A Louisiana lawman is livid over the federal government’s decision to cut off funds for two programs to help troubled young people — all, he says, because he refused to sign a pledge to bar prayer or any mention of God at their meetings.
Julian Whittington, sheriff of Bossier Parish in Louisiana told Fox News that the Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights de-funded $30,000 for their Young Marines chapter as well as a Youth Diversion program. Federal officials objected to a voluntary student-led prayer in the department’s youth diversion program and an oath recited by the Young Marines that mentions God, according to Whittington, who blasted what he considers the government’s “aggression and infringement of our religious freedoms.” “We were informed that these are unacceptable inherently religious activities and the Department of Justice would not be able to fund the programs if it continued,” Whittington told Fox News. “They wanted a letter from me stating that I would no longer have voluntary prayer and I would also have to remove ‘God’ from the Young Marine’s oath.” Whittington said, We’re not promoting any specific religion, this is just voluntary prayer, mention of God, how offensive and bad can that be?” Read full article HERE.
