Should local governments use public money to enlist clergy in the fight against violence? American Atheists appealed to a federal court in an effort to stop Jacksonville, Fla. from staging a "Prayer Warrior" rally at taxpayer expense.

espite a last-minute effort by American Atheists to obtain an injunction against the event, government officials and religious leaders in Jacksonville, Florida held a highly-publicized "Day of Faith: Arming Our Prayer Warriors" rally yesterday to promote religion and ostensibly reduce the city's high murder rate.

   Over 6,000 people trekked to Veteran's Memorial Arena for what the local Times-Union newspaper described as "a cross between a high school pep rally and a church revival."

   "Again and again, the audience rose to its feet to applaud and cheer as government officials and religious leaders preached the need for community action to fight Jacksonville's homicide rate."

   The evening before the prayer fest, though, American Atheists filed legal papers in US District Court asking for a restraining order and jury trial over the unconstitutional event. Local resident Mark Butler had contacted the group to see if court action could be taken against the city over the planned rally. Attorney Lisa Lovingood represented the organization and Mr. Butler. On Friday, Lovingood argued the case before Judge Henry Lee Adams, saying that the involvement of the City of Jacksonville in the prayer rally had "the ostensible and predominant purpose of advancing religion over no religion," and conveyed "official approval to religious citizens over irreligious citizens."

   The City countered, however, and attempted to justify the use of local money in promoting and facilitating the event. Assistant General Counsel Tom Beverly told the court that the rally was "not predominantly religious" because it had a secular function of encouraging volunteerism. He admitted, "Yes, there are many pastors involved, but it's not a church rally, it's open to everybody."

   In the end, Judge Adams refused the motion for an injunction saying that it was filed too late, and denied the municipality sufficient time to prepare its case.

   Despite denials from the city, however, religion was a dominant and pervasive theme during Saturday's "anti-violence" rally.

   The municipal web site conspicuously promoted "A Day of Faith: Arming our Prayer Warriors," urging citizens to "join Mayor Peyton, Sheriff Rutherford, the Jacksonville City Council and faith and community leaders in a rally against violence in our community."    The city made free shuttle transportation available, with one of the stops being The Potter's House Christian Fellowship church on Normandy Boulevard. Portions of certain public streets were closed for parking and traffic flow. Parking at the event was also free.

   Flyers and letters from Mayor John Peyton were circulated, all showing the colorful "Day of Faith: Arming Our Prayer Warriors" logo. In addition to giving details about the rally, the flyer copy noted: "Our faith is our greatest strength and our faith community our greatest asset. We invite members of every worship center and faith organization to join hands and take back our neighborhood."

   Volunteers were solicited to help organize the prayer event. They were coordinated through the City of Jacksonville Office of Volunteer Services.

   On Thursday, Mayor Peyton met private with televangelist T.J. Jakes and a dozen other preachers to finalize plans for the prayer rally.

   Jakes, once a high profile spokesperson for the Promise Keepers movement, has emerged in recent years as a staunch advocate for the use of government money to subsidize church social programs and is a vocal supporter of President Bush's faith-based initiative.

   Jakes presides over the The Potters House megachurch in Dallas, TX, and is described by many as a "household name" in evangelical circles. He was reportedly in Jacksonville to promote his faith-based Black Economic Success Training seminar.

   Thursday's meeting between the mayor and the faith-community leaders reflected a combination of calls for economic reform and religious conversation. Jakes said that the churches should become active in projects that created housing and job opportunities, along with education for young people before they get involved in violent, criminal activities. Peyton, however, said that the purpose of the "prayer warrior" event was to "enter in prayer and leave in action."

   There were other mixed messages as well leading into the Saturday prayer rally.

   Both Mayor Peyton and Sheriff John Rutherford told reporters that the rally was a way to "take back our neighborhoods" in the wake of the rising homicide rate in Jacksonville.

   Peyton also made public statements insisting that the Saturday gathering "is all about inclusion," but then called for changing lives through prayer.

   Ms. Lovingood, though, expressed doubts about the legality of the event.

   "I think that the city is motivated by positive, good purposes," she told a local television news crew, "but they cannot legally encroach and put religion into what they are attempting to do." She added that holding a day of faith rally on city property and using government resources and tax dollars "is against the law."

   The rally turned out to be a public spectacle ridden with religious chants, imagery and sloganeering.

   In a display of magical thinking, Sheriff Rutherford told the excited crowd that the rally sent a message to criminals "that we ain't taking it anymore," and hoped that "gun-carrying thugs get the message" that their behavior was unwelcome in the community.

   "Amid hymns and prayer, 10 ministers also participated in the event," noted Florida Times-Union reporter Jeff Brumley. They included a local Imam from the American Muslim Society and a Rabbi.

   Even more superstitious than the claims by Jakes and Peyton, Rev. Trey Wright of Zion Community Church warned the crowd of Satanic influences in Jacksonville, and shouted, "This is not just a political problem, this is a spiritual problem ... let the devil know he's not going to rule over our city!"

   Brumley's story added: "Likewise, the Revs. Gary Wiggins of Evangel Temple Assembly of God, Rudolph McKissick Jr. of Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, Tony Hansberry of Greater Grant Memorial AME and Stovall Weems of Celebration Church had the arena standing and shouting 'amen" with messages of God's power conquering Jacksonville's problems..."

   Mayor Peyton was as blatant as the ministers in promoting religious faith as a panacea for the municipality's social difficulties.

   "We are here because we have faith in the future of our city, we have faith in our families, we have faith in this government, we have faith in God," he told the crowd.

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