Greece prayer case goes to court
Friday, August 14, 2009
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Mitch Pritchard –- ROCnow

The fight against sectarian prayer before town of Greece board meetings got its day in federal court Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Charles Siragusa said he will render a written decision within six weeks.

In a case filed last year, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, on behalf of Greece residents Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens, sued the town of Greece and Supervisor John Auberger over its long-standing policy of opening Town Board meetings with a prayer.

In the hour-long hearing, Richard R. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United, argued that the plaintiff is concerned not with prayer before the meetings but with sectarian prayers that have dominated the practice since Auberger started it in 1999.

According to court papers, of 104 prayers from 1999 through 2007, none were non-Christian. Since the lawsuit was filed, the majority of the prayers have been Christian, with one being delivered by a Wiccan priestess and two others by non-clergy.

Katskee stressed that the plaintiff is not against Christian prayer, but that the prayers have been aimed at one sect.

Katskee said the plaintiff just wants the town to ask clergymen who give a sectarian prayer to be non-sectarian in future prayers.

“One prayer that strays would not be basis for a violation,” Katskee said.

Joel Oster, a senior litigation counsel for Colorado-based Alliance Defense Fund that is representing Greece, said that it is not right to ask the town to police the clergy.

“It is not the town’s place to tell the clergy what to say,” Oster said. “It would cause a nightmare for the town.”

Auberger has said that the town’s practice is to have an open invitation to any Greece resident to contact the town about giving the prayer.

Town officials, however, do invite local clergy to offer prayers on a rotating business.

[…]

FAX Petition to 253 Pennsylvania House-Senate to defend prayers “in Jesus name”

Original Article

Lodi still a battleground for prayer warrior chaplain
August 12, 2009
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Alex Murashko — The Examiner

Buckling under the pressure from an atheists group, this Northern California city’s council is considering a resolution that would ban the mention of Jesus and other specific religions in prayers before city meetings. In May, the Lodi City Council received a letter from the non-profit Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation threatening a lawsuit.

The atheistic group watched 55 invocations online from 2007 to the May 6 council meeting and found that 39 had a reference to Jesus Christ. The group argues that specific mentions of the word “Christ” are a violation of the city’s own policy.

Kligenschmitt’s rally in support of the freedom to use Jesus name in public prayer drew 400 supporters to the steps of Lodi’s city hall earlier this month. About a dozen “separation rally” supporters showed up to oppose prayer at city council meetings.

A debate and possible final vote on the matter is scheduled for September 30, and Kligenschmitt, through an internet campaign, is inviting everyone to attend.

In his Facebook group, Lodi City Council Vote To Ban Jesus Prayers, Kligenschmitt posts:

CALIFORNIA, STAND UP FOR JESUS (again)!

We had the rally. Now let’s attend the final city council meeting on 30 Sep 09, Wednesday at 7pm, where the
Lodi City Council will DEBATE AND POSSIBLY VOTE TO BAN THE NAME OF JESUS from public prayers.

Under pressure from atheists, and threat of lawsuit, the city council needs to hear from voters who love Jesus,
who demand they protect our right to free speech, rather than censor our pastors’ prayers.

PLEASE INVITE EVERY CHRISTIAN IN CALIFORNIA–>

Join many Christians (bring your pastor!) and let’s take a stand for Jesus, and defend our freedom to pray publicly
“in Jesus name.” (And bring your church van full of people!) …

IT’S FREE TO STAND UP FOR JESUS,
but costly if we fail to act.

See you on 30 September in Lodi, at the Hutchins Street Square.

CALIFORNIA, STAND UP FOR JESUS!

[…]

Original Article

Case of prayer at Greece meetings heads to court
August 10, 2009
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Meaghan McDermott — Democrat and Chronicle

Arguments are scheduled Thursday before U.S. District Judge Charles Siragusa in the federal case filed last year. Both sides are seeking summary judgment.

