Thursday, May 07, 2009

It's the National Day of Prayer. Seriously.

OK, I've got a prayer for you...

In a country that was founded on the principle of separation of Church & State, we have a government-sanctioned "National Day of Prayer!"

President Harry Truman established the first one as a national event, back in 1952.  For the last eight years, during the George W. Bush administration, the White House held a service in the East Room. 

Thankfully, that won't happen this year.

According to press secretary Robert Gibbs, the president prays every day, and understands the role that prayer plays.  And although he signed a proclamation recognizing the day, he will not host any "prayer" events in the White House.

There is a privately-funded group, called the National Day of Prayer Task Force, headed by Shirley Dobson (yes, James Dobson's wife), whose mission is "to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family."

In my view, religion has NO PLACE in four of those seven "centers of power".  So, today, in the privacy of my own home, I'll pray that you people who want to insinuate your own ideas of morality on the rest of us keep your church and religious beliefs out of my government, military, media and educations.  

1 comments:

Ellen Kimball said...

Hello Nicole --

Congratulations on making the Talkers list of the Frontier Fifty.

I've linked to your blog and feel a real connection to you: I was raised in North Miami, Florida, had two Jewish parents who were members of a reform Jewish community led Rabbi Wallach (can't recall his first name but I know it wasn't Eli!).

I was "confirmed" in Jewish faith the 1950s along with Rochelle Winneker (no Bat Mitzvahs back then). At that time, there were only a handful of Jews in North Miami High School.

Since that time, I've been married to three Jewish men. My "current" husband and I are rather non-denominational and attend some services at a local Unitarian fellowship. My daughter is a Conservative Jew who celebrates all the holidays and keeps Kosher. My son is a convert to Mormonism; he lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Three stepkids married out of the faith.

I agree with all of your sentiments above and continue to hope you will be a voice for those of us who came before you on Miami radio.

Cordially,

Ellen Kimball
Portland, OR