Complaint against judge praying in court

[ShadowFox]

Complaint against judge praying in court - CNN.com

ANDALUSIA, Alabama (AP) -- An Alabama judge who once wore the Ten Commandments embroidered on his robe has been accused of violating judicial ethics for ordering a group in his courtroom to hold hands and pray. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with the Judicial Inquiry Commission against Covington County Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan of Andalusia, said Olivia Turner, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama. The complaint said McKathan violated ethics rules and the U.S. Constitution by ordering the group to pray. Four years ago, McKathan donned the Ten Commandments robe, he said, to publicly acknowledge his belief that the law is based on more than just words written in law books. The ACLU complaint said McKathan dropped to his knees and prayed aloud during a court hearing in February. He told the 100 people in the courtroom that he was not afraid to call on the name of Jesus Christ, witnesses said, and ordered all to join hands and pray, according to the complaint filed soon after the hearing.

Ok, this is the second time this guy has done something like this. I think his beliefs are starting to interfere with his work, don't you?

[LadiesMan217]

I don't have a problem if this guy wants to pray to himself but I think he is definitely pushing it and should not have outbursts like that and he should just do his job.

[Jack]

Anyone convicted in his court has great grounds for an appeal.

[Gods_Mercenary]

depends, but that behavior is not appropriate for a court of law.

[Radhian]

appropriate or not, still to interfere in your carrier with religion is something that's unethical. We don't ban them from praying, we don't ban them from praying during a court trial either, but do it somewhere else, since you can pray anywhere and still be effective.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Radhian appropriate or not, still to interfere in your carrier with religion is something that's unethical. We don't ban them from praying, we don't ban them from praying during a court trial either, but do it somewhere else, since you can pray anywhere and still be effective.

I didn't know prayer was particularly effective. Hopefully the
general consensus is that is is not, and that prayer does not belong in a courtroom.

To me, this is a clear step over the line.

Grandpa h.

[Porfyra]

I believe that people should be allowed to pray anytime, anywhere, but making other people pray, too? That doesn't sound very Christian to me. Now, if he were in a church or if he were meeting with a group of fellow believers, then it would be perfectly fine to ask others to stand and pray with him. But the fact that he is in a courtroom where probably 50% of the people shun God, he should have known that people would get flustered at him for making them stand and pray.

I didn't know prayer was particularly effective. Hopefully the general consensus is that is is not, and that prayer does not belong in a courtroom.

Prayer is effective, and this dude can pray in the courtroom all he wants, but he should not have made other people do it.

[Aussie]

Quote by: Porfyra I believe that people should be allowed to pray anytime, anywhere, but making other people pray, too? That doesn't sound very Christian to me. Now, if he were in a church or if he were meeting with a group of fellow believers, then it would be perfectly fine to ask others to stand and pray with him. But the fact that he is in a courtroom where probably 50% of the people shun God, he should have known that people would get flustered at him for making them stand and pray. Prayer is effective, and this dude can pray in the courtroom all he wants, but he should not have made other people do it.

Why should anyone, including Christians, be forced to pray if they dont want to? Isnt this a 'personal relationship with God?'

[Clementine]

Quote by: Halofan48 Complaint against judge praying in court - CNN.com Ok, this is the second time this guy has done something like this. I think his beliefs are starting to interfere with his work, don't you?

But to him that is his work. God wants him to punish the sinners.

[Jack]

God wants him to punish the sinners.

Cool. Then we can nail him for disloyalty for answering to an authority other than the one he has sworn an oath to uphold.

Judicial misconduct. Conduct unbecoming a man in a black bathrobe. Too stupid to be trusted to make legal decisions. Surely he's guilty of violating his own 10 Commandments.

[Porfyra]

Why should anyone, including Christians, be forced to pray if they dont want to? Isnt this a 'personal relationship with God?'

yes, it is a personal relationship. no, no one should be forced to pray. i never said that they should. see, this is what i said:

Now, if he were in a church or if he were meeting with a group of fellow believers, then it would be perfectly fine to ask others to stand and pray with him.

see? ask. i said ask, not force.

[Dan_77]

Hmm....

You know, these so-called Christians need to read their Bibles a little bit more closely...

Matthew 6:5-8

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Ohhh, if only anyone actually listened to Jesus, especially the ones who probably "read" the bible the most.

[Century 25]

Is not justice supposed to be.. 'blind'..?

[Aussie]

Quote by: Porfyra yes, it is a personal relationship. no, no one should be forced to pray. i never said that they should. see, this is what i said: see? ask. i said ask, not force.

Ah, was kind of backing you up there! More just kinda expanding on your point, though I can see that wasn't quite clear.

[adam10312]

This is no different than if he took a break to beatbox in the courtroom for a few minutes. Or me spending time on volconvo when I am supposed to be working. He has a job to do that he is being paid for. Instead of doing it, he is doing other things. He is stealing money from the public. He should be judging court cases. Nothing in his job description includes personal time in the court room.

I don't think I even need to comment on his attempt to make other people in the room pray.

[ironeagle]

I don't think God would approve of forced prayer. I don't think it is right for anyone to mandate prayer and this judge clearly violated his oath and the constitution by doing this. He additionally violated the separation of church and state although I do not think he should have to remove the ten comandments from his shirt because it isn't his problem if others do not like God it's their problem , he has no obligation to change is religious dress, even while in a court room just as one could not force a Muslim woman to remove her head scarf.

[ShadowFox]

Quote by: ironeagle I don't think God would approve of forced prayer. I don't think it is right for anyone to mandate prayer and this judge clearly violated his oath and the constitution by doing this. He additionally violated the separation of church and state although I do not think he should have to remove the ten comandments from his shirt because it isn't his problem if others do not like God it's their problem , he has no obligation to change is religious dress, even while in a court room just as one could not force a Muslim woman to remove her head scarf.

One can argue though that due to him wearing a robe displaying the ten commandments that he has a bias that could affect a case.

[ironeagle]

One could however since it is illegal for a person to deny a person a job based on their religion or their religous dress, they cannot fire him based on that alone, they would have to prove the judge used the bible to dictate his ruling instead of the law, which by the way is based on the Lord's instruction that criminals be tried by 12 of his/her peers.

[Matt W]

Actually no, it's more on English Common Law, which in this case is loosely based on Viking Law. Which part of the Bible instructs trial by jury? I'm genuinely intrigued.