The lawsuit was filed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State on behalf of two Greece residents concerned by Town Board meetings being opened with explicitly Christian prayers, offered by exclusively Christian clergy.

Opening the meetings with prayer is a long-standing practice in the town, although town leaders say preference is not given to any one religion and that anyone is welcome to offer a prayer before the meetings.

The issue is not that the town board opens its meetings with prayer — something the U.S. Supreme Court found constitutional in a 1983 case — but that the town excludes non-Christians from participation, said Richard B. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United.

In the 1983 case, the court ruled that non-sectarian prayers, prayers that do not reference a specific deity or use the language or symbols specific to one religion, are permitted.

“Legislative prayer is supposed to, or can permissibly, solemnize a legislative session,” he said.

“But it is not supposed to make people feel like outsiders who don’t belong. When prayers are limited to one faith, people not of that faith feel like outsiders, as if the town is saying: ‘You are not one of us and we don’t want you.'”

Colorado-based Alliance Defense Fund is representing the town, pro bono.

[…]

Joel Oster, ADF senior litigation counsel, said the case boils down to “the plaintiffs wanting the town to become the prayer police and tell people to whom and how they should pray.”

The issue initially came to light in June 2007, when the Genesee Valley Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter asking the town to stop opening board meetings with sectarian prayers. Americans United sent a similar letter later that year.

Town Supervisor John Auberger rebuffed the requests and said the town would continue the practice and would not tell anyone offering a prayer at the meeting what they could or could not say.

And, he said, the opportunity to deliver the pre-meeting prayer is open to any Greece resident willing to contact the town and volunteer.

Generally, town officials invite local clergy to offer the prayers, rotating through a published list of religious organizations in Greece — all of which are Christian.

According to court documents, of 104 prayers offered at Town Board meetings from 1999 through 2007, none was offered by non-Christians.

Since the suit was filed, the majority of the prayers have remained Christian, although one was delivered by a Wiccan priestess and two others by non-clergy.

In their suit, Americans United seeks to have Greece’s current practices declared unconstitutional, arguing the town has “systematically excluded members of non-Christian and non-mainstream faiths from selection as prayer givers” and ensures that all citizens attending meetings are “exposed to sectarian, Christian prayers” in violation of the Establishment Clause.

In response, ADF argues “the Court and the Town should not get involved in dictating the content of prayers. This is a matter best left to theologians.”

Original Article

Lodi City Council prayer tradition causes stir
August 10, 2009
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Medianews Wire Service — Mercury News

While holding a sign quoting Colossians 3:17, Lodi resident Angela Lopez said she is tired of freedom being taken away from Christians.

“It’s becoming harder and harder for the Christians. … It’s only because we support God that our country is as blessed as it is,” Lopez said.

Her son, Eddie, also held a sign and a Bible.

“I came just to support Jesus,” Eddie Lopez said. “Just for him to know I was here to support him.”

As the Lopez’s gathered to sing prayer hymns, Lodi resident Steve Weiner said he wanted to make sure the council knew there were two sides to this issue.

“We have Muslims, Sikhs, atheists and people of various faiths, and they can feel excluded and intimidated at council meetings if there is a prayer to one God, Jesus,” Weiner said.

The conflict began in May when the Lodi City Council went through with its traditional public prayer before a meeting. During that meeting, someone took exception to religion in a government setting. That person complained

to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the complaint soon got back to the city council. The Madison, Wis.-based goup sent the council in May threatening to sue if the council did not enforce its own policy limiting prayers to “non-sectarian and non-denominational.” The letter specifically mentioned 39 references to Jesus in 55 prayers the group watched online.

Looking to avoid a lawsuit, the council asked all preachers to avoid praying in the name of Jesus.

The council decided it wanted to have a meeting to receive public comment and discuss the policy.

The meeting was tentatively scheduled for Wednesday but was moved because the council needed to approve time-sensitive contracts.

