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Atheists across America are busy these days, attacking religion in the public square. Michael Newdow has challenged the words “under God” in our Pledge of Allegiance and the tradition of prayer at the Presidential Inauguration. So far he has not succeeded, but the battle rages.The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) recently persuaded a federal judge to declare the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, and the case is now pending in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The issue could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1952, amidst growing concerns about the dangers of Communism, Congress passed a simple statute requiring the President to proclaim an annual day of prayer for the nation. The law was later amended (1988) to designate the first Thursday of May each year as the National Day of Prayer. A Task Force was organized in 1989 to coordinate and plan events across the country. FFRF, organized by atheists, filed a lawsuit claiming violations of the so-called “separation of church and state.” That tiresome phrase appears nowhere in the Constitution, which was carefully written to protect religion--not erase it. Thomas Jefferson, writing to the Danbury Baptists to address their concerns about religious freedom, coined this phrase to reassure them of the liberty to practice their faith without government interference. The First Amendment declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” These two guarantees are complementary sides of the same coin, both protecting religious liberty. The government may neither compel nor prohibit religious exercise.
The government has only a nominal role in the National Day of Prayer--a simple proclamation in the President’s own words. The Task Force is a private organization. Events across America are planned and sponsored by private citizens and groups. There is no government funding or endorsement. No one is compelled to pray or otherwise observe the day, which is easily ignored by those who do not wish to participate. Similar proclamations are deeply rooted in American history--George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and prayer when he was inaugurated, and President Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Prayer and Humiliation in 1863.
The recently released Death of a Christian Nation, by attorney Deborah Dewart, will help you understand the ominous trend toward purging the public square of all remnants of America’s religious heritage. American Christians have enjoyed religious freedom for many decades and do not face the level of persecution encountered by fellow believers in other parts of the world. That freedom is a wonderful opportunity to advance the gospel--to be the “salt and light” of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). But there are threats on the horizon. Believers need to be alert, awake, and active in order to protect our precious freedoms so we can continue to offer God’s love and hope to a world broken by sin.
