Thank god! Sioux City Council won't pray out loud.

[Ian David]

By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer

SIOUX CITY -- In the end, it was Councilman Dave Ferris who put the "Amen" on deciding whether city lawmakers will have the chance to say nonsectarian prayers before council meetings.

They won't. The vote was 3-2.

Mayor Mike Hobart and Councilman Jim Rixner joined Ferris in opposing Councilman Aaron Rochester's proposal to give the lawmakers the option of taking turns saying a spoken prayer, or continuing the practice of standing for a moment of silence.

Councilman Brent Hoffman joined Rochester in voting for the change.

Their vote came after listening to two hours of testimony from 25 people in a jammed City Council Chambers. Thirteen people urged the council to support Rochester's prayer proposal. Twelve lobbied the council to keep the moment of silence. A majority of the 90 people in attendance indicated by several standing ovations and applause that they supported Rochester.

Among those who testified in favor of adding a spoken prayer option was Don Craig, an associate pastor at Central Baptist Church. He presented a petition signed by 85 clergy members in a five-state region. He contended that "secular sinkers" who insist on saying only a silent prayer would lead to "sinking the silence."

More:
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/02/26/news/top/76ea424ddbbad861862573fb001701d4.txt

[progressoid]

1. WOW!

This is my side of the state. I'm a little shocked. Sioux City has some serious pockets of red. The rural areas just north of there are the most red in the state.

In a related matter, just after the 06 election there was a big rift within the local GOP. A lot of them were pissed off at the influence of the religious right. Nasty LTTE were written. People were replaced or quit. And a lot of it was done in the public eye.

Oh and WTF?? Secular Sinkers???
"Among those who testified in favor of adding a spoken prayer option was Don Craig, an associate pastor at Central Baptist Church. He presented a petition signed by 85 clergy members in a five-state region. He contended that "secular sinkers" who insist on saying only a silent prayer would lead to "sinking the silence."