Politics & Government
Should Prayers Be Allowed at Government Meetings?
The Supreme Court this week ruled local elected leaders can kick off meetings with a prayer.
The Supreme Court this week ruled elected leaders can start open government meetings with a prayer.
The 5-4 ruling was supported by the court's conservative justices, USA Today reported. The liberal justices were opposed.
"Legislative prayer has become part of our heritage and tradition ... similar to the Pledge of Allegiance, inaugural prayer, or the recitation of 'God save the United States and this honorable court' at the opening of this court's sessions," conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote.
Liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote, "When the citizens of this country approach their government, they do so only as Americans, not as members of one faith or another ... And that means that even in a partly legislative body, they should not confront government-sponsored worship that divides them along religious lines."
The ruling was made in response to a lawsuit filed by a Jewish person and an atheist who objected to the use of a Christian prayer to start meetings in Greece, New York.
Should prayers be allowed at the beginning of government meetings?
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