by Cynthia Jones
Member since:
July 13, 2007

Did Obama Cancel the National Day of Prayer? Get the Truth Here!

May 05, 2010 03:15 PM UTC
views: 0 | 1 person recommends this | comments: 8

You may have received an email that has been going around claiming that President Obama canceled the National Day of Prayer. Don’t worry, folks, this is absolutely untrue.  While the current President did not host a service at the White House as some previous presidents have done, the Day of Prayer, signed into law by Truman in 1952 is still in effect.  That bill allows the president to set the date of the Day of Prayer by proclamation, which Obama has done for this year: May 6.   In 1988, the day was set as the first Thursday in May.

While this year’s day will undoubtedly go on as planned, future Days of Prayer may be in jeopardy, NOT due to Obama’s administration, but because of a court case brought by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a group that may not fully understand the idea of separation of Church and State, which they call a "constitutional issue" but is actually an interpretation of the First Amendment, which doesn't use that particular phrase.  A federal judge agreed with the foundation, ruling the day unconstitutional. In this case, the Obama Administration actually was the defendant - trying to keep the Day of Prayer.

Visit the National Day of Prayer Website for idea of how to get involved.

Comments: 8

Today's Illusion May 5, 2010, 4:20pm UTC
It wouldn't matter how many times you showed that that email is false.
The conservative Christian Republicans are going to believe the lie.

They are happiest when believing lies, and hatred, blind hatred, makes them happiest.


Cynthia Jones May 5, 2010, 5:35pm UTC
Wow - that is pretty harsh! I am a Christian and fairly conservative, and while I'm not happy with the Republican party, I still wouldn't lump all of one party together.

I don't hate anyone, and I'm happiest when the truth is being told. It sounds to me like you are very angry.
Chuck Larlham May 5, 2010, 5:48pm UTC
Many of us are very angry with the liars who make up the majority of the visible Republicans.
Cynthia Jones May 5, 2010, 6:02pm UTC
I am not happy with most of the "majority of the visible" Republicans OR Democrats. I was surprised by the vehemence of his response to what I thought was a pretty fair article - I wanted to ensure that people know that Obama did NOT cancel the day. I disagree with the ruling based on my personal interpretation of the first amendment, but it's definitely up to whoever is making the call.
Today's Illusion May 5, 2010, 11:20pm UTC
I can assure you Democrats knew it was a lie,
Why do Christian Republicans believe it?
PS Cynthia, I am female, and
Yes my reaction was harsh, I probably spend too much time trying
to challenge the lies cgainst our President.
I apologize to you.
Cynthia Jones May 6, 2010, 2:35pm UTC
No problem - sorry about the gender assumption, took a 50-50 shot at it :D I think that many Christians believe it because we are hearing a lot more about things like the FFRF that seem to not just want to defend their own rights to not believe, but to take away our right to worship how we choose. That's why I checked into it in the first place, not because I believed it, but because I believed it was possible. I have been told that carrying a Bible is equivelent to hate speech and that wearing a cross makes me a probable bigot. So when you hear something like this, there is the real possibility that it has some validity. ALSO - the person who forwarded me the email is actually Democrat who is in school studying Christian Theology - and campaigned for Obama. I don't assume anything about ANY group of people.
Chuck Larlham May 5, 2010, 5:47pm UTC
"...ruling the day unconstitutional."

Not really... what he said was that having the President PROCLAIM a national day of prayer was a violation of the first amendment. It's an establishment issue... establishment of religion over NO religion. I happen to think he was right, but right or not... he did NOT rule the "National Day of Prayer" itself unconstitutional.
Cynthia Jones May 5, 2010, 5:54pm UTC
thank you for the clarification. I had it right in my own mind, but should have been clearer.

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