This opinion column originally appeared in townhall.com on 3/16/2013.

Author: Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Brett Harvey

Since the 1950s the Longview, Wash. City Council has opened its public meetings with prayer, as Congress has done for 239 years. But fear of a lawsuit from groups like the ALCU has caused the mayor to tell the local ministerial association that it is “not acceptable” for ministers who volunteer to give a Christian prayer that refers to Jesus.

To their credit, the ministers refused to give a generic prayer that violates the convictions of their faith.

So, for fear of an ACLU threat, city officials decided to exclude ministers simply because their faith teaches them to pray a particular way.

Read full column.