According to an article in the Indy Star the Indiana House has complied with the court’s order regarding prayer. Rather than making their prayer part of the official business of the General Assembly, some of the lawmakers got together in a corner to pray. Meanwhile some folks decided to make a spectacle of themselves by chanting “Jesus” in the rotunda.
So, I think they are complying with the court’s order. Now, if they could just comply with Jesus’ admonition against ostentatious prayer.
1: “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2: “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3: But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4: so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5: “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7: “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8: Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:1-8.
And they might want to be careful about what they allow to be done in the rotunda. Whatever they allow the Christians to do there, they’ll have to allow the Wiccans and Satanists (not to conflate the two) and everybody else to do the same thing there.
Update: Rep. Dvorak has a report from the front lines regarding the day’s activity generally and the praying specifically.
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