A federal court of appeals is siding with an animist who said members of a public board in Michigan violated the First Amendment by personally opening monthly meetings with Christian prayers.
The Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit reversed and remanded the case to the district court in a 2-1 ruling Wednesday. The appellate court said the Jackson County Board of Commissioners ran afoul of the establishment clause because the prayers were coercive, exclusively Christian and burdened residents who refused to take part in them.
“Accordingly, we hold that the Board of Commissioners’ use of prayer to begin its monthly meetings violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause,” Judge Karen N. Moore wrote in the majority opinion. “The prayer practice is well outside the tradition of historically tolerated prayer, and it coerces Jackson County residents to support and participate in the exercise of religion.”
The lawsuit was brought by Peter Bormuth, a Jackson County resident and self-described pagan and animist who attributes conscious life to ordinary objects and natural phenomena. His religious practices include worshiping the Sun and Moon, ancestral spirits and Mother Earth.
All nine members of the Jackson County Board are Christians.
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4 comments:
Trump needs to get rid of these clowns.
Once again the tail wags the dog. What happened to majority rules which in my opinion is democracy. This is just plain stupid. The guy is obviously a moonbat in that he worships the sun and moon; why give this guy the time of day? This is just plain nuts; someone should load him in a giant slingshot and send his butt to Mars.
Take prayer away....and pay the price
Why not let this guy have his turn at offering prayer? Or anyone else for that matter? The Amendment only prevents the Government from establishing a religion, but never stops anyone from practicing a religion, even in a public forum. He should offer his own prayers if a prayer starts the meeting, and any other participants should be encouraged to offer their own prayers to fulfill the intent of the meeting.
'nuff said.
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