Republican state Rep. Michele Presnell of Burnsville, N.C., shows that the effort to reform the image of the GOP is still a work in progress. When asked recently about whether she would be comfortable with a Muslim prayer opening a legislative meeting, Presnell responded: “No, I do not condone terrorism.” Presnell was one of the legislators who recently sponsored a bill to allow North Carolina to establish an official religion. My guess is that it would not be Islam.
Presnell wrote to a constituent complaining that “The famed ACLU is telling Rowan County they may not pray before commissioners meetings.”
Britt Kaufmann wrote her to say that he understood the stance of the ACLU in opposing prayer and that he “wanted you, as my representative, to know that I do not think the proposed bill is a good solution to that problem. … Would you be comfortable with a public prayer to Allah before a legislative meeting in Raleigh?”
Presnell’s response was interesting: “We just need to start taking a stand on our religious freedom or it will be whisked away from us.” That was strikingly similar to the statements of former Utah governor Leavitt last night who called on citizens to take a stand and insist on the public expression of faith and not just the right to personal beliefs in God. He also warned that the freedom of religion was being whisked away by secularists, atheists, and non-believers.
What is most striking is the fundamental ignorance shown by Presnell and her colleagues of not just our Constitution but our values as a nation. North Carolina has a law that bans atheists from holding office despite the express language of Article VI that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” While professing faith in our values, these legislators continue to oppose the fundamental precepts of our constitutional system. The desire to embrace a faith-based system finds its greatest allies outside this country in places like Iran and Saudi Arabia which define religious freedom as recognition of their own faith.
Secular values are not the rejection of faith but the insistence on the protection of all faiths by keeping government neutral and separation from religious institutions. Presnell and others are at war not with secularists but the framers in seeking to create state religions and treating other faiths like terrorism.
Presnell must appeal to some in Burnsville but she shows an astonishing level of prejudice not just against Muslim but our constitutional system. Various sites state that she did not supply information on her educational background. She states on one site:
I have always been a Conservative Republican. Lower taxes, less Regulations, then small business people can begin to hire again.
Hot Topic for me is VOTER ID. This is the only way to prevent fraud in our NC elections. My opponent voted NO. We do not have enough votes in the NC House to override the Governor. Another Hot Topic is the Marriage Amendment to our NC Constitution. Let me be clear…I BELIEVE IN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN, traditional marriage, period.
She can now add the removal of the wall of separation of church and state as one of her priorities. It appears that she believes that Thomas Jefferson was fundamentally wrong about the direction he wanted to take the country and Michele Presnell is here to re-shape the nation in a new, theological image.
Source: News Observer
Blouise 1, April 10, 2013 at 1:04 pm
“I am an NRA member and I have my concealed weapon permit. I believe in your Second Amendment Rights.” (from her website)
Just another crazy republican with a gun.
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I consider myself an independent. I don’t have any guns. I don’t have any ammo either.
That is good. You want to save your soul like Jesus saved his. Others need to do likewise.
artiewhitefox 1, April 10, 2013 at 1:01 pm
In take what I said back. Muslim prayer is not Christlike prayer. Muslim prayer is on the street corner prayer Jesus is against. Sharia law, mans law and perverted biblical law all war against people. Satan created war. Therefore Muslim prayer is not directed to God in the unseen at all. Why then would we want it? Why would anyone want it?
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You should direct your bigoted chatter to the ~2,136,200,000 Muslims world wide (Muslim Population).
That is the equivalent of the population of seven U.S. populations.
Whoever calls Jesus anything other than Lord is a liar. The Muslim openly degrades Jesus trying to lift him up. Calling him a prophet is not lifting him up. You ought to know that John the Baptist a prophet said of Jesus. One greater than me whose sandals I am not worthy to unlatch. That is Jesus. All of the Muslim world wide needs to bow to him, but stiff necks refuse. How then can your prayer be accepted? Anyone who takes Christs name not doing the good works of him takes his name in vain. USA is not exempt from my words of criticism. One learned from the other. Sharia law is worse than American law. Your body is in sin. Don’t see that have no truth in you. Islamic law does not teach this.
Islamic views on sin – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a state of being. ..That is a lie from the devil, and you know it. Sin brought death. Will you teach that ? I doubt it. Islamic law is for Condemn. Gods law in the KJV is do not condemn or be condemned. West and middle east disobey Gods law. That taught the leaders in North Korea and elsewhere that war is good. Good job creating a foundation of war in the world. Satan is proud of you.
It’s so sad to watch ignorance in action. About 25 years ago I lived in NC for a couple of years, including an election year. Was flabbergasted to see husbands accompanying their wives into the voting booth. Poor women were too ignorant to cast a vote? or husbands too domineering and women too cowed to object? It was a different universe from what I was used to.
“I am an NRA member and I have my concealed weapon permit. I believe in your Second Amendment Rights.” (from her website)
Just another crazy republican with a gun.
A demon in the soul of a human calls a gun power. You cannot disagree with me.
I take back what I just said . Muslim prayer is not Christlike prayer. Muslim prayer is on the street corner prayer Jesus is against. Sharia law, mans law and perverted biblical law all war against people. Satan created war. Therefore Muslim prayer is not directed to God in the unseen at all. Why then would we want it? Why would anyone want it?
I take what I just said . Muslim prayer is not Christlike prayer. Muslim prayer is on the street corner prayer Jesus is against. Sharia law, mans law and perverted biblical law all war against people. Satan created war. Therefore Muslim prayer is not directed to God in the unseen at all. Why then would we want it? Why would anyone want it?
