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National Day of Prayer on front of the Capitol Hill in Washington. AP/Press Association Images

US Supreme Court divided but the right to pray at Government meetings stays

At issue were town meetings in Greece, New York, where clergy had been invited to offer a prayer, which in the last eight years had been exclusively Christian.

THE US SUPREME has upheld the right to pray at government meetings, in a divided decision which said the practice did not violate religious freedoms.

Voting along ideological lines, the court’s five conservative justices said that “the nation’s history and tradition have shown that prayer in this limited context could coexist with the principles of disestablishment and religions freedom.”

At issue were town meetings in Greece, New York, where clergy had been invited to offer a prayer, which in the last eight years had been exclusively Christian.

Two residents, an atheist and Jewish individual, brought the case before the Supreme Court arguing that the practice was unconstitutional, particularly because it was solely Christian.

The high court’s five conservative justices, all Catholic, found their arguments “unpersuasive,” while its four progressives — three Jewish and one Catholic — voted to end the prayers.

Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said that the practice was one “accepted by the framers” of the Constitution.”There is no indication that the prayer opportunity has been exploited to proselytise or advance any one, or to disparage any other, faith or belief,” the decision said.

The prayers may have invoked “the name of Jesus, but they also invoked universal themes, e.g. by calling for a spirit of cooperation,” the decision said.

The prayers neither “denigrate, proselytise or betray an impermissible government purpose,” it added.

The basis for religious freedoms in the United States is found in the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

© – AFP 2014

Read: Same-sex marriage in Utah put on hold by US Supreme Court >

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    Mute Darragh O Brien
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 8:24 AM

    Say it ain’t so Leicester , say it ain’t so :(

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    Mute Andhesaid
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 8:31 AM

    If there is truth in this then they must all be banned just like the Russian athletes were. I think Seb Coe must personally lead the charge in this dopping scandal too!

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 8:46 AM

    So thats shy Daniel O’Donnel performed so well on Strictly come dancing!

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 8:47 AM

    Why……..

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    Mute Jo Buckley
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 10:08 AM

    What a surprise! Not only Italians, Spaniards and Eastern Europeans take performance enhancing drugs. British media always derides these countries for their lack of sportsmanship. A little of humble pie is required.
    Let’s see where this end.

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 8:40 AM

    Very bad picture. We could have got a look at that bad Doctor’s face!

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    Mute Mark Noonan
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 12:54 PM

    Arsenal players are innocent in this scandal. There’s no way you can take performance enhancing drugs & only win two trophies in 12 years.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 1:50 PM
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    Mute William Boyd
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 9:39 AM

    I’d say it would be easier to count the ones who don’t dope in certain sports, I think there is a mindset if I don’t keep up with the Joneses I simply won’t be able to compete at the highest level?.

    This story does have the potential of opening up a Pandora’s box if the media really get their teeth into it?.

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    Mute Davor Niksic
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 11:53 AM

    Where there’s demand, there’s supply.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 1:50 PM

    Who would have guess that lol…

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    Mute Fiona deFreyne
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    Apr 3rd 2016, 2:22 PM

    Interesting profile of a GP who seems to have a range of treatments which seem almost too good to be true!

    https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=851175108243732&id=223097867718129

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