LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A prayer caucus being formed in the Michigan Legislature specifically endorses Christian and Jewish tradition but ignores Islam and other religions.
Mlive.com says (http://bit.ly/Ijqa6N ) lawmakers will launch the Michigan Legislative Prayer Caucus on Wednesday, with Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Calley attending.
The caucus describes itself as a bipartisan group "adhering to established Judeo-Christian principles."
Caucus co-chairman Ken Kurtz says it's for lawmakers who "want to join together for prayer and encouragement for one another" and for Michigan.
The Coldwater Republican says the caucus is primarily for lawmakers of Judeo-Christian beliefs but says anyone may join.
The Michigan head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations says lawmakers have a right to be guided by religious belief.
But Dawud Walid says he's "troubled by the exclusionary language" the caucus uses.
