Sunday, April 10, 2016

Atheists Demand to 'Pray' at Tenn. County Meeting

When a local atheist asked to lead prayer at Greene County (Tennessee) Commission monthly proceedings, Greene County Mayor David Crum declined to allow the farce so the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) began writing threatening letters to the county demanding the opening invocation be eliminated entirely from the government meetings.
"The response I got from the commissioners is they seem to be happy with the way we've been doing it during this process, so I don't plan to change. . . . I figure if somebody doesn't want to listen to somebody pray, they can ignore it."
-- Mayor David Crum
For background, read Lone Jew, ACLU Stop Prayer in Pennsylvania Town

However, Arizona City Allows Only Christian Prayers

Also read Satanists to Lead 'Prayer' in Phoenix Government

And read Muslim Prayer Ends Invocation Policy in North Carolina




-- From "County Commission Under Fire For Opening Prayer" by Brad Hicks, Greeneville Sun 3/24/16

Since his tenure as county mayor began in fall 2014, David Crum has asked local pastors from churches located throughout Greene County to provide the opening invocations.

[Greene County Attorney Roger] Woolsey issued a response to the FFRF's complaint. The response, dated Feb. 23, asserts that some of the information in the organization's initial contact is "incorrect." In it, Woolsey wrote that the atheist was "at no point" denied the opportunity to address the county commission, as the panel allots three minutes during the public hearing portion of each meeting for any citizen to "speak, pray or discuss any issue or issues that he/she desires."

"Your assertion 'if Greene County wants to continue hosting prayers it cannot discriminate against any person wishing to give an invocation' is totally incorrect," Woolsey wrote.

The county attorney responded that if one wishes to speak, pray, give an invocation or discuss his or her beliefs on an issue, that person must contact Crum's office 10 days prior to the county commission's meeting to be placed on the agenda.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read U.S. Supreme Court 2014 Ruling Allows Christian Prayer in Civic Meetings

And read Supreme Court Justice Scalia Said Government Should Favor God of the Bible