Hey folks,
WELCOME to the Big Sunday Edition of the OPNTalk Blog. It's been a while. What is it Three Week? Two. Two weeks? Anyway, seems like it's been forever since I got to sit in The Chair and bring to you the Big Sunday Edition. The good news is that it seems that the folks over at Google and Blogspot.com are working out all the problems they have been having. It gets a little better every day. Lets hope we can make it through the Sunday Edition with everything working the way it should. Or at least close to the way it should.Glad you could stop by. You can also find me over on Twitter, Facebook, and occasionally on the Tom Sullivan Facebook Page. As Always, if YOU want to be a part of the OPNTalk Blog, the Email is opntalk@gmail.com.
So coming right up today?
Obama Parties, Some Not Happy
Signs Of Alzheimer's
DLA For Sunday 052911
IWA for Sunday 052911
All that as we move along. First up though, did you catch this? Texas Federal District Judge Lynn Hughes says the name Jesus is OK to use in a Memorial Day Prayer. I kid you not. A Federal Judge had to say it's OK. Not that the Government can say it's NOT. According to the Huston Chronicle: VA agrees not to interfere with holiday prayers Agency backs down after losing court fight over pastor's mention of Jesus in Memorial Day invocation at Houston cemetery By TERRI LANGFORD HOUSTON CHRONICLE
The nation's agency for military veterans has agreed to stay out of religious refereeing for now, backing down from its attempt to tell a minister how to craft a prayer for a Memorial Day invocation.Way to go Judge. Folks, the Constitution says that we can practice our Faith ANYWHERE and ANYWAY we chose and the Federal Government can NOT "prohibit the free exercise" of Religion. Sorry Fred. Sorry Arleen. There is no room for Political Correctness here. The LAW is not on your side. Maybe you should attend. A little Prayer in your life may be good for ya.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Hindrichs told federal District Judge Lynn Hughes that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will not demand that Memorial Day prayers at Houston National Cemetery Monday be as non-denominational as possible.
"(The agency) will let the prayer go on this Monday," Hindrichs told Hughes.
The change of heart came one day after the judge granted the Rev. Scott Rainey a temporary restraining order against the agency after officials told the pastor to edit his prayer to make it as general and non-denominational as possible. Rainey's prayer, submitted for review at the agency's request included the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and thanked Jesus Christ, the Christian savior, in closing.
"The ... prayer/message is specific to one belief," wrote Arleen Ocasio, director of the Houston National Cemetery.
"I've never said a prayer in my life that didn't end with Jesus Christ," Rainey said after Friday's hearing. "It was unrealistic expectation for me not to include the name of Jesus Christ."
Veterans Affairs officials informed Rainey that if he wanted to give the invocation, he would have to keep the language in his prayer "general" and "non-denominational."
Rainey filed a lawsuit against the agency Thursday, claiming the government was censoring his speech and asked the judge to stop the agency from doing so.
Judge warns agency
Hughes granted a temporary restraining order which will stay in place through Monday's Memorial Day. The judge said that while he was not doubting the government's word, he was "an experienced optimist" who didn't want to leave room for the government to change its mind before Monday.
Yesterday, the judge warned the agency it had stepped too far, saying officials were essentially "decreeing how citizens honor their veterans."
"The government cannot gag citizens when it says it is in the interest of national security, and it cannot do it in some bureaucrat's notion of cultural homogeneity," Hughes wrote.
Alright folks, going to fill my cup. Be right back.
Peter
Sources:
Huston Chronicle: VA agrees not to interfere with holiday prayers
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