Mayor Larry Hansen announced Wednesday that the policy will be discussed at a special meeting Sept. 30.

Of the 350 people who rallied, roughly 50 asked Lodi leaders to uphold their policy. They marched up and down Pine Street holding signs with phrases such as “Lodi is not a Christian town.”

In the meantime, the city clerk’s office has started to call religious leaders to remind them about the policy.

The rally spilled over into the Lodi City Council meeting, even though the council members were not discussing the policy.

At the beginning of the meeting, people crowded into Carnegie Forum to listen to the invocation by the Rev. Alan Kimber of First United Methodist Church. He held a moment of silence before giving thanks for our country’s freedom to express different beliefs.

At the end, he said “Amen,” which was followed by some members of the crowd yelling “in Jesus’ name.” During the Pledge of Allegiance, some members also shouted the words “one nation under God.”

The national group The Pray In Jesus Name Project sponsored the rally and had several religious leaders pray and give speeches to the group. People sang, chanted “Jesus,” waved American flags and prayed throughout the rally.

Virginia Alejo clapped her hands and smiled during a hymn. She came from Stockton because she objects to governments taking Jesus’ name out of prayers.

“This country was made because of our religion. … The public has to be more aware. We should not be ashamed to be Christians,” Alejo said.

Near the back of the crowd, Pastor Mike Abdollahzadeh of Lodi Avenue Baptist Church said this is one way the public can make its opinion heard.

“It’s sad that we’ve gotten to the point where you squabble over prayer. … Our nation would not be the same without faith, prayer and what God has done,” he said.

Lodi United, a local group, led the counter-protest. Resident David Diskin formed the group last week because he wanted people to know that some Lodians do not support prayers before the council meeting.

As a Buddhist, Suanne Minden said she attended to support removing prayer from the meetings and replacing it with a moment of silence. She lives in Lodi but is a Canadian citizen.

“We don’t have this type of issue in Canada,” Minden said. “We believe in not crossing religion and government.”

Describing herself as belonging to one of the few Jewish families in Lodi, 19-year-old Rachel Allen stopped by the rally because she knew that what she described as “conservative Lodi” would be in full force.

“I don’t go to council meetings to be preached to. … Why can’t they have a non-denominational prayer? Why is it so important that Jesus’ name has to be in it? We all believe in the same God,” Allen said.

But not everyone who attended the rallies grabbed signs and joined the group.

Kimber said he walked through the gathering on his way to give the invocation, but said he did not want to attend because his view on the issue was different. He said he believes the current policy of non-sectarian and non-denominational prayers is good, if it is adhered to.

He also said many of the clergy he talked with did not attend the rally because it was organized by a group outside of Lodi with an extreme view.

“I think the clergy have a deep sense of commitment to each other and the city,” Kimber said.

While standing between the two rallies, senior pastor Tim Stevenson of Horizon Community Church in Galt said he came to watch and listen.

“God’s pretty big,” he said. “I don’t think he needs us to defend his name.”

He wishes the energy spent by both groups at the rally could go toward bigger problems facing Lodi and the world, like the people standing in front of Salvation Army or the thousands of children who die daily from preventable diseases.

“There are too many things around the world that God told us to go out and do,” Stevenson said. “We got our priorities in the wrong place.”

[…]

“Lodi’s a pretty quiet place. Lodi is a conservative town. … To see an issue like this take hold is pretty surprising but good.” — Suanne Minden, Lodi

“Jesus would take a backseat, strike up a conversation, listen to their heart and give them truth along the way.” — Tim Stevenson, senior pastor at Horizon Community Church

“Our country was founded on the basis that it wouldn’t be pushed around and bullied by religion.” — Norm Lee, Lodi

“Many Americans wonder what’s going on with the economy and school shooting, but we are taking away God and prayer.” — Richard Tafoya, Stockton

“After Proposition 8, it sent home that it needs to be more separate.” — Jessica Chernak, Sacramento

“Both sides will fight hard for what they think is right. It’s not a one-night thing.” — Pastor Mike Abdollahzadeh, Lodi Avenue Baptist Church.

