National Day of Prayer Event Is Up in the Air

[pepperbear]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403514.html?hpid=sec-religion


Every year since 2001, then-President George W. Bush's calendar had been cleared on the first Thursday in May to mark the National Day of Prayer in the White House East Room with prominent evangelicals.

"We're not the coordinators of that event," said Brian Toon, vice chairman of the task force. "That's controlled completely by the White House. We have been honored to be guests at the event in the past, but we have not heard a peep from them."

*snip*

The task force's work has been criticized in recent years by those who say that the observances have become events for evangelical Christians. Several interfaith groups this week wrote to Obama saying that members of Dobson's group are "exclusionists" who have "taken over" the National Day of Prayer. Leaders of the Interfaith Alliance and Jews on First asked the president to endorse an "inclusive" prayer day.

*snip*

"We're not politically inclined either direction," he said. "Our passion is to pray for all of our nation's leaders and their families."

[frogcycle]

1. I hope they just ignore it.

Maybe Michelle could lead a group of kids dancing around the maypole. Looks like an ancient pagan tradition:


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/may+day

May Day
"first of May," 1438. Accounts of merrymaking on this date are attested from c.1240. Maypole "high pole painted with spiral stripes and decorated with flowers, set up in public places for May Day celebrants to dance around" is attested from 1554 but certainly much older, as the first mention of it is in an ordinance banning them, and there are references to such erections, though not by this name from a mid-14c. Welsh poem.

[Ian David]

2. Didn't Jeff Gannon run it last year? n/t

[Mari333]

3. it certainly has been taken over

in my small town its all just evangelical christians . and we have a synagogue here and near here is a buddhist temple. havent seen anyone but evangelicals at the prayer service. they have speakers and go on and on about jesus. They should just call it the national day of evangelical christians prayer and stop pretending its anything else.

[KharmaTrain]

4. From A Cry To A Whisper

Didn't boooshie distance himself from this fiasco every year he was in power? IRC, he never addressed them directly...either pre-recorded something or did it on the telephone. Take their votes, their money...keep your distance otherwise.

Of all the right wing groups, the fundies have been sold out the most by the rushpublicans and have little standing in what's left of the party. Terms like "right to life" get lip service now as the teabaggers and dittoheads are in charge. Prayer is only done as symbolism...compassion doesn't stand a chance. Tolerance isn't tolerated. After 30 plus years of hitching their wagon to the rushpublicans, the religious right is tired of being shoved to the back of the bus. But just like groups on the left who feel President Obama has sold them out, where is there to go?

[tanyev]

5. I don't think Jesus would have approved of a National Day of Prayer.

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:5-6