I don’t think this is quite what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the First Amendment. I’m pretty sure the Constitutional framers didn’t seek to ban senior citizens from praying before a meal partially subsidized by taxpayers. Just a hunch.

But Senior Citizens Inc. officials said Friday the meals they are contracted by the city to provide to Ed Young visitors are mostly covered with federal money, which ushers in the burden of separating church and state.

On Thursday, the usual open prayer before meals at the center was traded in for a moment of silence.

The dilemma is being hashed out by the Port Wentworth city attorney, said Mayor Glenn “Pig” Jones.

Tim Rutherford, Senior Citizens Inc. vice president, said some of his staff recently visited the center and noticed people praying shortly before lunch was served. Rutherford said his company provides meals like baked chicken, steak tips and rice and salads at a cost of about $6 a plate. Seniors taking the meals pay 55 cents and federal money foots the rest of the bill, Rutherford said.

“We can’t scoff at their rules,” he said of federal authorities. “It’s a part of the operational guidelines.”…

“It was one of the hardest things I ever did as mayor is to look those people in the eyes and ask them to be patient with me and honor their God in a moment of silence until I can have a resolution to this,” Jones said. “For me to look at their eyes and tell them they can’t thank God for their food, it’s unheard of – I can’t take it.”

Absolutely disgusting. The “establishment of religion” aspect of the First Amendment was never intended to prohibit prayer, even in quasi-government activities. It was intended to prohibit the government from establishing a national religion and/or interfere in the ability of citizens to worship freely.

Congress can pray before a session. The codified motto of the United States is “In God We Trust”. The president of the United States is sworn-in with his hand on a Bible or other religious text. But senior citizens can’t pray before a meal partially funded by taxpayers? Bullshit. Pardon my French, but that’s bullshit.

Those seeking to root out religion from America never rest. Every day they extend the reach of “separation of church and state” — which is nowhere to be found in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution — until it eventually prohibits the individual from worshiping. Because hey, we’re taxpayers, right? Extension of the federal government, baby.

Via HAH.