Original Article

UCLA okays mention of ‘Jesus’
June 9, 2009

Charlie Butts — OneNewsNow

Christina Popa is one of several students whose personal statements will be read aloud during graduation at UCLA this coming Saturday. During the approval process, Popa was informed by a faculty member that her reference to Jesus would have to be deleted or changed. Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt of The Pray In Jesus’ Name Project tells OneNewsNow that all Popa wanted to do was to thank Jesus in her submitted comments.

“But no, the faculty advisor, Dr. Pamela Hurley, wrote back to her an email saying that she could not use the word ‘Jesus’ in her graduation speech,” explains Klingenschmitt. “She would have to say ‘God’ instead of ‘Jesus’ because Jesus might offend people.” Reportedly Hurley cited the “sheer diversity of religious beliefs” at the school as making her uncomfortable in reading a reference to Jesus.

Popa posted the email interchange on Facebook — prompting Klingenschmitt to take action.

“And as soon as I became aware of this, I put out a press release and I emailed that to the chancellor at UCLA, Gene Block, and the provost, Scott Waugh — and within two hours UCLA repented and reversed their position,” he explains.

[…]

That is important to Klingenschmitt, who was booted out of the Navy for insisting on praying in Jesus’ name while appearing in public in uniform.

Original Article

UCLA Allows Student to Thank Jesus at Graduation
June 6, 2009
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Katherine T. Phan — Christian Post

The University of California in Los Angeles has responded to media pressure and agreed to allow a graduating student to thank Jesus in her personal statement.

UCLA student Christina Popa claimed the school’s Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology was denying her freedom of speech when she was told by Pamela Hurley, a faculty adviser, that she would not be allowed to mention “Jesus” in her graduation remarks.

The adviser had told Popa in an e-mail exchanges this week that it was against the MCDB’s department policy to allow specific religious references based on the principle of separation of church and state.

Hurley, the person selected to read aloud students’ personal statements at the department’s commencement, informed Popa that she would instead read the reference to “my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” as simply “God.”

In response, Popa launched campaign on Facebook that received the support of 1,500 people in a matter of days.

Gordon Klingenschmitt, the former Navy chaplain who was fired over a dispute involving a public prayer he gave in Jesus’ name, also rallied behind the UCLA student. He created an online petition asking UCLA officials to allow Popa to mention “Jesus” in her “Words of Wisdom” statement and issued a press release on the matter, which he then sent the university’s chancellor and provost.

On Friday, a UCLA spokesperson sent Klingenschmitt a statement saying that the school had reviewed its procedures and would read the statements as originally submitted by the students.

“The reading of ‘words of wisdom’ at the UCLA Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology involves graduating students’ submission of a short message to be read onstage at Commencement by a member of the University Administration,” read UCLA’s statement. “Because the reading is by the University, not the students, to avoid the appearance that the University was advocating one religion over the other, guidelines were established so that messages would not include references to particular religions.”

“The department and the University support the First Amendment and in no way intended to impinge upon any students’ rights,” continued the statement.

“Thus, upon review, and recognizing that the intent of the ceremony is for all students to have a chance to say something at graduation, the department will continue to make clear to the audience that the statements are the personal statements of each student and will read statements as originally submitted by the students.”

Klingenschmitt welcomed the UCLA’s response, saying media pressure helped them come to their senses.

“If the university has indeed repented and will read Christina’s statement as originally submitted, then this is a great victory for religious liberty,” Klingenschmitt told The Christian Post on Saturday.

“It proves that we don’t always have to go to court and sometimes just a little media pressure can force administrators to recant from their anti-Christian policies,” the former Navy chaplain stated.

