Today is the National Day of Prayer (but for whom?)

Posted by: Gary Stern - Posted in Council on American-Islamic Relations, Focus on the Family, Jews on First, National Day of Prayer on May 01, 2008

Today is the National Day of Prayer, when Americans are encouraged to pray for the nation.

The whole thing was started in 1952 as a result of a joint resolution of Congress. It was signed into law by President Truman.

A private task force was set up to promote the National Day of Prayer. In recent years, it’s been run primarily by conservative evangelical Christians (Shirley Dobson (that’s her), wife of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson, heads the task force). The task force’s website describes its mission like this:

The National Day of Prayer Task Force’s 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.

A Q&A on the website asks if the National Day of Prayer is exclusively a Christian event. The answer:

No. This government-proclaimed day is offered to all Americans, regardless of religion, to celebrate their faith through prayer. However, the efforts of the NDP Task Force are executed specifically in accordance with its Judeo-Christian beliefs.

In recent weeks, a Jewish group called Jews on First, which claims to “defend the First Amendment against the Religious Right,” has argued that the National Day of Prayer has been “hijacked” by the Religious Right. The group has been organizing alternative National Day of Prayer observances (and has the support of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of LA).

Jews on First says:

Almost all of the governors whom we have been lobbying have issued National Day of Prayer proclamations to the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a group linked to Focus on the Family. The proclamations were issued even though we informed the governors that the Task Force practices religious discrimination.

Now the Council on American-Islamic Relations has joined in, calling for a more inclusive National Day of Prayer.

According to a CAIR release:

Even though prayer day events are sponsored by a private organization, observances receive unofficial government approval through a proclamation by President Bush and ceremonies held at the White House and in Congress.

So…have a happy National Day of Prayer.