A Federal Court in Wisconsin has ruled (correctly) that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.
U.S. District Court Judge Barbara B. Crabb ruled that the statute that created the National Day of Prayer violates the Constitution’s prohibition against the government establishment of religion.
Judge Crabb, an appointee of former President Jimmy Carter, wrote in her decision that ‘”some forms of ‘ceremonial deism,’ such as legislative prayer, do not violate the establishment clause.” But she said the National Day of Prayer goes too far.
“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,” she said. “In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience.”
I completely concur with Judge Crabb, particularly in that last sentence. Whether the Cult of Christianity wants to recognize it or not, we DO have people in this nation that do not believe in any form of prayer – and that is perfectly alright!
The First Amendment bars ANY laws establishing a religion, and even if the law is “we will have a day of prayer”, this establishes a religion involving prayer as a tenet, which not all religions share. Therefore, it is blatantly unconstitutional. (As is the Lee County Board of Commissioners having Bobby Harrell, pastor of First Baptist Leesburg, pray before their meeting as they did this past Tuesday night contrary to the normal practice of having Commissioner Muggridge lead the invocation, but that is neither here nor there for the moment.)
VOLUNTARY prayer is GREAT, and I highly encourage it. But elected officials “calling” us to prayer? Well, that is what is done in places like Saudia Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Singapore, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and the like.
You can read the full ruling here:
Freedomon From Religion Center v. Obama
H/T Doug Mataconis