He said only one question remains: “Will Hurley obey her superiors and read the words as originally submitted?”

According e-mail exchanges with Popa, Hurley had objected to the “Jesus” reference, citing the “sheer diversity of religious beliefs” of people at the school and saying she was uncomfortable with reading such a reference at the commencement.

Popa, however, responded that university meant “unity among diversity.”

“It makes me very sad that my freedom of speech would be censored when it comes to my beliefs,” Popa wrote in a reply e-mail to Hurley. “The fact that I cannot thank Jesus (or someone from another religion) because of school policy shows me that UCLA officials do not understand what diversity and respect really means.”

In the last e-mail Hurley sent to Popa, according to the Facebook posting, the faculty adviser stated the department’s policy and the Official Words of Wisdom Disclaimer before capping off with this retort:

“If you prefer, Christina, I can read none of what you wrote.”

Hurley did not immediately respond to a request by The Christian Post for comment.

While things have worked out for Popa, a former Colorado high school student who has been fighting a legal battle to defend her right to invoke Jesus during a 2006 graduation speech was not so fortunate.

On May 29, a federal appeals court dismissed Erica Corder’s claims that high school officials violated her free-speech rights by screening her graduation speech and forcing her to issue a formal apology after tweaking her valedictorian speech to include mention of Jesus.

Liberty Counsel, which is representing Corder in the case, plans to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

“No high school or college graduate should have to renounce Jesus Christ as a price of their high school or college diploma,” said Klingenschmitt, who actively defends public prayers in Jesus’ name. “Jesus is not an illegal word. We should not be ashamed to speak his name in public.

“For any government to demand that we apologize for speaking the name of Jesus is to impose their illegal nonsectarian religion upon us,” he added. “They are shoving their nonsectarian religion down our throats, not the other way around.”

[…]

Popa originally wanted the following statement read:

“‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I also want to thank my father who passed away 3 years ago, for teaching me to always do my best and thus motivating me to pursue the sciences. I want to thank my mother for supporting me in school as well as my sisters and brother for encouraging me and my friends for making college fun.’ I plan to work in a research lab or become a dietician.”

Original Article

UCLA student told she can’t say ‘Jesus’
June 5, 2009

Bob Unruh — World Net Daily

An adviser on the campus of UCLA has edited a student’s personal graduation statement to remove her reference to “my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” citing policy in the Department of Molecular, Cell & Development Biology.

Word of the situation came from an Internet
posting by Gordon Klingenschmitt, the former Navy chaplain who was removed from the military in a dispute over the use of Jesus’ name in his prayers.

“This is another example of the improper application of separation of church and state,” he told WND. “As a government school, UCLA cannot prohibit religious expression. They’re the ones crossing the line here.”

The school, in a later statement, confirmed it had reviewed its procedures and would read the statements as submitted by students, after “making clear” that it was understood that it is not a university statement.

The posting revealed an e-mail exchange for a submission by student Christina Popa to faculty adviser Pamela Hurley of her “personal statement” for graduation.The statements are submitted by students, but eventually are read by faculty.

Popa wrote she wanted to say: “‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I also want to thank my father who passed away 3 years ago, for teaching
me to always do my best and thus motivating me to pursue the sciences. I want to thank my mother for supporting me in school as well as my sisters and brother for encouraging me and my friends for making college fun.’ I plan to work in a research lab or become a dietician.”

Klingenschmitt said he’d talked with Popa and she was not making any further public statements on the dispute at this time. WND messages left via telephone and sent via e-mail to Hurley were not returned.

The university, however, did release a statement explaining the reading of the “words of wisdom” is done by a member of the school administration.

“Because the reading is by the university, not the students, to avoid the appearance that the university was advocating one religion over the other, guidelines were established so that messages would not include references to particular religions,” the school stated. “The department and the university support the First Amendment and in no way intended to impinge upon any students’ rights.

