ACLU Lawsuit Muzzles Pastors From Practicing Their Faith

For over 180 years it has been a Hoosier tradition in the Indiana House of Representatives to have clergy from all different faiths offer an opening prayer that is in line with that clergy’s respective faith. Thanks however to the heroic feats of the ACLU and U.S. District Court Judge David Hamilton, while flying under the banner of religious tolerance of all names, one now has to be a certain kind of minister if they are going to deliver an invocation there. If the clergy happens to be Christian who wants to offer a Christian prayer – namely, invoking the name of Jesus Christ during the prayer – they will be banned from giving the official invocation. This ruling adds to a disturbing national trend towards increased secularism and intolerance towards free, religious expression. “Thanks to Judge Hamilton,” writes the Family Research Council, “the Indiana House of Representatives now joins Saudi Arabia as one more place where Jesus’ name cannot be honored in an official ceremony.” With broad opposition to this ruling on both sides of the isle, leadership in the Indiana House is working towards an appeal of this unprecedented court decision.