Franklin Prayer May Bring Legal Action

[Henry]

FRANKLIN — Despite efforts to reach a compromise, the Franklin Town Meeting began Tuesday with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a Christian invocation. The invocation, led by Rev. Jason McConnell, explicitly referenced “the Lord” and the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

    Prior to the meeting selectboard chair Scott Choiniere had told the Messenger there would be a moment of silence rather than a prayer.  This morning Choiniere said in a voice mail, “Things did change before the meeting.”

    Marilyn Hackett, the Franklin resident who protested the inclusion of an explicitly Christian prayer at a government meeting, said Choiniere had told her, “If I’d just brought an injunction there’d have been no problem.”

Read more in The St. Albans Messenger Article by Michelle Monroe:

http://www.samessenger.com/NewsView.asp?ID=5883

[mirjo]

As difficult as it is to accept in this densely Christian and predominantly Catholic state (and esp in such a small town), the reality is that church and state are separate for a reason--the reasons have historic origins  as Michelle pointed out in her story, but more currently--the US is a very diverse society and Vermont is one also, not everyone believes in God, let alone is of a Christian faith. These differences should be respected.

Legal action at town meeting might be a little extreme, but I can see the irritation since this was discussed and worked out in advance.

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

If the differences are to be respected, then shouldn't a prayer be allowed?  Kind of a devils advocate spin, but you don't have to bow your head or say the prayer.  There were people that do believe in God and do attend church that attend town meeting.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Indeed.  Differences are to be respected.  It seems that the prayer being said was a Christian prayer.  Supposing there are in the audience those who believe in God very deeply but go to synagogue or mosque?

  I am all for prayer, at any time or in any place, but I don't think that having a Christian prayer at a public gathering--even knowing that perhaps a good number of the people there are Christian--is necessarily the way to express one's religious convictions.