HARRISBURG, Pa. — A group of people who don’t believe in God filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday seeking to change how prayers are handled before sessions of the state House of Representatives.
The lawsuit in federal court said House officials have denied their requests to make an opening invocation, arguing nonbelievers are treated like a disfavored minority who can be discriminated against.
“Like theists, the plaintiffs are capable of giving inspiring and moving invocations, similar to nontheistic invocations that have been given in other communities across the United States,” the lawsuit said. “There is just one significant difference between people whom the defendants allow to give opening invocations and the plaintiffs: the former believe in God, while the plaintiffs do not.”
Five people and three organizations — the Pennsylvania Nonbelievers Inc., the Dillsburg Area Freethinkers and the Lancaster Freethought Society — sued House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, House Parliamentarian Clancy Myer and five lawmakers who represent districts where the plaintiffs live or meet.
A spokesman for the Republicans who have majority control of the House said they believe their policy comports with U.S. Supreme Court rulings about prayer during government meetings.
The plaintiffs also said two of them were pressured by the speaker and then House security officers to stand during an opening prayer.
The policy of making people stand, they said, violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution’s First Amendment by coercing people to participate in prayer.
“A fundamental principle of our Constitution is government officials must not pressure or coerce people to take part in religious activities in any manner,” Americans United for Separation of Church and State legal director Alex Luchenitser said.
The lawsuit said 575 of the 678 House sessions between January 2008 and February 2016 began with an invocation. People who aren’t elected representatives delivered it 265 times — 238 by Christian clergy, 23 by rabbis, three in the Muslim tradition and one who gave a monotheistic prayer.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court order that will let them give an opening invocation and will prohibit pressuring to stand for prayers.
