Pastor Yanked From Capitol Over 'Jesus' Prayer

[NCJim]

fox news:

Pastor Yanked From Capitol Over 'Jesus' Prayer

By Todd Starnes

Published July 09, 2010

| FoxNews.com

A North Carolina pastor
was relieved of his duties as an honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives after he closed a prayer by invoking the name of Jesus.

“I got fired,” said Ron Baity, pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. He had been invited to lead prayer for an entire week but his tenure was cut short when he refused to remove the name Jesus from his invocation.

Baity’s troubles began during the week of May 31. He said a House clerk asked to see his prayer. The invocation including prayers for our military, state lawmakers and a petition to God asking him to bless North Carolina.”

“When I handed it to the lady, I watched her eyes and they immediately went right to the bottom of the page and the word Jesus,” he told FOX News Radio. “She said ‘We would prefer that you not use the name Jesus. We have some people here that can be offended.’”

When Baity protested, she brought the matter to the attention of House Speaker Joe Hackney.

Click here for more on this story from FoxRadio.com.

[pollyannaish]

I want to know why invoking a deity someone else might not believe in is offensive. If someone is an adherent to Buddhism, and invokes it in their mantra, it makes no difference to me. I don't believe, but appreciate the sentiment. I know many devout Jews who feel the same when Jesus is invoked. If I don't believe in someone, it's kind of like hearing "In Santa Claus name, Amen." Ok. Fine. I may think you're a little nuts or disagree with your theology, but I'm not offended. This is an expression of YOUR faith, not mine. And I respect that as part of a diverse country—so whatever.

 

I've been thinking this through to see if there is any deity I'd get offended by and there is only one I would get upset praying about. And that is those that profess to follow the Devil. But the reason I get upset about that is...yep, because I actually believe in the Devil and believe him to be the source of suffering in the world. Therefore, they are worshiping the evil side of my religion. That's a different story and my response to that would be not to shut down the person "praying" but to leave and not participate. That is about MY response, not theirs. They still have a right to believe in the enemy.

 

The same holds true with Islam. I am not offended by Islam prayer in the slightest. I am offended by several things that some Islam requires: lack of tolerance for those who do not agree and forced adherence.

[Casino67]

You can go here to learn more about the House Speaker Joe Hackney.

 

I would think this will do wonders for the Dims in North Carolina.

Better than term limits for them.

[SrWoodchuck]

The same holds true with Islam. I am not offended by Islam prayer in the slightest. I am offended by several things that some Islam requires: lack of tolerance for those who do not agree and forced adherence.

 

I'm a little P.O'd that Islam requires removing my head for being a Christian, and thinking Mohammad was a bloody pedophile.

 

Jesus help us....there....I said it......and I'm not sorry.

[pollyannaish]

The same holds true with Islam. I am not offended by Islam prayer in the slightest. I am offended by several things that some Islam requires: lack of tolerance for those who do not agree and forced adherence.

 

I'm a little P.O'd that Islam requires removing my head for being a Christian, and thinking Mohammad was a bloody pedophile.

 

Jesus help us....there....I said it......and I'm not sorry.

 

Well yes. I'm not just offended, but outraged. Those beliefs actually put into practice are horrific.

 

That said, they can pray all they want. THAT behavior does not hurt me. You know? In fact, I'd like to see them do a whole lot more of the praying part and let the other stuff go.

[righteousmomma]

This is just the same ole political correctness hooopla run amok. The difference is this is not new. We in the South know who Jesus is.

We know what the Bible says. So we know who God the Creator of humankind is. However in "mixed" company from garden clubs to school meetings we just say "In Your" or In His Name" after first addressing "God, our FATHER". Been done that way for years so as not to offend and to show some class. Does not fool anyone who understands who God in Christ is but we have used good manners for the world who does not know without denying Him in the least.

Does the Baptist minister have the right to use Jesus' name? You are darn tootin'! After all he is a Baptist minister.

I think he probably meant to make this an issue.

(and as NCT says "It might be a good time for making that point." )

 

Edited to add--In the past we have always followed the practice on behalf of the sensibilities of the Jews among us -- not for the atheist and not for the New Ager and certainly not the Muslim because there were not any Muslims amongst us.

[NCTexan]

In the past we have always followed the practice on behalf of the sensibilities of the Jews among us -- not for the atheist and not for the New Ager and certainly not the Muslim because there were not any Muslims amongst us.

Adding on to RM's comment... it was not done due to fear of offending the Jews, but in a spirit of inclusiveness with a shared view of God the Father.

 

BTW, if a Muslim cleric had been given the honorary position to lead for a week... does anyone think that the NC legislature would have yanked him for saying the name of Allah? If so, what would the reaction have been from not only Muslims... but the PC agnostics or atheists?

[SrWoodchuck]

If so, what would the reaction have been from not only Muslims... but the PC agnostics or atheists?

NCTexan!

 

Silence......'cause those guys cut your head right off.