the Lodi (California) City Council voted unanimously, 5-0, to allow uncensored prayers before meetings.

It says “uncensored.” Would that also include something like an atheist’s “prayer” just like what happened at a Cobb County board meeting in Georgia?

Atheist Delivers Invocation at Cobb County Board Meeting

Just part of the ongoing process of educating these people.

Oral arguments on cross-summary judgment motions are scheduled for next week, October 14 at 10:30AM in Courtroom G1A of the U.S. Courthouse at 324 W. Market Street in Greensboro. As almost all court proceedings are, these arguments will be open to the public. I plan to attend, and I encourage other North Carolinians interested in this issue to attend as well.

If you want copies of the briefs or other court documents, drop me an e-mail (sqfreak at g mail dot com) because I think I have copies of them or can at least get them.

Hemant writes:

“This story is getting a lot of attention from Christians everywhere… I wonder how many of them could tell you what issues are discussed at the council meetings post-prayer. Do they know? Do they care? Doubtful. The prayer is all that’s important to them. Not anything of real substance.”

It’s also getting attention from atheists everywhere. I wonder how many of them could tell you what issues are discussed at council meetings post-prayer.

What point are you even trying to make here, Hemant?

The atheists are talking about the Christian reaction to this story.

The Christians are worked up because the prayers can now be said “In Jesus’ Name” and there are rational people opposed to that.

The atheists aren’t concerned with the prayers. We’re concerned with the city council addressing whatever issues are important to the citizens of Lodi. I don’t know what those issues are, but I would hope any city council spends time talking about their local issues.

The Christians *only* seem to be concerned about the prayers and not the substance of the meetings. From reading the articles and hearing what they have to say, it almost sounds like they could care less if a meeting took place as long as a prayer was said beforehand.

That’s a problem.

“This story is getting a lot of attention from Christians everywhere… I wonder how many of them could tell you what issues are discussed at the council meetings post-prayer. Do they know? Do they care? Doubtful. The prayer is all that’s important to them. Not anything of real substance.”

It’s also getting attention from atheists everywhere. I wonder how many of them could tell you what issues are discussed at council meetings post-prayer.

What point are you even trying to make here, Hemant?

With the new changes, other faiths can offer invocations, too. So can the non-religious. But I can see this easily getting out of hand. What will the reaction be when someone praises Allah pre-meeting? Can someone bring up Xenu? Thor?

Frankly, I root for these sorts of things to get out hand. Really, really, really out of hand. Until Christians understand why separation of Church and State is important, they have to be subjected to the most outrageous blasphemy and intensive humiliation that we can muster.

Bring on the Church of the SubGenius.

Everybody prays in Lodi, even if it’s just to get out, like Creedence Clearwater Revival:

Just about a year ago
I set out on the road
Seekin’ my fame and fortune
And lookin’ for a pot of gold
Things got bad, and things got worse
I guess you know the tune
Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again

I rode in on a Greyhound,
I’ll be walkin’ out if I go
I was just passin’ through
Must be seven months or more
Ran out of time and money
Looks like they took my friends
Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again

The man from the magazine
Said I was on my way
Somewhere I lost connection
Ran out of songs to play
I came into town on a one-night stand
Looks like my plans fell through
Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again

If I only had a dollar
For every song I’ve sung
And every time I’ve had to play
While people sat there drunk
You know I’d catch the next train
Back to where I live
Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again