AMERICA’S National Day of Prayer – held each year on the first Thursday of May – creates
A hostile environment for non-believers, who are made to feel as if they are political outsiders.
So claims the US’s largest group of atheists and agnostics which – according to this report – yesterday sued President Bush, the governor of Wisconsin and other officials over the federal law designating a National Day of Prayer.
Hmmm ... some strength, some shield!
The Freedom From Religion Foundation brought the case against the god-addled Bush and others in the US district court, arguing that the president’s mandated proclamations calling on Americans to pray violates a constitutional ban on government officials endorsing religion.
The national proclamation issued this year asked God’s blessings on America and called for Americans to observe the day with appropriate programmes, ceremonies and activities.
Soon after, Hurricane Dolly hit Texas to create the worst agricultural disaster in decades. It leveled thousands of acres of farmland, causing millions of dollars in damage in Hidalgo County. Then along comes America’s worst financial crisis in almost 100 years.
The god of the Christians, it would appear, is one damned ungrateful bastard. That, or the old tyrant’s gone stone deaf in his dotage.
Wisconsin Gov Jim Doyle is named in the suit because he is one of 50 governors who issued proclamations calling for the prayer day.
Shirley Dobson, chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and White House press secretary Dana Perino also are named.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
October 5th, 2008 at 1:43 am
pray?… bullshit!
October 5th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
The Freedom from Religion Foundation is an utterly impressive organisation and is to be commended for putting its money where its mouth is. At the very least, it makes the public aware that there are other points of view which some people take seriously.
The principle on which they are currently taking legal action is the same in my opinion as having reference to god in a nation’s Constitution – as in the case of the otherwise much-vaunted South African Constitution. It makes 2nd-class citizens of those who do not believe in god. When I pointed this out to the main opposition party at the time public comment was invited on the drawing up of this Constitution, I was simply fobbed off. Would that this religion-riddled nation had a FFRF of its own.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
But why try to end something that lets millions of Americans feel like they’re doing something productive while they’re just sitting around talking to their hands? That would be cruel and oppressive. [/sarcasm]
Does anyone wonder why our economy is in the tank? I don’t. We’ve wasted millions of dollars with garbage like this every year. National Day of Prayer, Faith Based Initiative, referendums to “Recognize the Importance of Christmas and the Christian Faith” (Resolution 847), etc, etc.
Then of course there’s all that other stuff like the war, the idiots on Wall Street and such. But the millions/billions thrown away by our government on religion would certainly be of use elsewhere.