Do we(taxpayers) pay for the chaplain that prays over the senate/house?

[politicat]

And do we have a

Wiccan
Buddhist
Jewish
Secular Humanist
Hindu
Tao

chaplain, too?

(CNN had a guest chaplain today, but I know there is a permanent one, too, and it's not like the Congress is in prison or at Deigo Garcia where they can't go to a private church.....)

Politicat, who really does believe in that separation clause.

[silverweb]

1. I don't know.

Ordinarily, I'd agree with you on this point, but these days, we have much bigger fish to fry.

Let's not allow ourselves to get scattered. Let's keep our eyes on the immanent & urgent issues here, like getting rid of the BFEE/PNAC/neocon gangs!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. I am a religion of one, and I demand my religion has it's own chaplain

Or, I demand that any and all trace of religious traditions, especially the ones practiced by the majority of Americans, be banned from public life.

"Politicat, who really does believe in that separation clause."

I hate to repeat a slighly freeperish argument, but their is no "separation" clause. It's says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. I guess an argument can be made that paying a chaplain is "respecting an establishment of religion" but if that was our worst Constitutional crisis, we would be in really good shape.

I would prefer Congress not have a chaplain and not participate in any religious rituals, like prayer. After we defeat Bush, get a Democratic House and Senate, pay off the debt, and get our soldiers our of Iraq, then we can spend time on this "pressing issue".