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Juan Mendez: Atheist Congressman Delivers First Secular Invocation in Arizona History
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BobM
May 23, 2013, 12:47:50 PM5/23/13
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Yesterday (05-21-2013), 28-year-old Juan Mendez entered the Arizona House chamber as a relatively unknown first term representative. The Arizona House of Representatives typically begins their sessions with a prayer, led by a rotating member, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Mendez's opportunity to lead the House in prayer came yesterday, and rather than delivering a traditional prayer, he chose to embrace his secular humanism by delivering the first secular invocation in state history.
With members of the state's Secular Coalition present in the audience, Mendez delivered an invocation that quoted famed atheist Carl Sagan and urged House members to "root our policymaking process in these values that are relevant to all Arizonans regardless of religious belief or nonbelief." Following the invocation, Mendez led the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mendez later labeled himself as one of the 1.3 million Arizonans without religious affiliation. Mendez is not the only prominent atheist Arizonan politician. He joins the ranks of current Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, who made headlines when she was sworn into the United States House of Representatives with her hand on the Constitution rather than the Bible or Qur'an.
As the Supreme Court prepares to discuss the issue of holding prayers at government meetings, this secular invocation serves as a reminder that these pre-meeting prayers could be ruled as a breach of the separation of church and state. The Constitution mandates that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." A previous U.S. District Court ruling determined prayers before the Indiana General Assembly to be unconstitutional, which could influence the Supreme Court's ruling on whether or not similar prayers are unconstitutional before Greece, N.Y. town school board meetings.
Atheist advocates such as Center for Inquiry director Reba Boyd Wooden have suggested that such prayers marginalize those who do not practice religion. Others have claimed that preventing pre-meeting prayers would infringe upon their ability to practice their religion. Still others, including the parties who have filed suit against the town of Greece, N.Y., have alleged that the practice endorses Christianity. Susan Galloway and Linda Stevens, the plaintiffs, have said the majority of prayers came from Christian ministers since the practice began in 1999 and attendees were encouraged to join in or bow their heads in prayer. The case of Town of Greece v. Galloway will be ruled on during the court's next term which begins in October.
Barack Obama was the first president to acknowledge non-religious Americans in his second term inaugural speech. Last year a Pew survey found up to 20% of Americans are non-religious, making it the fastest growing religious status in America. Few politicians have been willing to "come out" as non-religious or atheist, causing many from this increasingly vocal minority to claim they are underrepresented in elected positions. With up to 32% of 18-29 year olds identifying themselves as unaffiliated with a religion, this is an issue that is only going to gain traction in the future.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/43845/juan-mendez-atheist-congressman-delivers-first-secular-invocation-in-arizona-history
With members of the state's Secular Coalition present in the audience, Mendez delivered an invocation that quoted famed atheist Carl Sagan and urged House members to "root our policymaking process in these values that are relevant to all Arizonans regardless of religious belief or nonbelief." Following the invocation, Mendez led the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mendez later labeled himself as one of the 1.3 million Arizonans without religious affiliation. Mendez is not the only prominent atheist Arizonan politician. He joins the ranks of current Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, who made headlines when she was sworn into the United States House of Representatives with her hand on the Constitution rather than the Bible or Qur'an.
As the Supreme Court prepares to discuss the issue of holding prayers at government meetings, this secular invocation serves as a reminder that these pre-meeting prayers could be ruled as a breach of the separation of church and state. The Constitution mandates that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." A previous U.S. District Court ruling determined prayers before the Indiana General Assembly to be unconstitutional, which could influence the Supreme Court's ruling on whether or not similar prayers are unconstitutional before Greece, N.Y. town school board meetings.
Atheist advocates such as Center for Inquiry director Reba Boyd Wooden have suggested that such prayers marginalize those who do not practice religion. Others have claimed that preventing pre-meeting prayers would infringe upon their ability to practice their religion. Still others, including the parties who have filed suit against the town of Greece, N.Y., have alleged that the practice endorses Christianity. Susan Galloway and Linda Stevens, the plaintiffs, have said the majority of prayers came from Christian ministers since the practice began in 1999 and attendees were encouraged to join in or bow their heads in prayer. The case of Town of Greece v. Galloway will be ruled on during the court's next term which begins in October.
Barack Obama was the first president to acknowledge non-religious Americans in his second term inaugural speech. Last year a Pew survey found up to 20% of Americans are non-religious, making it the fastest growing religious status in America. Few politicians have been willing to "come out" as non-religious or atheist, causing many from this increasingly vocal minority to claim they are underrepresented in elected positions. With up to 32% of 18-29 year olds identifying themselves as unaffiliated with a religion, this is an issue that is only going to gain traction in the future.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/43845/juan-mendez-atheist-congressman-delivers-first-secular-invocation-in-arizona-history
BobM
May 23, 2013, 12:51:23 PM5/23/13
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Arizona House non-prayer sparks Christian re-do
Republican lawmaker asks for 'repentance' after atheist's prayer
PHOENIX — An atheist lawmaker’s decision to give the daily prayer at the Arizona House of Representatives triggered a do-over from a Christian lawmaker who said the previous day’s prayer didn’t pass muster.
