America's Independent Party of North Carolina
By Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt
July 11, 2010
Speaker Joe Hackney of the North Carolina State House has banned the word "Jesus" as illegal speech during public prayers offered by volunteer pastors before legislative meetings.
I just spoke personally with my friend Pastor Ron Baity, who confirmed a Fox News Report entitled "Pastor Yanked from Capitol Over 'Jesus' Prayer" which reports the Pastor was relieved of his duties as an honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives after he closed a prayer by invoking the name of Jesus.
"I got fired," said Ron Baity, pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. He had been invited to lead prayer for an entire week but his tenure was cut short when he refused to remove the name Jesus from his invocation.
Baity’s troubles began during the week of May 31. He said a House clerk asked to see his prayer. The invocation including prayers for our military, state lawmakers and a petition to God asking him to bless North Carolina.
"When I handed it to the lady, I watched her eyes and they immediately went right to the bottom of the page and the word Jesus," he told FOX News Radio. "She said 'We would prefer that you not use the name Jesus. We have some people here that can be offended.'"
When Baity protested that he himself would be offended if the government ordered him to deny Christ, she brought the matter to the attention of House Speaker Joe Hackney personally.
Speaker Hackney then decided Pastor Baity to disinvite Pastor Baity, that he could pray that day only, but would not be allowed to pray again in the future, and the pastor's services were terminated for the remainder of the week, because he prayed "in Jesus' Name."
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