The Bible commands us: "Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus." --Colossians 3:17.
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD, Praying In Jesus Name: We won
TWO victories this week, securing the right to pray "in Jesus' name" after YOU helped us petition both Hawaii and California to defend freedom of speech for pastors.
1.) The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week it's OK for pastors to pray "in Jesus' name" before city council meetings, and
Jesus prayers do NOT violate the Constitution. (This victory is significant, considering the 4th Circuit and 2nd Circuit have
banned city councils from allowing Jesus prayers in many states on the East Coast.)
The new 9th Circuit ruling allowing Jesus prayers in Rubin v. Lancaster is
summarized here, with the
full PDF download here. The anti-Jesus complainer intends to appeal, either en banc to the full circuit, or to the Supreme Court of the United States.
How did you help? We sent thousands of your petitions in 2009 to four city councils in California (including Lancaster, CA and Mayor Rex Parris). That city council heard your petitions, and let the citizens of Lancaster vote in 2010, when a
75% majority voted to allow pastors to pray "in Jesus' name" before city council meetings. Diverse faiths were all invited, in fact the court praised the Mayor for reaching out to Muslims, Jews, and others.
They got sued, by domestic enemies of the Constitution, who hate hearing pastors pray "in Jesus' name." But the Mayor and city council
took a stand (as we petitioned them to do). The anti-Jesus complainers lost in 2011, and
this week the anti-Jesus complainers lost again at the Ninth Circuit.
"Jesus is not a dirty word," said Parris, a Baptist. "Really what this lawsuit was about was making it one."
Do you realize what this means? Now
local governments in 11 West-Coast States or Territories may allow free speech by pastors. AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, Guam, and N. Marianas Islands have legal precedent to ALLOW JESUS PRAYERS, without fear of frivolous lawsuits, especially the Freedom From Religion Foundation, ACLU, or AU.

2.) WE WON AGAIN this month, when the
Hawaii Senate restored freedom to open legislative sessions with a "moment of contemplation" that may include Jesus prayers, after a 2-year ban on all prayer.
We sent hundreds of petitions to Hawaii State Senator Sam Slom (R-HI) last year via direct mail, and the Senate answered with a big YES to restore prayer.
With Hawaii
you helped change the law in 11 states, to restore freedom to pray "in Jesus' name." We had previously scored victories and won policy reversals in NC, VA, CA, OR, OK, PA, OH, IN, FL, and NY, not to mention restoring freedom of speech for military chaplains (after
I was wrongly punished in 2006 for praying in Jesus' name in my uniform as a Navy Chaplain, and later vindicated by Congress). Sadly we lost on appeal in NY (Galloway v. Town of Greece), so that 2nd Circuit case conflicts with our new 9th Circuit victory, and
both may go to SCOTUS soon.
Jesus Christ banned from Prayers in Washington. Take action!
The mayor of Longview, Washington has
banned prayers "in Jesus' name" before city council meetings, because an atheist complainer threatened to sue,
reports Seattle Times.
Call the anti-Jesus mayor, Don Jensen (phone 360-442-5004) who was advised by city attorney James McNamara (same phone), that
the word "Jesus" might be illegal speech if uttered during a prayer by any visiting pastor, during the invocation before city meetings.
Mayor Jenson said, "It’s not my choice to stop this, but I don’t know how we can put our citizens at jeopardy and cost our city and our citizens a lot of money."

Watch a
video interview of atheist complainer Dan Smith who hates Jesus prayers, with
Dr. Chaps' legal analysis including 7 judicial precedents.
Atheist complainer Dan Smith threatened to sue, so the city attorney caved-in without a fight. "The more unclear answer is
whether the prayer can invoke the name of Jesus Christ," McNamara said Monday, adding that different courts have reached different conclusions on the matter. He's forgetting Rubin v. Lancaster in 2011, when a federal judge in California ruled a city CAN allow Jesus' prayers,
proof here.
Pastor Mark Schumutz took a stand, as leader of the local pastors' association, saying "If they
can’t speak the name Jesus Christ, association ministers will no longer provide the invocation." [I have fought this battle in 10 states, and won every time. Please call the anti-Jesus mayor Don Jenson at 360-442-5004 today or Monday. Flood his voicemail.]
In related news, U.S. Congressman Walter Jones
just introduced a bill HR 343 that would forever protect military chaplains' right to pray "in Jesus' name." You may recall
I was vindicated by Congress in 2006 after being punished for violating the Navy's non-sectarian prayer policy, which was rescinded by Congress. But
Congress still has not passed a positive law to protect military chaplains' right to pray "in Jesus' name."
Jones' bill would amend Title 10 to read
"If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a religious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain's own conscience." Let's take a stand for military chaplains' right to pray "in Jesus' name." Please
sign our new petition to pass this bill...
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