No souls were harmed when the Indiana Senate session opened Tuesday:
Sen. Patricia L. Miller, R-Indianapolis, opened the Senate's proceedings Tuesday with a nonsectarian prayer, following threats last month of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana.
The prayer lasted about a minute and did not mention Jesus Christ or any other deity by name.
ACLU attorney Ken Falk apparently wasn't offended, so I guess the state can get on with its business now.
Comments
The wrath of God will surely descend upon us now. Just as surely as he caused 9/11 because of the gays and lesbians (per Falwell) and just as surely as we have lost his favor because we obscure "In God We Trust" on the coinage (per Dan Burton), we can expect that Indiana's economic woes will continue despite the DST panacea because of God's anger over not saying his name before a legislative session.
Snark aside, check out this informative blog post by Ed Brayton on the subject of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison and their views of the role of religion in public life:
http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/01/the_key_founders_on_religion_a.php