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National Day of Prayer angers Christians and atheists

by Amy Judd | May 7, 2009 at 08:36 am

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Today is the National Day of Prayer in the United States, but the White House has planned only a muted observance of the event, which has angered Christians and even an atheist group, that wanted the event to be canceled completely.

The day started back in 1952 and became the first Thursday in May in 1988; it was traditionally when the President of the U.S asked Americans across the country to pray. President Obama however has not issued any public notices of prayer, like George Bush did before him.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force criticized Obama, saying that last year over 2 million Americans attended prayer events, and that he should have arranged something for this year.

"We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," said task force chairwoman Shirley Dobson, wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. "At this time in our country's history, we would hope our President would recognize more fully the importance of prayer."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Wisconsin, saying that the day violated the division of church and the state.
31 Republican members of Congress have joined to fight the lawsuit, but the 12,000 members of Freedom From Religion are determined to get the day declared unconstitutional, saying the state cannot force prayer proclamations on people.

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Karen Hatter

at 18:39 on May 7th, 2009

Since the chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is the wife of the founder of Focus in the Family, which promoted a doomsday scenario letter, Letter from 2012 in Obama's America, laying the blame for the end of America as we know it at the feet of an Obama administration, I think I see why the administration may have not been enthralled with hosting the event.

Samir Joshi

at 09:02 on May 7th, 2009

Hey... I didnt know there was a day like this! Interesting!

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:07 on May 7th, 2009

Another issue that divides America, as if there weren't bigger fish to fry.

Yellow Guitar

at 09:13 on May 7th, 2009

Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. Maybe the Christians should shut their mouths and pray. Maybe the atheists should shut their mouths and not pray. And maybe everybody should just get a life and stop trying force feed their views on everybody else. No need to waste taxpayers money on a court case.

Roberto Alvarez-Galloso

at 09:12 on May 7th, 2009

Great story.

Amy Judd

at 10:31 on May 7th, 2009

Yes, I also feel like the court case is just really unnecessary.

duo

at 08:56 on May 8th, 2009

I think religion is a completely personal and individual affair. People who pray should do so continuously. Those who don't should not care as much as they seem to about other people's worship practices.

There are many commemorative celebrations and holidays on the calendar that I don't partake in, but it would be ridiculous for me to protest other folks celebrating whatever they want. I don't eat frogs, but damed if I will get signs and stand outside a restaurant to protest other folks eating them. I would not raise money for an anti-frog-eating movement. It appears to me that some people who call themselves atheists are not really atheists at all. Many so-called atheists may be like a college friend I had. He fell out with God and became an "atheist" when his mom did not get healed of cancer and she died. He actually used to curse at this God he did not beileve could hear him.

No one fights so hard against something they don't even believe exists, like some folks who claim to be atheists. I think they just have a bone to pick with God.

Religion is here to stay, and so is atheism. A national day of prayer is a nice idea, but there are now so many different religions in America that we are probably past the point when we can unite in prayer without controversy. Therefore, a day set aside to be spiritually uplifting and unifying can instead become a point of division. I am a Christian, but I say President Obama did well to downplay the National Day of Prayer. God hears folks pray even without fanfare.

Yellow Guitar

at 12:48 on May 8th, 2009

Excellent response duo. In my opinion this whole thing is a tempest in a teacup. I'd add this slight modification to your last line ..."God hears folks pray only when it's done without fanfare." Blowing a horn about it (or inviting the media) is counterproductive if you're worshipping the same God Jesus talked about.