Praying For Rain
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| Also listed in: Campus Progress Blog |
Yesterday, Gov. Sonny Perdue stood outside the Georgia State Capital along with several hundred other people and prayed for rain.
It would seem to me that Gov. Perdue has never heard of separation of church and state. It also indicates that Perdue does not grasp that government is not suppose to endorse a certain religion so as to avoid ostracizing those of other faiths. I don’t think there was any doubt as to which religion the Georgian government supports when Perdue said, "God, we need you. We need rain." Granted invitations were extended to other faiths, but only three Christian clergy showed up.
To make matters even spicier the Atlanta Journal-Consitution reports:
“Nearby, some 20 demonstrators from the Atlanta Freethought Society staged a protest against the holding of a religious observance at the seat of state government. Police moved them when they cordoned off the streets before the event, and none were in sight at the end of the service.”
I thought the government was supposed to be spending time figuring out what to do with our resources and improving public life, verses throwing a weather-related prayer circle.
It would seem to me that Gov. Perdue has never heard of separation of church and state. It also indicates that Perdue does not grasp that government is not suppose to endorse a certain religion so as to avoid ostracizing those of other faiths. I don’t think there was any doubt as to which religion the Georgian government supports when Perdue said, "God, we need you. We need rain." Granted invitations were extended to other faiths, but only three Christian clergy showed up.
To make matters even spicier the Atlanta Journal-Consitution reports:
“Nearby, some 20 demonstrators from the Atlanta Freethought Society staged a protest against the holding of a religious observance at the seat of state government. Police moved them when they cordoned off the streets before the event, and none were in sight at the end of the service.”
I thought the government was supposed to be spending time figuring out what to do with our resources and improving public life, verses throwing a weather-related prayer circle.
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Really, though, let's not forget that people in Georgia have prayed for rain for hundreds of years--they just used to wear ceremonial headdresses and dance in circles.
But, back to your main point: as long as he didn't hold the prayer ceremony in his office or inside the Capitol, I can't really object on Establishment Clause grounds. I'm more than willing to call it an asinine exercise in futility, but not a violation of the separation of church and state.
But then again they did display the Ten Commandments in a court house.
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