Oh, yes I can
by Tabitha LaRue, Editor
OK. Let's get real here.
Yes, Caroline County, like many other counties in the United States of America, has deeply rooted religious beliefs. However, that does not mean that Caroline County's local government uses public forums as a way to promote Christianity or any other religious doctrine.
I have covered Caroline County as a reporter for over five years now, and I have never felt the Board of Supervisors, or any other part of government in the county, does this. As a matter of fact, I have always found it heartening that the Board of Supervisors engage in prayer before getting down to county business. It tells me they are seeking answers from a higher power and not from within themselves. Iím sure that is the same thing the Fredericksburg City Council was trying to do as well, before they were told how they can and cannot pray.
The idea that anyone needs to "be careful" with how they pray as to not offend another or as to not be labeled unconstitutional is just ridiculous.
This nation was founded on religious principles. The idea of ěseparation of church and state,î which by the way was not included in the First Amendment, was not designed to take God out of government. It was intended to keep any one religion, such as what was happening in England at the time, from dictating law in such a way as to suppress other religions.
Freedom of religion, which Thomas Jefferson fought so hard for, was never intended to be freedom from religion. What our third president was striving for was for each American to be free to worship in whatever regard they saw fit, without the risk of tyranny.
The Establishment Clause-one of two clauses to the First Amendment-was proposed to prohibit the federal government from declaring a national religion, such as existed in many other countries. It was not proposed to prevent Americans to worship and pray to God, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Savior, Ala, Buddha, or any other higher power of a personís choice.
What Jefferson wanted above all else was that no person ever be prohibited from expressing his or her personal religious opinions. On March 4, 1805 in an official government act, as President of the United States, Jefferson acted out his own personal right when he offered A National Prayer for Peace. That prayer ended with the very words that are now being called unconstitutional in prayer-"All of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."
So if the words Jesus Christ were good enough for Thomas Jefferson, who was the one who wrote about the separation of church and state in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut, in 1802, then why is it not good enough for us?
First we take prayer out of school, and then we fight to remove the Ten Commandments from government buildings, now we want to tell people how to pray.
When will all of this end? Will I be sitting in a restaurant, bowing my head to pray over my food, when someone asks me to stop or they will sue me because I offend them?
It is so easy for people to call on the name of "Jesus Christ" when they are upset over something and chose to use the name in vain. But when a governmental official chooses to use it to address their Savior then that is considered unconstitutional.
I was not at the last Board of Supervisor meeting, therefore I cannot speak for what the supervisors did. However, I do believe that they always try to have the best interest of the people of Caroline in mind, in whatever they do. I am curious to see what will happen at the next Little League opening game when someone comes forward to offer the prayer.
Will the people of Caroline County hand the person a piece of paper for which they are to read from so they remain constitutional?
Inscribed in on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. are the former United States Presidents very own words:
"No men shall suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively."
If I am being told how I can or cannot pray, that sure doesn't sound like freedom to me.
Editor's Note:
It is important to know that I, in no way, condone how the Wiccan in South Caroline was treated by her Town Council.
As a Christian, I find the acts of her Town Council to be the farthest from Christian behavior. When a person professes to be a Christian, then they are saying that they are continually striving to be Christ-like.
After reading 16 pages of court testimony, I was appalled at this Town Council's ignorance.
Attempting to throw someone out of town, and ridiculing them for not standing at a town council meeting to pray is not very Christ-like.
While I think it is important for me to be allowed to pray in Jesus name, I also feel it is important for me to not judge others on their beliefs.
Again, that is the whole purpose behind freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.