Published: April 17, 2010
Op-Ed Contributor
God Bless Federal Judge For Ruling "National Day of Prayer" Unconstitutional
By Robert Paul Reyes
"A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled Thursday that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.
National Day of Prayer "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," U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb wrote. "In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience. . . . " Read More
The National Day of Prayer is an abomination, and antithetical to everything that the Constitution stands for. God bless US District Judge Barbara B. Crabb for understanding the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state.
This divisive observance is a slap on the face to pagans, atheists, Hindus, and everybody else who doesn't belong to a monotheistic faith.
A secular government of a pluralistic society shouldn't be in the business of endorsing religion, and make no mistake about it, the National Day of Prayer is an endorsement of monotheistic religions.
The wise judge didn't rule on the efficacy or necessity of prayer, she's merely stating the obvious: The government shouldn't be encouraging citizens to engage in any religious activities.
The National Day of Prayer isn't just unconstitutional, it's also counterproductive towards humankind's determination to build a humane and free society. Why should any government advocate for religion, when it has been the cause of endless wars?
Despite the judge's ruling, President Obama will issue a proclamation for the day, May 6. The judge's ruling was a big step forward for those of us who cherish the separation of church and state. But we still have a long way to go, witness Obama's cowardly refusal to honor the judge's ruling.
Follow Robert Paul Reyes on Twitter: http://twitter.com/robertpaulreyes
Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze.
* The views of Opinion writers do not necessarily reflect the views of NewsBlaze
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