Earth Orbits Sun

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.

Nothing is more fundamental to the Constitution. The ruling not only does nothing to limit the freedom of people to pray, it protects it. Like the fact that, despite the weeping and gnashing of the teabaggers, tax rates are near historic lows, you'd think this would be self-evident, even to the logic-impaired followers of Fox "news" and the rest of the RWS™.

Let the screaming begin.

N-DOP

I'm remiss. Here it is the National Day of Prayer, and I've made no mention. Apologies.

But I must admit I'm puzzled. What, exactly, is the point? I'd assume people who pray don't need reminding, and would likely be doing it anyway. People who don't pray regularly but put their nickel in today -- what's up with that? For how much do those prayers count? Three-fifths? And, mainly, this: assuming we get some sort of bolus of prayer headed to where-ever it's supposed to be aimed, does it wake someone up? A godly, "Whoa, what was that? I better get to work!!" Is there some sort of quota, a surfeit of supplication, beyond which something will happen that would not have, otherwise? Will the Republicans suddenly become helpful? Will the budget magically balance? If so, I'm there!

Rather than getting all thumpy like his predecessor, President Obama has indicated he'll do his praying privately. Naturally, this is shocking to the religious right, to whom public parading of one's religion is like driving. With a bumper sticker. For what is religion, after all, if not a way of lording (yes, yes) it over everyone? This private stuff -- you know, the idea that one's religion is between one and one's god, humble, personal... biblical, you might say --where's the glory in that? What good is prayer if you can't hit someone over the head with it, or at least do it in a cosmic lookee here? Heck, next some America-hater will be talking about separating church and state.
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