You are not signed in as a Premium user; we rely on Premium users to support our news reporting. Sign in or Sign up today! MIAMI ( ChurchMilitant.com ) – A federal court ruled Monday that people of all faiths, as well as atheists, must be allowed to give an opening blessing at government meetings. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that Brevard County in Florida violated the First Amendment by essentially barring atheists, Wiccans and others from delivering opening invocations for the Brevard County Board of Commissioners. The county’s board of commissioners, like many legislative bodies in the United States, often has a religious invocation that precedes its public proceedings. Representing a three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus wrote in the ruling , "In this case, Brevard County has selected invocation speakers in a way that favors certain monotheistic religions and categorically excludes from consideration other religions solely based on their belief systems. Brevard County’s process of selecting invocation speakers thus runs afoul of the Establishment Clause." Reuters reports that the court heard the case in Miami, Florida. Free clip from CHURCH MILITANT Premium WATCH THE FULL EPISODE Among the plaintiffs in the case […]
