SC Lawmakers Have Religion on Minds, in Bills

May 13, 2008

Author: JIM DAVENPORT

Source: The State

Wire Service: AP

http://www.thestate.com/statewire/story/404027.html

Faith in the public square would have a high profile in South Carolina as three bills move closer to becoming law.

One creates license tags with "I Believe" in front of a cross; a second makes clear prayers can be offered before public meetings and a third allows set public displays of key historical legal foundation documents that would include the Ten Commandments.

They're all beginning to raise questions about whether the state is taking a role in promoting faith.

"The South Carolina Legislature should not be in the business of telling people how or when to pray, whether to pray or to whom to pray," said Jeremy Gunn, director of the American Civil Liberty Union's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief in Washington.