(2) Sat 14 Feb 98 22:11 By: Alan Hess To: all Re: more prayer problems St: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ @EID:b861 244eb160 From the "Baltimore Sun" (www.sunspot.net) [Maryland] Today is Sat Feb 14, 1998 10:01 pm Return to story index --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Image] House prayer sparks ill will Christian homily offends some [Image] [Image] ----------------------------------------------- By Michael Dresser SUN STAFF Prayer brought anything but peace to the House of Delegates yesterday. A Baltimore County minister's fire-and-brimstone Christian homily led to a hastily reversed decision to end the practice of inviting clergymen to deliver the prayer that traditionally opens the chamber's sessions. By late afternoon, House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. had disavowed the decision -- which an aide attributed to "miscommunication" -- but not before a tradition that is intended to inspire unity and reflection became a political football. The Rev. John Dekker, pastor of Cub Hill Bible Presbyterian Church, ignited the controversy by delivering a prayer that included passages that could be interpreted as a slap at President Clinton and legislators who favor abortion rights. "Though our leaders sin, many do not care, because they no longer hold themselves accountable by the commandments of God as these are found in the Bible," reads the text of Dekker's remarks. "Many people believe that personal morality is of no consequence, but the problems we face in America and right here in Maryland are the results of the bad moral choices at all level of society by adults -- illegitimacy, divorce, child abuse and neglect, abortion and the breakdown of the moral fabric that holds a free society together. "It has never been more important to have moral people in office and good role models before the people in public life." Dekker ended his prayer by invoking the name of "our Lord Jesus Christ," which many members of non-Christian faiths find offensive. "It was so inappropriate, so over-the-top and so divisive," said Del. Cheryl C. Kagan, a Mont gomery County Democrat who said that she and other non-Christian members do not like to be asked to pray in the name of Jesus. Most Christian ministers who lead the prayers avoid such references. Kagan, who is Jewish, said she was among a group of legislators who brought their complaints to Del. John A. Hurson, the House majority leader. Shortly after that, delegates including Kagan began receiving calls telling them to withdraw invitations to clergymen to deliver opening prayers. By late afternoon, some conservative Republican legislators were spreading the word that the House Democratic leadership would no longer allow outside clergymen to lead prayers but would reserve the role for members of the House. "They're only going to have politicians saying prayer now," said Del. James F. Ports, a Baltimore County Republican whose 8th District delegation invited Dekker. Taylor, reached at his Cumberland home, said there had been no change in policy and that he had not noticed anything objectionable about the prayer. "Jim Ports is wrong," he said. Hurson, a Montgomery County Democrat, took the blame for the miscommunication. He said he misunderstood the speaker and passed along erroneous information to the clerk. But he said the chamber's policy for handling the prayers would be reviewed. "We've got a problem here because preachers are giving political speeches instead of a prayer," said Hurson, who added that individual members are responsible for informing guest clergy of the House's guidelines for prayer. Kagan said the opening prayer has become a recurring source of controversy within the House -- particularly when clergy ignore guidelines that call for prayers to be nonsectarian in nature. She estimated that five or six of the prayers that have started daily sessions this year have invoked the name of Jesus. One result, she said, is that one religious Jew stays in the lounge until the prayer is over rather than violate his religious beliefs. Some legislators said they interpreted the passage about people not caring about leaders who sin -- coupled with an earlier Bible quote condemning adultery -- as a veiled reference to the sex allegations swirling around Clinton and the fact his poll ratings have remained high. Dekker said he never thought of the president when writing the prayer. "Of course, Clinton comes under that," he said. ----------------------------------------------- Originally Published on 2/14/98 Return to story index --- Msged/2 4.10 * Origin: Nerve Center - Source of the SPINAL_INJURY echo! (1:261/1000) SEEN-BY: 12/12 218/890 1001 270/101 396/1 3615/50 51 3804/180 @PATH: 261/1000 3020 3040 3090 270/101 396/1 3615/50 218/1001