Page 1448 – Family Council

Atheists Groups Target Prayer at Public Meetings

Aug 20, 2013JerryReligious FreedomFreedom From Religion Foundation, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty

Continental_Congress_prayer The Freedom From Religion Foundation out of Wisconsin has teamed up with a California-based atheist organization to target public prayer at city council meetings in California, according to news sources.

Last June, FFRF sent a letter to the Chico City Council in Chico, California, instructing the council to “discontinue official, government prayers” at meetings.

Opening government meetings with an invocation is a longstanding practice in America that has been upheld as constitutional. Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter to the city council, asking them not to be bullied by these two atheist groups.

In the letter, ADF noted,

“There is simply no question that a public deliberative body may open its meetings with an invocation, even one that includes a prayer. Public prayer has been an essential part of our heritage since before this nation’s founding, and our Constitution has always protected the activity. Contrary to some recent claims, such prayer can also include distinctly Christian references without running afoul of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.”

Last year Freedom From Religion Foundation sent similar letters to public officials and government bodies who were celebrating Christmas with Nativity scenes and lighting ceremonies around the country.

Columnist on Euthanasia: ‘Right’ to Die Easily Becomes ‘Duty’ to Die

Aug 19, 2013JerryMedical EthicsBioethics, Euthanasia, Medical Ethics

Dr. Peter Saunders with the Care Not Killing Alliance has published a column in the U.K. explaining how the ‘right’ to die (by means of euthanasia or assisted suicide) can easily become a duty.

Dr. Saunders writes,

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Heritage Foundation: President Gives Congress Illegal Obamacare Break

Aug 16, 2013JerryObamacareObama Administration, Obamacare, President Obama

President Obama Addresses Congress Heritage Foundation has published an article highlighting President Obama’s decision to “soften the blow” of Obamacare for members of Congress, but not for the rest of the American people–and, they say, what he’s doing is illegal.

“[T]he Obama Administration says, ‘No problem.’ Congress can keep their health care subsidies ($5,000 for individual coverage or $11,000 for family coverage) and use them in the new Obamacare exchanges.

“In a surprise to no one, the President doesn’t actually have legal authority to do that.

“Heritage’s Ed Haislmaier explained in detail how the Administration twisted its interpretation of the law to fix Congress’s little problem. As he put it, ‘It was bad enough that Congress had to pass the law to find out what was in it. Now, the Administration is ignoring the law when they don’t like what they find.'”

Read the entire article from Heritage Foundation here.