In what ought to be received with a resounding and unanimous "DUH," but most surely won't, a Federal Court has ruled unconstitutional the Congressionally declared "national day of prayer." In her ruling, the Judge stated the obvious:
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb wrote that the government can no more enact laws supporting a day of prayer than it can encourage citizens to fast during Ramadan, attend a synagogue or practice magic.
"In fact, it is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision whether and when to pray," Crabb wrote.
Let the screaming begin.
Next up--an end to Thanksgiving Day (after all, to whom are we to give thanks?) After that, maybe we'll get rid of Sunday. Think judge Crabby takes a paid day off at Christmas?
ReplyDeleteOh good, a new troll, with trolliciously useless and unoriginal commentary. Since I had another anonymous comment of similar ilk, which I assume is you, might I request you take the time to identify yourself in some way? That way I can give nice and personal replies.
ReplyDeleteYou can still sign in anonymously, but you could sign your comments with something appropriate. "Mindless" isn't taken.
"individual's decision." What a Godless thing to be allowed. There is a problem with religions, allowing certain times--and sensibilities, to be mandated----HELLO! I don't want to get rid of Thanksgiving, it's an American tradition. Giving thanks for this country and what it is, should be enough. But so is Christmas, with the Nativity, it fosters hope and love, and Halloween, dressing up as a child and meeting ones neighbor in a harmless venue--and the innocence of youth.
ReplyDeleteJesus,oops, don't wanta blaspheme, CRIMINY!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou should see the comments Trolls leave on MY blog, obscene comments about my daughters sexual proclivities, mom's sexual proclivities, all the more hateful cause I don't really know there not true...
That was the best part of playin Highschool Football in Alabama, the 10 minute opening invocation by the Right Reverand Thornybush(his real name was "Thornbush" but everyone called him Thornybush) asking god to bless the players, the fans, the coaches, the American Soldiers overseas(even though there wasnt a war in 1977)and ending with an offering that God not inflict anyone with a career ending "Spinal Chord In-Jury"...
So howcome Congress opens all there sessisons with the same type of prayer??OK, sometimes they'll have a budhist monk throw some rice or sing Kum-ba-ya, but 95% of the time its a Reverend Thornybush...
Frank
Not that I recognize the validity of this source or anything, but I think this is funny:
ReplyDeleteMatthew 6:5-6
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Tough concept for the public prayers, Timmyson. Probably because it's so obvious. And what's the purpose of prayer, anyway, but to show others how righteous you are?
ReplyDeleteI wonder why the National Council of Churches hasn't stepped into the breach.
ReplyDeleteI celebrate the day, but have wondered for years why the government had any control over when or if we observed it.
Of course, I celebrate Mothers' Day, and Fathers' Day as well, but capitalism created those, so we mustn't complain about the fact that government has neither endorsed nor proclaimed them...
@anonymous the first: WalMart already canceled Sunday. Most of your locally owned stores still honor the Sabbath, though.
@Sid: the purpose of prayer is to reconnect to the force that created this marvelous dance. I recognize that others may not credit the same force I do, and I respect that that force takes many names. So that part of the dance I celebrate in relative privacy.
Amerloc: thanks for your comment. My question about prayer was mostly facetious, and I do understand its role.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of a national day of prayer has always seemed pretty strange to me; not only because it was mandated by Congress, which is a clear violation of the Constitution, but also because the whole concept of prayer (as I've written) seems theologically inconsistent with an all-powerful and all-knowing god. Seems only to make sense if god were either incompetent or particularly capricious. As I've also written.
And also, assuming prayer is useful, because having a "day" for it seems silly: either you pray for stuff regularly, or not. Having a "day" seems, to me anyway, like having a "day" for eating, or breathing, or for loving one's family. Or for using ATP reductase.
But I do appreciate belief in those who have it, as long as it's between them and whoever it is in whom they believe.
Umm Sid,
ReplyDeleteYou DO know what the guy who opens the Surpreme Court Sessions says??? Maybe not, cause there the one branch of Government you never see on TV....
in fact, only time I got to see em' was in 1975 when my 7th grade class went to DC...
"OYEZ, OYEZ, OYEZ, All Persons having business before the honorable Surpreme Court are something else, something else, boring, umm hmm,
GOD SAVE THE UNITED STATES & THIS HONORABLE COURT!!!!!!
there must be a God, cause everyone of those MoFos lives to be about 100....
Frank