“Thus, upon review, and recognizing that the intent of the ceremony is for all students to have a chance to say something at graduation, the department will continue to make clear to the audience that the statements are the personal statements of each student and will read statements as originally submitted by the students,” the school said.

Hurley’s e-mail response to Popa had said, “UCLA is a public university where the doctrine of separation of church and state is observed, in order to respect the sheer diversity of religious beliefs among the people who come here. Since that is so, we do permit MCDB graduates to thank God in their words of wisdom, but we also ask that they refrain from making more specific religious references of any kind.”

[The Professor ] continued: “In this setting, even I would not personally be comfortable reading: ‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ Therefore, I need to let you know that I will read your Words of Wisdom as follows: First, I want to thank God….

[…]

Klingenschmitt, who had assembled a petition on his website on the issue, faced punishment over the use of the name of Jesus in prayers and still is pursuing a court action seeking reinstatement.

His petition on Popa’s behalf said: “We the undersigned, respectfully express our shock and dismay, at the anti-Christian discrimination by UCLA Biology Professor Pamela Hurley, who has directly refused the rights of graduating student Christina Popa, who wants to say ‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,’ in her own pre-graduation speech…

“We pray that UCLA will stop censoring students’ right to freedom of religious expression. … We pray that Christina Popa will be allowed the right she earned, to give thanks to Jesus Christ at her own graduation.”

Popa had responded with a follow-up e-mail that since her thanks to Jesus were being censored, she has learned “UCLA officials do not understand what diversity and respect really means.”

“I am not offended because it’s ‘my faith’ but because UCLA is censoring my freedom of speech, which is unconstitutional in the United States,” she wrote.

The adviser responded with an implied threat.

“If you prefer, Christina, I can read none of what you wrote.”

“UCLA is not censoring your freedom of speech. This is not UCLA policy, or College policy … this is Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology policy,” she continued. “I have already stated to you directly already (sic) that I would not be comfortable reading specific religious references, such as the ones you submitted … or to any other avatar…”

Since being removed from the military, Klingenschmitt has fought repeatedly for the right to pray in Jesus name, including a battle in Virginia over a state regulation that state trooper chaplains there no longer can pray in Jesus’ name.

Original Article

UCLA Prohibits Student from Saying ‘Jesus’ in Graduation Speech
June 5, 2009

Press Release  — Christian NewsWire

Christina Popa just posted the proof emails on her facebook page, showing how other students are permitted to have their speeches read aloud at a pre-graduation ceremony, and Christina would also be allowed, but only if she didn’t mention Jesus.

Instead, UCLA Biology Professor Dr. Pamela Hurley deliberately censored Christina’s proposed speech, and emailed back to Christina saying: “UCLA is a public university where the doctrine of separation of church and state is observed,” and the professor proposed a censored version of Christina’s proposed speech, deleting any reference to Jesus Christ.

When Christina objected, Dr. Hurley threatened, “If you prefer, Christina, I can read none of what you wrote. I am very sorry that this is a problem for you.”

Links to the proof emails, and a petition to the UCLA Chancellor, Gene Block and Provost, Scott Waugh (for concerned citizens to sign and forward widely), may be found at this web-site:

Christina Popa has consulted attorneys but is not yet available for public comment.

Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, the former Navy Chaplain who was punished for praying publicly “in Jesus name” (but was later vindicated by Congress), issued the following statement:

“I am not Christina’s personal spokesman, but I admire her courage. Jesus is not an illegal word, and UCLA has no business censoring her speech, especially if they claim to celebrate ‘academic freedom.’ Instead, Dr. Hurley has terribly misapplied her own twisted idea of the separation of church and state. As a Government school, UCLA has absolutely no right to prohibit Christina’s freedom of religious expression, and she’s earned the right to speak her own words at her own graduation. UCLA is crossing the line of separation, not Christina, and we pray UCLA will repent of their anti-Christian discrimination.”

Original Article