SOME ARE AGAINST THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
By
Sharon Hughes
May 2, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
There are some who are fighting against the annual National Day of Prayer.
Bill Baker of the National Day of Reason says:
"Why is this 'National/Global day of Prayer' so bad and worth parodying in the name of 'reason'? Well, for starters they are'nt even attempting to make it an interfaith event or anything, It is purely the Evangelical, Fundamentalist, mainstream Christian Church seeking once again to subvert democracy and interfere w/secular politics to keep the secular govt, state, and world under their thumb and hooked to their strings, and that of their Bible and their god {or their versions/interpretations of them rather}.
The National Day of Reason is a deliberate counter to the National Day of Prayer scheduled on the same day as the National Day of Prayer -- Thursday, 1 May 2008.
Why are they doing this? Here's what they say on their website:
"Now,
more than ever, America needs a Day of Reason.
"With the religious right firmly in control of the Presidency and
Congress, and with the threat to our Judiciary looming large, there
has never been as important a moment in which to affirm our commitment
to the Constitutional separation of religion and government, and to
celebrate Reason as the guiding principle of our secular democracy.
"During the past year we have witnessed the intrusion of religious ideology into all spheres of our government, with such assaults on the wall separating church and state as:
- The biblically-inspired Federal Marriage Amendment, which would codify intolerance and bigotry by withholding civil liberties from one class of people;
- Faith-based initiatives in federal agencies that give preferential treatment to religious organizations which proselytize and employ discriminatory hiring practices;
- Restrictions on important scientific research on the basis of religious objections;
- Attempts to introduce biblical creationism and its alter-ego "Intelligent Design" into our public school science curricula;
- The appointment of judges who willingly place their religious beliefs above our laws;
- Battles over the display of the Ten Commandments and other overtly religious icons in schools and on courthouses;
- Religiously motivated restrictions on access to reproductive services and information;
- Efforts to permit greater political involvement by houses of worship;
- Attempts to re-introduce school prayer.
Okay, what's wrong with the above?
First of all, the 'religious right' is not in control of Congress. Hello? the liberals are with Nancy Pelosi, et al.
Second, there is no Constitutional separation of religion and government.
And where does it say that 'Reason' is the guiding principle?
Their arguments are not about about a day of prayer. They are political positions on the issues that read like the talking points of the Left.
Another site promoting and 'inclusive' prayer day, (MoonsFavors) says:
"The National Day of Prayer has been hijacked!
"Our Inclusive National Prayer Day project aims to work with activists in as many states as possible to lobby governors to refrain from proclaiming or endorsing the National Day of Prayer in ways that enhance the Task Force's exclusive control of the day and its efforts to create the appearance of government-sponsored religious ceremonies.
Don Feder writing about this in the past said, "The secularist jihad will do anything to purge public expressions of faith. Where it can’t ban prayer completely, it demands nondenominational, "inclusive" prayer--prayer as bland as tapioca pudding."
What is a non-sectarian prayer, anway? Don’t say Jesus' name, don’t say Messiah? What would a Buddhist have to leave out? A Muslim couldn’t say Allah? Basically, a prayer that is said to -- a generic God -- who is that?
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Freedom of religion in America is just that -- you are free to practice the faith of your choice, and we allow its (and all) public expression.
Freedom of religion does not mean censoring expression.
Hear show on National Day of Prayer online now (See 5/1/08)
� 2008 Sharon Hughes - All Rights Reserved
