Posted on Oct 16, 2019
Alabama Lt. Gov.’s call to ‘pray for us’ unconstitutional, FFRF warns - Freedom From Religion...
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In order to uphold his obligation under the constitution to remain neutral on matters of religion while acting in his official capacity as lieutenant governor, Ainsworth must not use his official social media accounts to encourage citizens to pray.
“Government officials can worship, pray or quote any religious text they wish when acting in their personal capacities,” Line continues. “But they are not permitted to provide prestige to their personal religion by lending a government office and government title to religious ideology. Their offices and titles belong to ‘We the people,’ not the offices’ temporary occupants.”
“Government officials can worship, pray or quote any religious text they wish when acting in their personal capacities,” Line continues. “But they are not permitted to provide prestige to their personal religion by lending a government office and government title to religious ideology. Their offices and titles belong to ‘We the people,’ not the offices’ temporary occupants.”
Alabama Lt. Gov.’s call to ‘pray for us’ unconstitutional, FFRF warns - Freedom From Religion...
Posted from ffrf.orgPosted in these groups: 
Religion
Constitution
Religion Constitution
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 4
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An interesting post that leaves me with a couple of questions. Like all modern journalism, it is incomplete. For example, did the Lt Gov "call for" a specific type of prayer associated with a particular religion? Prayer, synonymous with "meditation", may or may not be a communication with a divine being. Some pray as in meditation to communicate with the self. Actually, I too wish more people were "praying" these days rather than ranting in Internet discussions. Many/Most are obviously parroting ideological messages with which they have been indoctrinated (and we've hear them all before, many times before, too many). If nothing else, a little quiet time in prayer/meditation would go a long way in relieving the stresses and tensions of popular debate. The second issue is the name of the Foundation, Freedom From Religion. I see nothing in this article wherein the Lt Gov is attempting to establish a religion or officially sanction one. Thus, he is in compliance with the "establishment" provision of the First Amendment. Then again, as I mentioned, the article is incomplete and he may have crossed some legal, albeit unreported, boundary. Obviously, he has crossed the boundary that the FFRF wants to enforce without constitutional authority.
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
1SG (Join to see) - If there was an actual violation they wouldn't have stopped there at a warning...they would have filed suit...therefore, there is no violation...They are just trying to rattle peoples cages. This post was from his personal account...not from his official account. And he never said this is from the Lt Gov or stated that using his office
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1SG (Join to see)
CPT Jack Durish - “The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the First Amendment ‘mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion’” “Calling for community prayer is in no way neutral between religion and nonreligion; it is an impermissible endorsement of religion.”
This also occurred in Florida to which in ruling against the city, the federal court explained: “If individuals or religious groups organize a prayer vigil and gather in the downtown square in the city of Ocala to pray for an end to violent crime, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution will protect the ‘free exercise’ of their religion. But what if the government organizes and sponsors the prayer vigil? That is a problem because under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the government cannot conduct such religious activity.”
This also occurred in Florida to which in ruling against the city, the federal court explained: “If individuals or religious groups organize a prayer vigil and gather in the downtown square in the city of Ocala to pray for an end to violent crime, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution will protect the ‘free exercise’ of their religion. But what if the government organizes and sponsors the prayer vigil? That is a problem because under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the government cannot conduct such religious activity.”
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I can only judge from the example provided in the FRFF link.
Where does Will Ainsworth identify himself as the Lt. Governor, or as a member of the state government?
Where does Will Ainsworth identify himself as the Lt. Governor, or as a member of the state government?
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1SG (Join to see)
Splendid question. The FFRF link shows his statement made on his official Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/willainsworthAL/
https://www.facebook.com/willainsworthAL/
Will Ainsworth, Montgomery, Alabama. 38K likes. Conservative Republican, devoted husband, father, farmer, businessman, and outdoorsman. 31st Lieutenant Governor of Alabama.
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Maj John Bell
1SG (Join to see) - I promise I'm not trying to be obtuse. I don't use facebook, never have, and never will. So this is a well-meant question... what is the difference between an Official Facebook Page of a government Official and a personal but public Facebook Page?
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1SG (Join to see)
Maj John Bell - Well it is actually considered to be a public figure page. These pages offer advantages such as ability to make a more professional looking page, ability to run ads on the page, monitor traffic and performance and mush more. personal pages have far less perks and usually contain well personal things like cat videos and family pictures.
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