A federal judge has ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional, because the event "amounts to a call for religious action." U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb said that the government could not "use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision whether and when to pray."
We've talked the past few years about the National Day of Prayer here on the About Paganism/Wicca blog, because it's sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, an organization that only wants people to participate if they're Christian. In fact, their volunteer application for "Prayer Coordinators" is "a simple application with contact data and statement of faith confirming your commitment to Christ." The Task Force is chaired by Shirley Dobson, wife of evangelical pastor James Dobson from the highly conservative Focus on the Family.
At any rate, Crabb wrote that her ruling had nothing to do with determining whether prayer is a good or bad thing -- but simply about the fact that government oversteps its bounds when it gets involved in prayer. She added that "government involvement in prayer may be constitutional if the conduct serves a "significant secular purpose" and doesn't amount to a call for religious action."
"It goes beyond mere 'acknowledgment' of religion because its sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function in this context," Crabb wrote in her opinion. "In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience."
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We've talked the past few years about the National Day of Prayer here on the About Paganism/Wicca blog, because it's sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, an organization that only wants people to participate if they're Christian. In fact, their volunteer application for "Prayer Coordinators" is "a simple application with contact data and statement of faith confirming your commitment to Christ." The Task Force is chaired by Shirley Dobson, wife of evangelical pastor James Dobson from the highly conservative Focus on the Family.
At any rate, Crabb wrote that her ruling had nothing to do with determining whether prayer is a good or bad thing -- but simply about the fact that government oversteps its bounds when it gets involved in prayer. She added that "government involvement in prayer may be constitutional if the conduct serves a "significant secular purpose" and doesn't amount to a call for religious action."
"It goes beyond mere 'acknowledgment' of religion because its sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function in this context," Crabb wrote in her opinion. "In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience."
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I’m glad to see this ruling. Makes complete sense to me. I see the government’s backing of this as a divisive action more than anything, so I am glad to see it go.
Ahh, yes. I was wondering what was going to happen with that this year. I hope it all holds up, there’s really no reason to have a federally recognized day of prayer. And it being a tradition is no excuse. Lots of things were a tradition that we gave the boot. If you want a day of prayer, have your church organize one.
Just how long a tradition is it? It hasn’t been around for that long. I can’t remember it being around for most of my life. So the tradition is fairly recent. I thought Bush pushed it through Congress. You have to remember that the blatant use of religion in politics is also a recent development. Though polititians have been religious, they did not make it the basis of their campaigns nor the basis for their political decisions. That seems to be a more recent development.
@Rowan, according to Wikipedia, it has been around since 1952, when it was made official, but has been unofficial since 1775.
National Day of Prayer has been around since our first congress. President G. Washington, proclaimed it such, after the 1st amendment was passed, on October 3, 1789, which was designed to also protect freedom of religious expression, not stamp it out. Glad Obama did not cancel it.
It’s about time! Our group considered getting involved with the National Day of Prayer a couple of years ago. Prayer can be a good thing, right? But then we found out that “only Christians need apply”, and we were highly offended. We did some research on the day designation and the backers and movers and shakers involved, and we prayed for the demise of the National Day of Prayer.
A National Day of Prayer…Sounded good…at first. Until you find out its run by Focus on the Family…the thing that gets so many Senators – Governers – and other holier then thous are the ones who commit the most crimes against the bible. I guess they want more people the feel guilty.
The second is it would have been a nice jestur if that meant ALL religions having a day of prayer. I think that would have been a neat thing to see and maybe ummm…LEARN SOMTHING.
@Seedlet- If I’m not mistaken it’s only been a “tradition” since the 50′s. Not much of a tradition if you ask me.
If its only been a tradition since the 50s, too bad we can’t get the comment ‘under god’ removed from the pledge of allegiance. Which has also only been there since the 50s.
If it weren’t for the fact that this day has in recent years been supported/engineered by the focus folks I actually don’t see it being a bad. Not necessarily a day of ‘prayer’ but a day of faith. Of quiet reflection of the things that make people ‘good’.
I am pleased with this ruling, but wonder if the right wing sorts will take it to the SCOTUS to fight for it. As far as “prayer” goes, if they made it a truly ecumenical thing, ALL types of prayer welcome, I would not object.
But it has become the plaything of the right wing nuttier-than-banana-bread sorts who do tend to limit it not only to Christians, but the most fervently born again screamers.
I was really hoping things like this would start to change once Obama got into office. Glad to see the change starting.
its good to know that still exist some rational people not only religious fanatics