In take what I said back. Muslim prayer is not Christlike prayer. Muslim prayer is on the street corner prayer Jesus is against. Sharia law, mans law and perverted biblical law all war against people. Satan created war. Therefore Muslim prayer is not directed to God in the unseen at all. Why then would we want it? Why would anyone want it?
It is hard at times to tell who is the real threat to our freedom!
Have jails with people giving people fear have no freedom. Freedom is a deceptive lie found in a soothing song. Jesus in us frees us freeing others.
artiewhitefox 1, April 10, 2013 at 12:44 pm
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Does appear to be a philosophical discussion.
You do not know it but the military and legal system is terrorism. The Qur’an is the motivation to engage in the same. The teaching of an eye for an eye is definitely Pharisaical in nature. How can you deny it? King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.) Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
I do not trust the core belief system in the Islamic belief system. There are some against it but tyhey would have their lives threatened like a defector from North Korea. The Allah in the Qur’an is Satan. Satan is in war and jailing. That is an abominable thing. A worse abomination is in North Korea created by a false sense of power. Eye for eye is a false sense of power. Do we want prayer from a belief system embracing a false sense of power?
artiewhitefox 1, April 10, 2013 at 12:37 pm
I also would not accept Muslim type of prayer either. It is Pharisaical in nature.
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The Pharisees were a denomination of Jesus’ time, which we would now refer to as a denomination of Judaism rather than Islam.
All of them wandered away from Christs teachings. The traditions of the pharisees have been passed down faithfully over the centuries reflected in the laws of man that arrest just like the faithful servant of the high prieast arresting Jesus to have him pierced. War pierces people with all kinds of weapons. Judaism wandered away from Jesus claiming his name. Muslim religion likewise also claiming his name calling him a prophet comparing him to a man like Moses, Arron or Elijah. That is spiting on the Lord God king of Kings and Lord of Lords. People don’t need that kind of deceptive idolatrous evil prayer anywhere. USA is as bad with a military teaching people to be evil like Kim Jong UN. People that are evil created that monster.
I’m embarrassed to be from NC. I shouldn’t be; it’s a very diverse state steeped in wonderful places to see, a rich history, and a generally high level of folk to live with.
Unfortunately, this toothy mavin and her coterie of ignorant peers have done nothing but embarass themselves, their constituents, and the rest of us; by their never ending hateful statements and actions.
Plus, It’s too bad that y’all have to look at that toothy smirk. She looks like she’s up to no good…without a doubt she and her rethug friends are!!!
I swear most of us aren’t like that. Unfortunately, we can’t seem to elect qualified candidates in this state for quite some time.
but that’s a whole different discussion….
Prayer is to not be heard of men. People that war do not reverence God they reverence the devil thereby take Gods name in vain. People that respect the hallowed Name of God will not war. Mans law and Sharia law both war against people. How then can Muslim prayer even be considered prayer to God being prayer to the devil. What other line of Logic can I follow?
Sadly, aside from the recent grade of GOP stupid, I feel this ignorant woman also reflects a slide in our government….a slide towards defining anything you dislike as “terrorism”. The current crop of laws rather allow the government to label almost any activity as terrorism for purposes of prosecution; I suppose the sort of labeling this woman does should be the expected follow-upon.
The prayer she is against is false prayer. Satan gives false prayer. Who do you associate Satan with ?
I don’t believe in Satan OR in prayer, and just what exactly gives this under-educated person any qualification to determine what makes any prayer “false” or “true”? It just sounds like sectarian bigotry to me.
I have no reason to lie to you. I am saying it so people will avoid deception. Can you be grateful? He is death. Satan does not have to be in your soul. Religions lie as to what he looks like when manifest before our eyes, Western religion and middle eastern religious though in word say they are apposed agree as to what he looks like. Both are telling a lie. Believe me for your own sake not mine. I know true prayer and false prayer. Know Jesus. When you do the false prayer will be clear. Don’t you have a clue as to the selfrighteous prayer that religious people engage in? Don’t you know that Jesus said go to your room where God sees in secret so God can reward thee openly? Better polish up on scripture.
No, I do not need to polish up on “scripture”, not do I need to further engage in this ridiculous conversation with you.
You are woefully ignorant of the King James version. You are woefully ignorant of the character of Jesus too, Your words show that. Don’t rely on religions either. They will lie to you. The truth is in me.
“The desire to embrace a faith-based system finds its greatest allies outside this country in places like Iran and Saudi Arabia which define religious freedom as recognition of their own faith.”
According to The United States Institute For Peace (USIP):
(USIP). In the Koran the Jewish Bible is considered to be scripture, the Jewish Prophets are considered to be prophets, and Jesus was also considered to be a prophet.
Like all religions, Islam has denominations that are at odds with each other doctrinally.
Here is a band from Iran:
I also would not accept Muslim type of prayer either. It is Pharisaical in nature.
War is terrorism. Give what Jesus would not give give terror. Accentuate the positive. That makes things better for all of us.
Sometimes I think we would be better off if the country was governed by robots.
He also warned that the freedom of religion was being whisked away by secularists, atheists, and non-believers.
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Am I being a really bad guy if I say piss off? I was born a protestant. Now I’m an agnostic.
Another reason for universal background checks for legislators. Maybe “Remedial Civics 101” for all new electees before being sworn in?
There can be no Freudian slip without something happening down under the covers of cognition that we are in some degree unaware of, because it is cultural.
Culture often produces what we errantly assume is purely personal thinking.
I equate Ms. Pressnell with a narrow minded, short sighted, Constituion hating fool. I wish there was an intelligence test for legislators.