LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Have ACLU, judges read the First Amendment?

By: DEAR EDITOR | SCNow
Published: November 25, 2009

In an attempt to show religious neutrality, the Union County (North Carolina) Commission has a policy of inviting different clergy to deliver the invocation to their meetings. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit saying that these prayers must be strictly nonsectarian. “Prayers that mentioned Jesus or Jesus Christ displays a preference for Christianity over other religions by the government.” I wonder if the ACLU and a number of our judges have read the First Amendment.

“Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right to peacefully assemble, or to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Note that this amendment specifically prohibits Congress from making a law concerning the establishment of a national religion or prohibiting the free exercise of individual religious beliefs. How can the ACLU justify having the federal government regulate the content of the prayers of a group of citizens seeking guidance from their creator before doing the peoples’ business? Isn’t the ACLU trying to prohibit the free exercise of these citizens’ religious beliefs? The way I read the First Amendment, Congress cannot pass a law requiring you to be religious, nor can it pass a law that prevents you from expressing your religious beliefs. Many Americans believe that a public prayer prior to beginning a difficult task is an integral part of their religious beliefs.

Charles E. Johnson
Hartsville