Republican Rep. Steve Smith on Wednesday said the prayer offered by Democratic Rep. Juan Mendez at the beginning of the previous day’s floor session wasn’t prayer at all. So he asked other members to join him in a second daily prayer in “repentance.”
During Mendez' invocation Tuesday, he urged legislators to look at each other, rather than bow their heads, and “celebrate our shared humanness.”
Mendez, of Tempe, said it was freeing to be open about his secular views. He also introduced about a dozen fellow members of the Secular Coalition for Arizona who watched from the House gallery.
The Arizona House and Senate convene with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members take turns giving the prayer or inviting a religious leader to do so — similar to practices that have taken place for centuries in Congress, statehouses and city halls throughout the country.
Mendez says he was just looking for a way to convey his own feelings like other members do when they take the rotation giving the daily prayer. He says his lack of religion shouldn’t keep him from participating.
House Speaker Andy Tobin says he appreciates what Smith did but didn’t have a problem with Mendez’s prayer.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/free/20130522arizona-house-non-prayer-sparks-christian-re-do.html
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Republican lawmaker asks for 'repentance' after atheist's prayer
PHOENIX — An atheist lawmaker’s decision to give the daily prayer at the Arizona House of Representatives triggered a do-over from a Christian lawmaker who said the previous day’s prayer didn’t pass muster.
Republican Rep. Steve Smith on Wednesday said the prayer offered by Democratic Rep. Juan Mendez at the beginning of the previous day’s floor session wasn’t prayer at all. So he asked other members to join him in a second daily prayer in “repentance.”
During Mendez' invocation Tuesday, he urged legislators to look at each other, rather than bow their heads, and “celebrate our shared humanness.”
Mendez, of Tempe, said it was freeing to be open about his secular views. He also introduced about a dozen fellow members of the Secular Coalition for Arizona who watched from the House gallery.
The Arizona House and Senate convene with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members take turns giving the prayer or inviting a religious leader to do so — similar to practices that have taken place for centuries in Congress, statehouses and city halls throughout the country.
Mendez says he was just looking for a way to convey his own feelings like other members do when they take the rotation giving the daily prayer. He says his lack of religion shouldn’t keep him from participating.
House Speaker Andy Tobin says he appreciates what Smith did but didn’t have a problem with Mendez’s prayer.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/free/20130522arizona-house-non-prayer-sparks-christian-re-do.html
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BobM
May 23, 2013, 12:54:07 PM5/23/13
to
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-6.htm
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But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-6.htm
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BobM
May 23, 2013, 1:16:00 PM5/23/13
to
Rep. Juan Mendez read the following message on the floor of Arizona House.
***********************
" Most prayers in this room begin with a request to bow your heads. I would like to ask you not to bow your heads. I would like to ask that you take a moment to look around the room at all of the men and women here, in this moment, sharing together this extraordinary experience of being alive and of dedicating ourselves to working toward improving the lives of the people of our state.
This room in which there are many challenging debates, many moments of tension, of ideological division, of frustration. But this is also a room where, as my Secular Humanist tradition stresses, by the very fact of being human, we have much more in common than we have differences. We share the same spectrum of potential for care, for compassion, for fear, for joy, for love.
Carl Sagan once wrote, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” There is, in the political process, much to bear. In this room, let us cherish and celebrate our shared humanness, our shared capacity for reason and compassion, our shared love for the people of our state, for our Constitution and for our democracy - and let us root our policymaking process in these values that are relevant to all Arizonans regardless of religious belief or nonbelief. In gratitude and in love, in reason and in compassion, let us work together for a better Arizona."
***********************
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On Thursday, May 23, 2013 9:47:50 AM UTC-7, BobM wrote:
***********************
" Most prayers in this room begin with a request to bow your heads. I would like to ask you not to bow your heads. I would like to ask that you take a moment to look around the room at all of the men and women here, in this moment, sharing together this extraordinary experience of being alive and of dedicating ourselves to working toward improving the lives of the people of our state.
This room in which there are many challenging debates, many moments of tension, of ideological division, of frustration. But this is also a room where, as my Secular Humanist tradition stresses, by the very fact of being human, we have much more in common than we have differences. We share the same spectrum of potential for care, for compassion, for fear, for joy, for love.
Carl Sagan once wrote, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” There is, in the political process, much to bear. In this room, let us cherish and celebrate our shared humanness, our shared capacity for reason and compassion, our shared love for the people of our state, for our Constitution and for our democracy - and let us root our policymaking process in these values that are relevant to all Arizonans regardless of religious belief or nonbelief. In gratitude and in love, in reason and in compassion, let us work together for a better Arizona."
***********************
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On Thursday, May 23, 2013 9:47:50 AM UTC-7, BobM wrote:
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