National Day of Prayer Canceled at the White House

[guido911]

Meh, I guess a "proclamation" is just as good as inviting religious leaders to the white house for prayers. I mean really, it's not as if the country is in bad economic shape and fighting two wars making the need for God's help more important than ever...


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/06/prayer-day-no-show/

[cannon_fodder]

To play the Devil's advocate, you'd be upset if he invited his pastor to the White House anyway.

If he isn't religious, then I applaud him for not pretending to be religious.  Wouldn't it be more offensive to pander to the religious persons by faking some religious conviction?  You are free to observe National Prayer Day in whatever manner you are accustom to and I still won't get the day off of work.   

[edit]typo[/edit]

[Townsend]

Ding...the less religion in government the better.

If some angry West Virginian snake handlers became feisty we'd have our version of the Taliban to deal with.

[guido911]

If he isn't religious, then I applaud him for not pretending to be religious. 

That might explain why he chose to get a burger at a restaurant with "Hell" in its name.

[FOTD]

To play the Devil's advocate, you'd be upset if he invited his pastor to the White House anyway.

If he isn't religious, then I applaud him for not pretending to be religious.  Wouldn't it be more offensive to pander to the religious persons by faking some religious conviction?  You are free to observe National Prayer Day in whatever manner you are accustom to and I still won't get the day off of work.   

[edit]typo[/edit]

Hey, I'm not Spartacus and you are not the devil's advocate.

Agreed.

[Breadburner]

[FOTD]

That might explain why he chose to get a burger at a restaurant with "Hell" in its name.

Damn straight!

[FOTD]

Obama is playing to that young American crowd.....
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7513343&page=1
Young Americans Losing Their Religion
New Research Finds Number Who Claim No Church Has Risen Sharply

[Cats Cats Cats]

"For those of us who have our doubts about Obama's faith, no, we did not expect him to have the service," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America. "But as president, he should put his own lack of faith aside and live up to the office."

The above is my favorite part.

I personally enjoy the claims that Obama isn't religious and then complain that he kept going to the same Church for so many years with Jeremiah Wright.

And another thing, "live up to the office"?  Is this person trying to claim the the President of the United States is chosen by God?  If so then he is the right person for the job and I enjoy the person questioning God's wisdom.

[FOTD]

He's not? Oh, the devil knows he's the chosen one!

[joiei]

National Day of Prayer has only been happening since 1952.  What did they do the other 150 years the United States has been around.   And I don't get the day off either. 

[nathanm]

National Day of Prayer has only been happening since 1952.  What did they do the other 150 years the United States has been around.   And I don't get the day off either. 

Probably whatever we were doing to eke by without "in god we trust" on our money and dreaming of the day we would be free to have a pledge of allegiance as if we were some facist nation.

[PepePeru]

National Day of Prayer has only been happening since 1952.  What did they do the other 150 years the United States has been around.   And I don't get the day off either. 

maybe if you prayed extra extra hard for all next year.

I need this day off MORE THAN EVER!!!

BIG UPS TO DAT MAN UPSTAIRS
THE ONE THAT WILL SEE US THROUGH OUR TRYING ECONOMIC TIMES.
THE FATHER SON AND O-H-G.
GIVE IT UP Y'ALL
TERRORIST FIST BUMP COMING YER WAY G-MAN.

[USRufnex]

Here come the Dobsons....

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/05/obama-national-day-of-prayer-.html

"We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," said Shirley Dobson, chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, who for the past eight years has attended a White House ceremony with her husband. "At this time in our country's history, we would hope our president would recognize more fully the importance of prayer."

To imply that Obama does not recognize the power of prayer is ridiculous, one White House official said. Supporters say his battle to dismiss the Wisconsin suit should demonstrate that. 

"President Obama is a committed Christian and believes that we should be engaging Americans of faith in efforts to renew our country," the official said. "He is following the tradition of Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush and others by signing a proclamation honoring the National Day of Prayer, while continuing to work with communities of faith to improve our country."

The National Day of Prayer became law in 1952 under President Harry Truman following a six-week crusade in the nation's capital led by Rev. Billy Graham. Members of the House and Senate introduced a joint resolution for an annual National Day of Prayer, "on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals."

One senator called the resolution a measure against "the corrosive forces of communism which seek simultaneously to destroy our democratic way of life and the faith in an Almighty God on which it is based."

But the idea was not new. It had been proposed and rejected several times. In an 1808 letter to Rev. Samuel Miller, Thomas Jefferson wrote: "Fasting and prayer are religious exercises; the enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the time for these exercises, and the objects proper for them, according to their own particular tenets; and right can never be safer than in their hands, where the Constitution has deposited it."

James Madison expressed doubts about National Days of Prayer in 1817 when he wrote "they seem to imply and certainly nourish the erroneous idea of a national religion."

 

[FOTD]

Looks like we will have to work hard to make Mrs. Dobson proud to be an American.

Actually, it was Reagan who enacted the Graham crusade idea as an official holiday in 88. Apparently this was part of Reagan's lesser-known "tear down this wall" goal, designed to destroy barriers between church and state.

One of their seven values of the Prayer Task Force is to "Publicize and preserve America's Christian heritage." The group is trying to paint America as a Christian nation in quite a transparent way.

Silly demon thought every day was prayer day for the fearful and lonely.