Part I

By Carri Bevan Pruner

OPINION PIECE

In a recent Currituck Board of Commissioners meeting, prayer at the senior center was a hot topic. Prayer became a topic because someone at the senior center complained to the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The county attorney, Megan Morgan, was notified by the Freedom from Religion Foundation that a complaint was made about the senior’s practice of praying before eating lunch. According to the county website, The Currituck County Senior Centers offer Congregate lunch Monday – Friday to seniors 60 and over. Morgan stated at the 16 January 24 Board of Commissioners meeting that prayer before meals did not violate the Constitution. Even so, the county attorney sent a memo to the senior center temporarily ending prayer without notifying the commissioners.

At the 16 January meeting, Morgan stated that she recommended a “moment of silence take the place of prayer so as not to violate the Constitution.”  She went on to say that the moment of silence was recommended so that whatever religion or background someone is, you can do whatever you want during this moment of silence as opposed to one specific prayer. Morgan then called the moment of silence a misnomer because it didn’t prohibit anyone from praying.

Commissioner Paul Beaumont said the county attorney’s memo set policy and that there should have been a discussion before the commissioners. He then pointed out a moment of silence means silence. Beaumont continued by saying that in the county attorney’s letter to the Freedom from Religion Foundation, she spoke for the county in adopting a moment of silence instead of prayer. He then said that he would argue categorically that seniors are protected in praying because the county is not enforcing it, but that it is an individual taking that position. Beaumont pointed out that there are legal resources that we can talk to and consult with that are far more adept at interpreting constitutional law and how it pertains to the issue of public prayer. Overall, he thought the county attorney came up with a position on which he didn’t think the board had any weigh-in.  Commissioner Mike Payment said we need to clarify what the moment of silence meant by setting an amendment to clarify the meaning.

I contacted two commissioners before the 16 January meeting.  Commissioner Kevin McCord told me he has been working on this issue since the 12th of the month. He stated he would fight so the seniors could be free to pray. Commissioner Owen Ethridge told me the BOC had nothing to do with the memo sent out by the county attorney. He also stated that he has been trying to handle this since last week.

A moment of silence is what it is, a moment of silence. The memo sent to the senior center limits and removed freedom of religion from those praying before their meal. Those who pray to God in the name of Jesus believe the word of God should be spoken out loud when they pray. 1 Corinthians 14:16 tells us, “Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? “Asking” means speaking. When seniors of faith are asked to stop praying out loud and to practice a moment of silence instead, the power of prayer and thanks is taken away from them. This memo is a violation of the Constitution. The Establishment Clause states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”; and yet the county attorney sent out a memo violating seniors’ Constitutional right of the free exercise of prayer before their lunch. Public prayer on government property is generally allowed when it is part of individuals’ or groups’ private, voluntary expression.