Town Appeals "Jesus Prayer" Ban

Officials in a South Carolina community are appealing a federal judge's recent decision that barred council members from mentioning Christ in pre-meeting prayers.

Last Thursday, Cameron McGowan ruled that the Great Falls Town Council cannot invoke the name of Jesus or any other specific deity during prayers offered before meetings, "The (Rock Hill) Herald" reported.

Look what is happening to our Constitutional guaranteed Freedoms because of Christ and God hating liberal activist judges? Where is freedom of speech or freedom of religion? The constitution doesn’t say freedom FROM them making us a godless humanistic society. But that is what they are endeavoring to do.

The ruling comes after a lawsuit filed against the town by Wiccan high priestess and Great Falls resident Darla Kaye Wynne, who claimed officials violated the First Amendment of the Constitution by using the name of Jesus in prayers offered at meetings.

Wynne proposed in 2000 that prayers be limited to only mentioning "God" or that members of different religions be invited to give prayers. In February 2001, the council decided to continue with the customary prayer.

"I just wish they would understand there's more than Christians here," Wynne told the "Herald." "Instead of diversity dividing us, it should be bringing us closer together."

Mayor H.C. "Speedy" Starnes Jr. said the council will comply with McGowan's ruling until it can be reversed. Starnes said prayers mentioning Jesus has been the practice "ever since we've had a council." The town was incorporated in 1968.

"This [case] potentially could have a snowball effect for every city council, county council and school board around," Town Attorney Brian Gibbons said. Several churches and area ministers have shown their support for the council, with church members opposed to allowing "an alternative prayer to a self-proclaimed witch."

(Post date: September 1, 2003)