Ohio Representative Reverses Decision Limiting Prayer Content before Legislative Sessions; Refuses to be "Policeman of Prayer"
"We're not going to get into the business of censuring people, and I use the term censuring because that's how it was perceived by some."
(Columbus, Ohio)—In recent years, many states around the country have been battling attacks on their tradition of praying before legislative sessions.
One such case is the Ohio House of Representatives, which four months ago placed restrictions on what people invited to pray in their chamber could, or could not, say in their prayers. The change came about when a few legislators walked out of a session as one pastor in his invocation "made multiple references to Jesus" and addressed the immorality of several issues the governing body was to address.
The new restrictions on prayer, however, did not go over well with many constituents who made their complaints known to Speaker Jon A. Husted. Husted, who had originally approved the restrictions on prayer, has reversed his decision, saying he will no longer act as the legislature's "policeman of prayer."
"We're not going to get into the business of censoring people, and I use the term censoring because that's how it was perceived by some," he said.
