A few months after Turner took office, the prayer rotation came to him for the first time.... He mentioned the looming war in Iraq and the "turbulent times," and asked for prayers for state, national and world leaders. "We realize that it is all in your care," Turner said before ending his prayer: "In Jesus's holy name. Amen."[Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]
Shortly after, a woman in Turner's district contacted him to say his explicit reference to Jesus Christ had offended her. He was shocked, having never been exposed to the viewpoint "that just mentioning the name of Jesus Christ would offend someone," he says, then stops and chuckles softly. "I'm just a country boy."
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Story Features Maryland City Councilman Who Is Pressing For Sectarian Prayer
Sunday's Washington Post Magazine carries a lengthy profile of Fredricksburg (VA [corrected]) City Councilman Hashmel Turner. A Baptist minister, Turner is suing the city of Fredricksburg claiming that its ban on his invoking the name of a specific deity when delivering a City Council invocation infringes his religious liberty and free speech rights. After losing in federal district court, his case is on appeal to the 4th Circuit. Turner argues that the ban amounts to viewpoint discrimination. The Post story recounts:
