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Ga. Seniors Told They Can't Pray Before Meals

j-mac

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PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. -- Preston Blackwelder proudly showed off a painting of his grandmother that had hung next to the front door of his Port Wentworth home.

She was the woman who led him to God, Blackwelder said Friday.
And with that firm religious footing, Blackwelder said it would be preposterous to stop praying before meals at Port Wentworth's Ed Young Senior Citizens Center near Savannah because of a federal guideline.

"She would say pray anyway," Blackwelder said of his grandmother. "She'd say don't listen."

But Senior Citizens Inc. officials said Friday the meals they are contracted by the city to provide to Ed Young visitors are mostly covered with federal money, which ushers in the burden of separating church and state.
On Thursday, the usual open prayer before meals at the center was traded in for a moment of silence.

The dilemma is being hashed out by the Port Wentworth city attorney, said Mayor Glenn "Pig" Jones.

Tim Rutherford, Senior Citizens Inc. vice president, said some of his staff recently visited the center and noticed people praying shortly before lunch was served. Rutherford said his company provides meals like baked chicken, steak tips and rice and salads at a cost of about $6 a plate. Seniors taking the meals pay 55 cents and federal money foots the rest of the bill, Rutherford said.

Ga. Seniors Told They Can't Pray Before Meals - News Story - WSB Atlanta


Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac
 
I wonder if they would complain if the old people said a Muslim prayer?
 
Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac

Just for a bit of clarity, where's the part where they were told that they're not allowed to pray before meals?

Can anyone show me where prayer was outlawed or where they'll be arrested for praying?
 
Just for a bit of clarity, where's the part where they were told that they're not allowed to pray before meals?

Can anyone show me where prayer was outlawed or where they'll be arrested for praying?


Arrested? Is that what now has to be done in order to deem it too far? For years, a prayer was offered before the meal, now because the federal funding is threatened, they can't?

I'd like to know the federal dumb arse that threatened their funding.


j-mac
 
On the one hand I think it goes little too far, but on the other I don't understand why they needs to be led in a prayer in the first place. If someone wants to pray before they eat they should just do it.
 
Arrested? Is that what now has to be done in order to deem it too far? For years, a prayer was offered before the meal, now because the federal funding is threatened, they can't?

I'd like to know the federal dumb arse that threatened their funding.


j-mac

They can still pray silently, or in their rooms verbally I am sure before any meal]

Here is a anti welfare redistribution chant

The real out rage should be that they are getting subsidized meals in the first place, where are their childern, why are they not either helping to pay for their parents lodging or at least providing them meals
 
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They can still pray silently, or in their rooms verbally I am sure before any meal


Yes, they can, just make sure that no one is offended by an overt giving of thanks before a meal....What a load!

Should people be ashamed of their religious belief LT?


j-mac
 
Yes, they can, just make sure that no one is offended by an overt giving of thanks before a meal....What a load!

Should people be ashamed of their religious belief LT?


j-mac

Nope people should not be ashamed of their religous belief.


But they are not being forced not to pray, they are being told to do it silently or privately
 
Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac

That seems a bit off. I mean, I understand separation of church and state, and it's supposed to be just that. Not church and people. I don't see how they can forbid them to not pray, but it seems that our society has lost all common sense these days. Maybe if we had a bit more of that critical thinking problems like this would never appear.
 
Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac

Was it an organized prayer that was conducted out loud with all people basically forced to participate? If so, no. I prayed all the time when I was younger, in my cafeteria at lunch time, and at other times. I never needed anyone else to hear my prayers, just God.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6
 
Arrested? Is that what now has to be done in order to deem it too far? For years, a prayer was offered before the meal, now because the federal funding is threatened, they can't?

I'd like to know the federal dumb arse that threatened their funding.


j-mac

I'd like to know why most Americans these days feel that they themselves are so stupid that they can't pray without someone leading them and telling them how to pray.

And I don't think it's too far. But as a side note I don't like how people word these things. They aren't forbidding these people from praying. If a highschool stops having pep rallies before football games they aren't telling kids that they're not allowed to cheer. If an old folks home used to have a karaoke night but then they stopped it for some reason it doesn't make singing illegal for old people.
 
Granny had it right - do it anyway and don't listen to these idiots. I'd love to see the Prosecutor arresting an 80 year old for praying before a meal, or the contracted company preparing the food refusing to feed the elderly because they are praying in "THANKS" for that food.

Hopefully this is a feisty bunch of seniors with a "kiss my ass, I'm old" attitude.
 
Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac





This is unconstitutional....





Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
 
This is unconstitutional....





Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Let's just do a test.


Is anyone in that place not allowed to pray at anytime that they want?

Where is the law saying they can't?

Even when I used to be a Christian, the idea of having certain prayer times where you just listen to a prayer rather than say your own or make your own prayers seemed silly to me.

God is the most important thing in your life but you can't be bothered to come up with a few words of gratitude without being told what to say?
 
Nope people should not be ashamed of their religous belief.


But they are not being forced not to pray, they are being told to do it silently or privately

Because having a group lead prayer means people might be FORCED TO PRAY!!!

Why can't those without the inclination jsut... not pray before the meal?
 
Let's just do a test.


Is anyone in that place not allowed to pray at anytime that they want?

Where is the law saying they can't?

Even when I used to be a Christian, the idea of having certain prayer times where you just listen to a prayer rather than say your own or make your own prayers seemed silly to me.

God is the most important thing in your life but you can't be bothered to come up with a few words of gratitude without being told what to say?





ah so if I am reading you right, you as an x-christian, want to tell christians how to pray?
 
Because having a group lead prayer means people might be FORCED TO PRAY!!!

Why can't those without the inclination jsut... not pray before the meal?

Why can't those with the inclination to pray do it silently so as to not disturb others?
 
Because having a group lead prayer means people might be FORCED TO PRAY!!!

Why can't those without the inclination jsut... not pray before the meal?

Why can't those with the inclination to pray do so, on their own, without forcing others to bend to their will?

My family prayed thousands of times when I was growing up over meals in restaurants. We never had to make a public announcement: "Y'all, we're praying now, hush up and bow your heads." We just did it, without making a big f'ing deal about it.
 
WWJD?

Matthew 6:5-6: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men....when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."
 
WWJD?

Matthew 6:5-6: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men....when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."



Surely you must know that there are just as many scriptures speaking to the open, and loud praise of the Lord so that others may hear, right?


j-mac
 
Why can't those with the inclination to pray do it silently so as to not disturb others?

1st Amendment... you might of heard of it...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution]First Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] (just for the wording)

Did congress pass a law dictating that people must Pray? No, so there is no "Church and State" issue here.

And the right of people to have a group prayer is Free Speech, Right of Assembly...

Could you please show me where in the Constitution the "right to not be offended/disturbed by others exercising their rights" is... I cannot seem to find it.

I don't see in the article where any senior complained, where someone was offended that was at the meal.
 
Isn't this going just a bit too far?


j-mac

......because you know those seniors are going to take over the country....DARN YOU SENIORS!!! No prayer for you!!
 
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