Paula
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The Arizona Republic
Jan. 28, 2004 12:00 AM
Rep. Doug Quelland, R-Phoenix, caused a stir on Tuesday when he delivered a prayer on the House floor that took aim at multiculturalism, welfare, abortion and "alternative lifestyles."
It was a prayer that has made the rounds on the Internet since 1996 when it was delivered before the Kansas House of Representatives.
Offended Democrats, led by Rep. Wally Straughn of Phoenix, filed an official protest, saying the prayer was partisan, disrespectful and divisive.
Here is the prayer:
Quelland: "Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know your word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that:
"We have ridiculed the absolute truth of your word and called it pluralism.
"We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
"We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
"We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
"We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
"We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
"We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
"We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
"We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
"We have abused power and called it political savvy.
"We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
"We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
"And we have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
"Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
"In the name of your son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."
This is the Democrats' response:
Straughn: "Pursuant to House Rule 20, we, all the members of the House Democratic Caucus, protest the lack of respect that was shown the members of this body and the citizens of Arizona during the opening prayer on January 26, 2004.
"The opening prayer is the one opportunity during each day that we can come together as a body. The opening prayer should unite us, not divide us.
"But the prayer on January 26, 2004, was divisive. It was a pandering, mudslinging, name-calling political statement. It was hateful and mean-spirited. It was undignified.
"The citizens of Arizona deserve better. We are diverse. We have unique perspectives. And our unique voices should be respected. Especially during the opening prayer, as members of this body we must set aside our differences and show respect for Arizona in all of its diversity."
Posts: 90 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2002
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