May 23, 2013

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Key note speaker kicks off the start of the legislative session at Gov.’s Prayer Breakfast (AUDIO)

January 11, 2013 By

The Governor’s Prayer Breakfast on Thursday marks another year of prayer, political gathering, and the start of the legislative session for 2013.

The Prayer Breakfast kicked off the 2013 legislative session with remarks from Governor Nixon, Senior Pastor Dr. Doyle Sager with the First Baptist Church in Jefferson City and Key Note Speaker, World Wide Technology founder and chairman David Steward.

Steward says it’s important to have prayer at the breakfast because the event should be honored through prayer. “Well, it sets the tone for the rest of the meeting or the gathering itself. It’s honoring God in a very special way for what he’s done for us and is putting him first,” he says.

But one message he hopes to relay to others is, “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love. I hope they leave here with the courage to boldly profess their lord and savior,” Steward says.

The first prayer breakfast was in 1953 that started the tradition in Missouri.

 

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (0:58)

 

 

Filed Under: Human Interest, News, Politics & Government, Religious Tagged With: ,

Akin back in House, urges giving thanks (AUDIO)

November 15, 2012 By

Congressman Todd Akin makes his first floor apperance in the U-S House since his defeat in last week’s senatorial eleciton. Akin calls on Americans to remember on Thanksgiving what they should be thankful for next week.

Akin recalls that half of the Pilgrims died in the winter of 1620-21, but refused to leave when the Mayflower left for England in the Spring.

He says the Pilgrims established the separation of church and state in this country, and created the concept of a God-given civil government.

 AUDIO: Akin on House floor

 

Filed Under: Featured, News, Politics & Government, Religious

Atheists preparing to lobby legislature (AUDIO)

June 14, 2012 By

A new voice will be heard in the Capitol in next year’s legislative session arguing that politics and religion are too close in Missouri law-making. The Secular Coalition for America, a Washington D. C.-based organization for people who do not believe in God, is organizing lobbying efforts at the state level nationwide.

Coalition spokesman Lauren Anderson Youngblood says the organization is setting up chapters in all fifty states. Missouri’s chapter is to be formed two weeks from today.

Youngblood says Missouri’s legislature considers or enacts proposals that are inappropriately based on religion. A news release from the coalition describes five measures considered in this year’s session:

SB 749: Blocks federal health care law and denies access to birth control for women that work for an employer that has a “religious” or “moral” objection to birth control. (Awaiting Governor’s signature)

HR 959: Encouraged all Missourians to take part in the National Day of Prayer in 2012. (Passed)

HB 1278: Would reauthorize the ‘pregnancy resource center’ tax credit and continues to place the state’s imprimatur on “clinics” that employ religiosity, misinformation, and over-blown promises of assistance to persuade women to continue their pregnancy. (Placed on informal calendar 5/18/2012)

SB 749: States that “no employee, self-employed person, or any other person shall be compelled to obtain coverage for, or be discriminated against or penalized for declining or refusing coverage for, abortion, contraception, or sterilization in a health plan if such items or procedures are contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such employee or person.” (Awaiting Governor’s signature)

HB 2051: The “Don’t Say Gay” Bill would prohibit the teaching of sexual orientation in public schools. (Pending future action)

Youngblood says the chapter in Missouri will give voice to people who are afraid of going public. “People are…afraid to make it known they are a nontheist…It’s equivalent on many levels to coming out gay.”

AUDIO: Youngblood interview 28:00

　

　

 

Filed Under: Featured, Human Interest, Legislature, News, Politics & Government, Religious

Opponents could have blocked conscience bill; backed off (AUDIO)

May 22, 2012 By

Governor Nixon will decide if a religious conscience bill passed by the legislature fits in with present religious exemption laws before he decides to sign it or veto it. Legislators who could have kept the bill from passing let it get through in the last hours of the session.

St. Louis Senator John Lamping introduced the bill after the Obama administration ordered employers to provide insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization and abortion, saying it offended Catholic institutions.

Pro-choice legislators objected early. But when the final vote came, they backed off. Kansas City Senator Jolie Justus says they did because the majority back ing the bill worked with the minority opposing it to write something both sides can live with.

She voted against the bill but did not keep it from coming to the vote that has sent it to the Governor, who has the next vote–with his pen. Nixon says he wants to see if this bill “harmonizes” with existing religious exemption laws.

AUDIO: Senate debate 10:43

Filed Under: Featured, Health & Medicine, Human Interest, News, Religious

House of Worship Protection Bill nears senate passage (AUDIO)

March 22, 2012 By

Disrupting a church service could mean prison time under a proposal working its way through the state senate.

Sponsor Rob Mayer of Dexter says the bill does not target Kansas minister Fred Phelps, who is known for disrupting funeral services to promote his anti-gay positions, although the wording could apply to some of those demonstrations. The House of Worship Protection Act, it’s called, and it says a person commits a crime  if that person intentionally and unreasonably disturbs a building used for religious purposes.  

Fifteen or twenty years ago, he says, this bill would not have been unnecessary. But “in today’s age, we’re  seeing people who just don’t have the respect for other people’s rights to worship.” 

Cursing, rude or indecent behavior, or making noise inside a house of worship or outside so close as to disturb services could mean a county jail sentence the first two times and state prison the third time.

Another favorable vote will send the bill to the House.

AUDIO: Morning debate 19:46

AUDIO: Afternoon debate 12:38

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Featured, Human Interest, News, Religious
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