Not an answer to every prayer
Roanoke County supervisors clarified the board’s invocation policy, but that doesn’t clear up constitutional murkiness.
Roanoke County supervisors wanted a written policy that preserved the invocation at the start of their meetings, yet avoided constitutional challenge by residents of minority religious faiths — or no faith at all.
Tuesday, the board passed a policy that casts a wide net of inclusivity to religious congregations in the county and surrounding localities. And it further states, “Any private citizen, including those who do not belong to a religious congregation,” can be scheduled merely by asking.
And citizens “who hold no religious beliefs”? The board deleted that phrase, at the recommendation of the county attorney, for fear of opening the floor to people who’d want to make a mockery of the beliefs of others.
A fear greater, it seems, than fear of a court fight.
November 15, 2012 - 8:06 AM
Why don’t the board just use this time for business. Any Christian knows that if we don’t pray in Jesus name the prayer will never get to God. Jesus said in the Holy Bible that no one comes unto the Father but by me. Just something else to take away from the Christians. We will see who is right when we stand before God.
And THAT”S why very little ever gets done at the local level. Lots of blather about essentially pointless topics.
Not for nothing don, but the Bible also says:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
And
Mark 9:38-40
“38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[a] and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us.”
And
Matthew 6:5-7
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
And Lastly, we were even instructed how to pray:
Matthew 6:9-15
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Using the Bible as a weapon is not God’s intention IMO.
It sure is great to see so many Scriptures quoted today. How about this. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 God bless you all God loves you.
#4 Sorry don, I’m Jewish, so your Xtian babble is irrelevant to me.
NEXT!
#5 – “Sorry don, I’m Jewish, so your Xtian babble is irrelevant to me.”
Why is it so hard to respect the beliefs of others? Is it really necessary to call it “babble”?
You may not believe in what other believe in, but at least have the courtesy to respect it.
Seeing a lot of “my fairy tale is better than your fairy tale” stuff going on today. So much time and energy wasted.
#5 Steven…I’m not Jewish, but have steafastly supported Israel & our allied support. Beyond the point I would generally support U.S. external intervention.
Do you consider such support “babble”?
God does indeed “love us all” and there is nothing in the Bible or the Christian faith that gives any Christian leave to judge other’s faith, worthiness or stature in God’s eye. You can insult people of faith by saying “Any Christian knows that if we don’t pray in Jesus name the prayer will never get to God“. What you cannot do is show us where Jesus or God ever gave you the standing to say so.
Just as the Scripture I quoted above proves, you are not the judge and Jesus and the Bible say many things, interpreted in many ways. NONE of them gives you the power to judge others.