Despite court decision, National Day of Prayer will endure in Minnesota
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 9:04 am
- 16 Comments
Gov. Pawlenty at the National Day of Prayer event in 2008. Photo: Governor's Office
Despite a ruling last week by a federal judge in Wisconsin striking down the National Day of Prayer as unconstitutional, Minnesota’s commemoration of the annual event — almost exclusively an evangelical affair — will go on this year. It remains to be seen whether Gov. Tim Pawlenty will again sign a proclamation for the day in Minnesota.
On Thursday U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the National Day of Prayer, enacted by Congress in 1952 at the urging of evangelist Billy Graham and strengthened by President Reagan in 1988, violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
The day “serves no purpose but to encourage a religious exercise, making it difficult for a reasonable observer to see the statute as anything other than a religious endorsement,” Crabb wrote. She added that prayer is a very important part of people’s lives but that “recognizing the importance of prayer to many people does not mean that the government may enact a statute in support of it, any more than the government may encourage citizens to fast during the month of Ramadan, attend a synagogue, purify themselves in a sweat lodge or practice rune magic.”
Most Minnesota governors have endorsed the day each year with a proclamation — with the exception of Gov. Jesse Ventura, who refused to sign one. “I believe in the separation of church and state,” he said at the time. “We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists, who don’t believe at all… They are all citizens of Minnesota and I have to respect that.”
But Pawlenty, an evangelical Christian, has been loyal to the exclusively evangelical event, and has appeared at several day of prayer events during his term in office, as has Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, also an evangelical.
Pawlenty’s office did not return a request for comment on how the court ruling might affect his support for this year’s event.
In recent years, only evangelicals were invited to speak at the event, which is part of Shirley Dobson’s — and Focus on the Family’s — plan for the nationwide events. In fact, Sharon Auldrich, Minnesota coordinator for the National Day of Prayer, was hand-picked by Dobson.
Auldrich said that this year’s event at the Capitol on May 6 will only be “strengthened” by the court decision.
“This ruling will continue the process of refining and drawing out those who believe faith in God is vital and will encourage them to stand strong on Biblical principals,” she said. “We are commanded to pray for our country and those in authority.”
She added, “God uses for good what the enemy has planned to use to destroy.”
She said the court decision will be test for Christians, including President Obama. “What this does is draw a line in the sand, and those who say they believe in God and say they have biblical values will have to step forward and prove it,” said Auldrich. “The request for President Obama to appeal [the decision] is going to be a very interesting test for him.”
In the past, the line-up of speakers for the event at the Capitol has been exclusively evangelical. In 2008, for instance, all eleven speakers were evangelical Christians — hardly representative of a state where one in 5 residents is evangelical Christian.
This year’s event will take an even different flavor when the National Day of Prayer observance at the Capitol teams up with the Minnesota Family Council for a prayer in the Capitol Rotunda following the event on the Capitol lawn. MFC bills its rally against rights for same-sex couples as “a call for believers throughout the state to join together in a united voice against the assault on God’s design for marriage.”
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Comment posted April 20, 2010 @ 10:03 am
“It remains to be seen whether Gov. Tim Pawlenty will again sign a proclamation”? That’s a little like saying “it remains to be seen if the sun will rise in the east tomorrow.” Governor Pander-to-the-Base’s signature of a proclamation–with some ringing religious wingnuttery calculated to get him a favorable mention on Fox News–is a dead certainty.
Comment posted April 20, 2010 @ 10:28 am
I’m so glad Doctor Dobson allows his little woman to be in charge of something – although I’m sure he requires her to check in with him before actually doing anything.
Comment posted April 20, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
You do not have any idea what you are talking about when it comes to Dr. Dobson and his wife’s role in ministry, vocation, or freedom to do as she pleases..They would gladly welcome you to come and observe what they do..it is really awesome..so maybe before you display your ignorance, you should expose yourself to a bit more before you so stupidly criticize it..
Comment posted April 20, 2010 @ 1:42 pm
The recognition of the need to pray for the country is an acknowledgement of a submissive heart to an all-sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient Being that His will be done. Incidentally, the strength of one’s argument is inversely proportional to the use of the ad hominum attack which has become the mainstay of many bloggers.
Comment posted April 21, 2010 @ 9:36 am
Bryan – You may not be aware that Doctor Dobson does not welcome dissenters at Focus on the Family. He might welcome a true believer like you. If you will get me an appointment to speak in person with Doctor Dobson and his wife, I’d love to do it. It would be especially nice if Doctor Dobson actually listened to what I have to say. He likes to preach, not to listen.
As to ad hominem attacks, I consider all of Doctor Dobson’s anti-gay screeds to be ad hominem attacks against gay people.
Comment posted April 21, 2010 @ 10:17 am
You know, God is becoming a real pain in the neck.
Comment posted April 21, 2010 @ 3:00 pm
Why is it that some people feel prayer isn’t worthwhile unless they make a big deal about it so others will watch them? “We need public prayer in schools! We need an official day of prayer!” Yeah, yeah. For you Christians, check out Matthew 6:5-6.
Comment posted April 21, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
Something as simple as prayer, which speaks for good to happen to people, including the ones speaking such venom in these postings, sure seems to be such a threat!
Comment posted April 22, 2010 @ 9:26 am
The “National Day of Prayer” is not about prayer, it’s about politics. I object to that. I think the people promoting this thing spend more time promoting (primarily their own political positions) than they do praying – if they pray much at all. A spiritual life can be a great thing, but it’s too boring for these folks. They want to use “prayer” to control people.
Comment posted April 23, 2010 @ 7:41 am
I wonder if those of you who are for this National Day of Prayer will stand up and say all faiths are represented? I wonder if Ms. Bachmann will ensure that all faiths get to participate? Not just Christians but Jews, Muslims, Buddihists, etc. Will you fight for their right to be represented on this day? Will you stand up and demand their equal time? Or is this the usual political us against them stance that the extreme right keeps using to energize their base?
Comment posted April 25, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
Although I’m an atheist/agnostic it is hard to deny that the USA was founded on Christian ideology and that governments based on Christianity have dragged the rest of the world into prosperity kicking and screaming.
Given the way the left butchers the US Constitution, I’m glad to see traditional Americans get on the score board once in a while.
Comment posted April 27, 2010 @ 4:15 am
The National Prayer Day seems to be a prime example of government overreach. The Faithful do not need government sanction to hold a prayer day, and the government is Constitutionally prohibited from actively endorsing a religion, even evangelical Christians.
Is this government intrusion in religion?
Is this part of the push to convert America to a theocracy instead of a democracy?
Principles of behavior traditionally categorized as “Christian” contribute positively to a healthy society. It is when specific doctrine and narrow interpretations get involved that religion becomes problematic.
Comment posted April 28, 2010 @ 11:35 am
Church and state separatists really should read George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/GW/gw004.html
Comment posted May 6, 2010 @ 2:43 pm
(Religion) With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
-Steven Weinberg
Consider that:
If Jesus had been killed 20 years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little Electric Chairs around their necks instead of crosses.
-Lenny Bruce
More than 7 million children under the age of 5 die every year.
We need to be honest about what we know and what we do not. Stop pretending Christianity makes sense.
Comment posted June 1, 2010 @ 11:41 am
Judge U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb should return her law degree to the Cracker Jack people. No one is being forced to pray at all, much less being forced to engage in a specific prayer from a specific religion on this “Day of Prayer” tradition.
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