Judge Upholds Prayer Limits in Ind. State House

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma (R) is appealing the ruling that prayers before the House be nonsectarian and not invoke Christ, but he says he will comply with the law. (By Darron Cummings -- Associated Press)

"We're just increasingly sensitive to both religious partiality in general and to evangelical Christianity's attempt to be politically and culturally aggressive," said George Washington University law professor Ira Lupu. "Both of those things are going on in that Indiana setting."

"In general, politicians think that the public wants to hear more explicitly religious messages," said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a liberal lobbying group. "It is much more appropriate for people who have a shared religious belief system to get together before they walk into the chambers of the city council or the state legislature and do their worship before they go about their official business."

That is not how a vocal group of Indiana legislators see the issue. Unlike on some fronts in the culture wars, elected Democrats and Republicans have come together to criticize Hamilton's ruling.

"I see where religions were forbidden in other countries. In communist countries. In totalitarian countries. I think this smacks of that," said Rep. B. Patrick Bauer (D), the House minority leader and former speaker. "We need a clarification or we need a correction."

Goodin objected to the lawsuit and to those who filed it. "I'm a traditionalist," he said. "I felt like if there's a reason to change tradition, there ought to be a real reason, not that someone may say they're offended. To me, it sounds like they were the ones who were closed-minded."

As Bosma prepares for Wednesday's opening session, he is mindful of Hamilton's order that prayers "must be nonsectarian and must not be used to proselytize or advance any one faith or belief." And they must not use "Christ's name or title."

Bosma said he remains "frustrated that we have a federal court judge dictating what is stated by men and women of faith on the floor of the Indiana House of Representatives." He said previous prayer givers have told him they will not return if they cannot speak of Christ.

But Bosma, a lawyer first elected in 1986, said he will not honor calls for defiance.

"Open defiance of the judge's order, I believe, would send the wrong message to every Hoosier and especially every young person, regarding obedience of the law, even laws you may disagree with personally," Bosma said. "As long as there is a constitutional means of appealing this ruling, we will pursue it."