14
[FFRF] is calling for Saginaw to stop mixing religion and politics. Prayer has been a part of city council meetings for years. Folks TV5 talked to don't have a problem with that.
Mayor pro tem Amos O'Neal disagrees. "Our country is founded on God. In God we trust on it," says O'Neal.
"I have a right to pray in public. That's our right. So I think it's a matter of determining based on the information we have what course of action we'll take. I don't see us refraining from praying. I just don't see that happening," continued O'Neal.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Atheist Group Tells Michigan City Council to Stop Praying on Taxpayers' Time" by Michael Gryboski, Christian Post Reporter 2/21/14
The council meeting prayers often happen in conjunction with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and are led by a member of the city council, according to various agenda minutes.
The practice has reportedly been going on in Saginaw City Council meetings for years, and according to local media, has little opposition.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Prayer before Saginaw Council meeting challenged by 'Freedom from Religion' organization" by Mark Tower, The Saginaw News 2/19/14
Members of the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners each take turns saying a prayer to start off monthly meetings.
"It's a longstanding tradition," Board Chairman Michael Hanley said. "I think it has been a positive thing. The prayers are generally centered around the commissioners' gratitude to serve the community, their high hopes for the community and by a desire for the meeting to be guided by American principles and fairness."
Robert "Moe" Woods Jr., who has been elected to 12 terms on the board of commissioners since 1990, said he believes seeking guidance from God is important for leaders about to "undertake important business."
"I think it should be standard procedure," Woods said. "I'm for it 110 percent. If some people don't believe in it; they have a right not to, but I think there is a right to do it as well."
He agreed that in his more than 20 years as a county leader he has never received any complaints about prayers at county meetings.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read of the myriad atheist lawsuits against Christians and prayer nationwide and read Atheists Threaten to Sue Every School in Tennessee and in Mississippi but admit they're Short on Lawyers to Sue ALL Christians
