Cole Co. judge mulls lawsuit over Mo. prayer measure

Monday, March 5, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A central Missouri judge is considering a legal challenge over a state constitutional amendment dealing with prayer.

Cole County Circuit Judge Pat Joyce held a hearing Monday.

Missouri lawmakers passed the constitutional amendment last year and referred it to the 2012 ballot. It states that people can pray in public places as long as they do not disturb the peace. It also says students can express their religious beliefs and cannot be compelled to participate in assignments that violate their religious beliefs.

A lawsuit contends the ballot wording is insufficient because it fails to mention the potential for students to refuse homework or that prisoners could lose some religious protections.

The attorney general’s office says the summary is fair and notes it could be no more than 50 words.

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Sequoia 1 year, 2 months ago

I'm a Restafarian. I pray by relaxing. I have a religious objection to all effort. So, thanks to this bill, I'm "praying," not loitering, and my kids will never have to do another hard homework assignment. Kick back for Christ!

JMO 1 year, 2 months ago

Wow. There's going to be a lot of kids skipping out on science classes, huh?

John 1 year, 2 months ago

Why the snide comment about Christ? I do not see the word Christian or Christ in the article. Anyone wanting to pervert a law can do so to nearly any law. Your comments sound as if that is what you are advocating; perversion.

John 1 year, 2 months ago

According to the article it says, "refuse homework", I see nothing about skipping classes.

Sequoia 1 year, 2 months ago

Yeah, John, right: I'm sure all those Missouri lawmakers are working hard to defend Muslim rights. I'm sure they passed this bill so that Missouri's Muslim citizens could pray in public.

BTW, snide? Jesus was Restafarian, too: Matthew 6:26: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

No need to get that outrage machine worked up here. It's time to chill.

JMO 1 year, 2 months ago

Don't be so literal John.

My point is they'll be able to refuse to learn about the dinosaurs, because that whole fossil record is bogus after all - the world is only 6000 years old give or take. They can refuse any assignments that involve evolution because after all, God created it all in seven days and man sprang up fully formed like Venus from the sea foam...but it's probably bad to learn mythology too. And if not "skipping classes", where exactly will they be while refusing to do work the rest of the class is doing? Basically, entire sections of earth science go out the window for some kids, probably some chemistry and biology too. Teaching something different than they learned in Sunday School? Heaven forbid!

And before someone jumps down my throat over this...I was raised and remain Christian. But I also think God gave us brains for a reason and we should use them.

tonto_goldberg 1 year, 2 months ago

Hah! How could you get everythig so wrong? Man was formed out of dust, and wo-man was formed from a man's rib. I was paying attention in Sunday school, but where were you? Off in a daze, thinking about Greek mythology.That's where you went wrong.

viktorkowski 1 year, 2 months ago

weren't parochial schools created for this very reason? those parents that wanted their children to learn in a christian environment?

and no these rights only pertain to christians. we all know that the constitution doesn't mention any other religion ;)

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