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Veteran groups are taking legal action after they say they were banned from saying the words 'God' and 'Jesus' during funeral services at the Houston National Cemetery.

Three veterans organisations are to take the Department of Veteran Affairs to court over claims that they have censored prayers and demanded that words be submitted in advance for government approval.

Cemetery officials ordered volunteers to stop telling families 'God bless you' at funeral and said that the words 'God bless' had to be removed from condolence cards, according to court documents filed this week in federal court.

The groups, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion and the National Memorial Ladies, said that officials have created 'religious hostility' and are violating the First Amendment.

'The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop,' said lawyer Jeff Mateer, who is representing the groups.

'Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behaviour at the Houston VA National Cemetery.'

Cheryl Whitfield, founder of Houston National Memorial Ladies, said: 'It's just unfair that somebody would ask us to take God out of our vocabulary,

'I could've kept my mouth shut and let things happen, but when it comes to standing up for your belief in God and giving comfort to the families, I don't want to regret not saying anything,' she told the Houston Chronicle.

Marilyn Koepp, another volunteer, said: 'We were told we could no longer say "God bless you" and "God bless your family".'

'How did I feel? I probably shouldn't say how I felt because it was absolutely appalling that this woman would come aboard and tell us we cannot say "God bless you",' she told Fox Houston.

A Texas congressman has called for an investigation into what he calls 'anti-Christian' decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

'The federal government should not have a policy of being anti-religious especially at a religious ceremony - a burial of one of our veterans,' representative Ted Poe.


it's sad to me that we now live in a country where this kind of thing is happening all over. i mean i can't count the number of times that i've posted a story like this, and not too many people seem to care, or think that it's inappropriate.

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Who exactly was censored?  Was it the mourners or the volunteers operating the government facility?  If it is the mourners then the censorship is certainly both unethical and unconstitutional.  If it was the volunteers, were they evoking religious expression as a means of expressing their personal opinion or in such a way that their actions represent the government?  If it was the former, then the censorship is again both illegal and unethical.  If it was the latter, however, then the prohibition is both legal and ethical.  If their statements are expressed as official actions of the US Government, then they are legally forbidden to say anything suggesting a governmental preference toward not only any denomination, but also toward religion unto its self.  The governmental actions must be secular, however the actions of people who so happen to be governmental employees (or volunteers) in a personal capacity are legally distinct.

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The VFW and the American Legion perform funeral services for military veterans in our country.  And they do a fine job of it.  I gave my dad a military funeral complete with 21 gun salute.

Funerals (even at national cemeteries) typically are religious.  Words like God and Jesus are often used.  Furthermore, neither the VFW nor the American legion are a govt organization.  They are volunteer organizations made up of veterans trying to give comfort to survivors.

The VFW would likely give a Jewish ceremony and refrain from mentioning Jesus.  I would imagine if asked, they would do a secular service if asked...or one for Islam or whatever the survivors asked for.  

The cemetery officials overstepped their bounds in this case.  I would imagine even if the service were performed by a military chaplain, religious references would be used.  

This is a case of outright hostility to Christianity.  The survivors should contact the ACLJ and sue.

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Originally Posted by Dødherre Mørktre:


'Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behaviour at the Houston VA National Cemetery.']

Thing is...the American Legion and the VFW are not Govt officials.  They are volunteer organizations.  Whoever made that call should be fired.