Supreme Court turns away local government appeal over prayer at public meetings
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 9:09 AM
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a North Carolina county commission over the mostly Christian prayers offered at the beginning of its public meetings.
The justices on Tuesday left in place a federal appeals court ruling that held that the predominantly Christian prayers at the start of Forsyth County commission meetings violated the First Amendment’s prohibition on government endorsement of a particular religion.
The commission said its doors have long been open to religious leaders of many faiths. But the appeals court in Richmond, Va., found that more than three-quarters of the 33 invocations given before meetings between May 2007 and December 2008 referred to “Jesus,” ‘’Jesus Christ,” ‘’Christ” or “Savior.”
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Lots more to follow tomorrow!
Life Project Blog 
Sad
I’m an Aussie, which is theoretically far more secular than the US, but my wife spends a couple of hours every week in the local state primary school, telling children in various classes about Jesus – and praying! The whole school of 300 children, their teachers and about 250 parents and other relatives came together in a local church to celebrate Christmas. As I said, Australia is supposed to be the secular country!
That speaks volumes, thank you! Americans, are you listening?