ICC Note: In 2014, the Freedom from Religion Foundation issued a letter of complaint regarding prayers led by an attorney and a local citizen in courtroom. Texas’ attorney general has officially upheld the practice, noting that religious leaders of all faiths are welcome to lead a prayer. The decision to continue this practice was also issued on the foundation of legal precedent.

By Heather Clark

08/24/2016 United States (Christian News Network) – The attorney general of Texas has upheld the practice of a local justice of the peace who has been under fire from a professing atheist organization for allowing chaplains to deliver daily invocations in his courtroom.

According to reports, Judge Wayne Mack of Willis opens each day with a ceremony that includes an invocation. The prayer is offered by a local chaplain, and the invocation is open to all religions.

But the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) says that it received two complaints in 2014 about the offering of Christian prayers: one from an attorney and another from a local citizen. It states that they felt coerced to participate out of fear of being disrespectful.

The organization then sent a letter to Mack, asserting that that the prayer practice is unlawful.

“It is a fundamental principle of Establishment Clause jurisprudence that the government may not in any way promote, advance or otherwise endorse religion,” it wrote. “[I]t would appear to any reasonable observer that the Montgomery County judicial system endorsing religion in general and Christianity in particular.”

FFRF also contended that praying in public is unbiblical.

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