May 6th 2009 By Adam K. Raymond

Obama Nixes National Prayer Day Event

In another departure from the past eight years of a Republican-controlled White House, President Obama will not hold a public event tomorrow to signify National Prayer Day.

Instead, Obama will recognize the day with a paper proclamation, which is what presidents did routinely before Bush.

The scale-back has disappointed some Christian conservatives who want the celebration to be larger. Atheists are also pissed (aren't they always?) because they want the tradition to be done away with altogether. For his part, Obama just wants Friday to come already. Is this week still going?

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Tags: barack obama - BarackObama - national prayer day - NationalPrayerDay - obama - poll - polls

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Thursday 07 May

By henry sena

Neutral

people should look at the rest of the world. church and government do not mix. thats why our forefathers made church and government separate.

Thursday 07 May

By Obama is a joke

Neutral

The idiots are on the board. Separation of church and state is NOT in the Constitution!!!!
It was a letter written by Jefferson to the Baptist church assuring them there would be no STATE RELIGION. We knew Obama was a godless chicago thug politician whose gutting the Constitution. It seems to me that the U.S. could use all the prayer it can get.

Thursday 07 May

By Annae54

Neutral

When will they get it? They want to take God out but he isn't going anywhere as long as we have people here that believe in Him and pray to Him for our nation.

Thursday 07 May

By carmen denzer

Neutral

Amen!

Thursday 07 May

By paulowdl

Neutral

Again, what does the first amendment to the Constitution mean to you, if not seperation of church and state?

Friday 08 May

By Brendan

Neutral

I want to applaud Timbomb up there. Especially for "I'm just sick of what people say the "Atheists" say, as if there is a governing body for non-believers. I'm a "non-believer", deist, what ever you may say, and I have never heard of a governing body, like the Vatican, for my beliefs. You know why... because there isn't any."

Besides, I haven't even heard any complaints except for the ones from the people who want it to be larger. So where "Atheists are also pissed (aren't they always?)" comes from, I don't know. Being an Atheist myself, I can tell anyone here that while, sure, it would be better if it were gone, I really don't care that much. Except I am very happy for Obama, seeing that maybe we have someone in there that either appreciates all people regardless of belief, or someone who is actually following the constitution.

Thursday 07 May

By Denzil

Neutral

A lot of people prayed on 9-11 when some Islamic nutcases slaughtered 3,000 Americans. It seems we pray the most when we face great tragedy. Prayer is very precious to me and millions of other Americans. I am disgusted the most when our politicians who profess to be Christians wallow in scandalous behavior. If they are going to talk about their "faith," they had jolly well better be living it out in their lives. Faith has become ground zero for lots of hostile debate in recent years. Everybody needs to calm down and think rationally. We are who are--atheist, agnostic, mystic, or Christian. Christ said it best, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

Thursday 07 May

By Tom Whitworth

Highest Rank

The President of The United States should stay out of religion, but the person who holds that office has as much right to pray or not as all citizens.

Thursday 07 May

By WFG

Highest Rank

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PRESIDENT, HE IS UP HOLDING THE CONSTITUTION, AS WRITTEN, NOT USEING PARTS OF IT, AND NOT OTHER PARTS. WE ARE NOT A NATION OF CHRISTIANS, WE ARE A NATION OF FREE MEN, AND WOMEN; WITH THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE TO BE PRAY, BE A CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, JEW, DEIST, OR NOTHING. WE DO NOT NEED THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT TO CONDEM PEOPLE FOR NOT BELIEVEING AS THEY DO, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DID FOR CENTURIES, AND USED VIOLANCE TO ENFORCE THEIR WILL. RELAX BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT, PRAY IF YOU WANT, DONT'T IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO, BUT DO NOT FORCE YOUR WILL ON ME. REMEMER THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION SAW THE EVILS OF RELIGION, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BEN FRANKLIN AND THOMAS PAYNE WERE DEIST, NOT CHRISTIAN, SO LISTEN TO SMARTER PEOPLE THAN EXIST TODAY.

Thursday 07 May

By T.M.

Lowest Ranked

With all do respect Mr. President... you are an idiot! You care more about terrorists getting free and not honoring prayer because your codependant narcissistic self needs to appeal to idiot liberals! You are a terrible human being!

Thursday 07 May

By trishD

Neutral

You are so right, just because the "Framers of the Constitution, made a name for themselves, doesn't say they're right. In fACT, IT IS WRITTEN, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE NOT MAKING IT TO HEAVEN, THAT THINK THEY WILL. aLL WE HAVE TO DO, IS, SIT BACK, AND WAIT, THE NEXT COMING OF JESUS. aND, IT WILL HAPPEN, WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE, WE HAVE hIS WORD ON IT.

Thursday 07 May

By Brad

Neutral

He is not Muslim, he is an athiest. They don't celebrate Christmas or Easter, and nobody is asking what religious education his daughters have gotten? Why not? Did they do first communion? Why is nobody asking these questions? Journalism is dead. Yet they will talk about waterboarding terrorists to distract you from this man and his non-beliefs. Don't be distracted... seek the answers.

Friday 08 May

By Russ

Neutral

We can all pray that he's an atheist! At least then we'll know that he makes his decisions based on rational interpretation of the evidence in hand rather than tradition and emotion!

Thursday 07 May

By Ann

Neutral

What does it matter to those who don't want to pray, if others do? If you don't want to pray, Don't!, If you don't want to acknowledge God, then Don't. If you want to meditate, then Meditate, but why is it such an issue for you to attack those of us who believe in Prayer and the Power of Prayer, It is - whether you believe it or not the very foundation of this Great Nation, from every original document to the great seal of this country, was all based on God, Christian Values and founded by prayer and contrary to most non-believers views you have a right to religion but NO Where is it to be separated from government.. Our government has a right to Pray And to encourage people to have hope for a better tomorrow and for our nation - what is so wrong with that?? You do not have to participate, but for me it is encouraging.

Thursday 07 May

By yankeeshortstop

Neutral

If this action surprises you then indeed you have your head squarely up the forth point of contact. Obammy is a communist and a Muslim. He will not be satisfied until some Rag Head is co- Czar of this country. The lemmings that voted for this self proclaimed Dictator please feel free to fall off the cliff.

Thursday 07 May

By Ros

Highest Rank

You got it all wrong. Obama wants us to pray... TO HIM.

Your jeloous, Barry, and IT SHOWS!

Thursday 07 May

By jackbrandon

Neutral

With the perversion of homosexuality and the murder of millions of babies through abortion in this country its no wonder that the USA is headed downhill like a snowball headed for hell. Only God Himself can stop our downward spiral...and if it happens, it will be because of millions who get down on their knees and pray and confess their need for Him.

Thursday 07 May

By Ros

Highest Rank

To all those who keep talking about "separation of church and state", get your facts straight:

1. That phrase is NOT FOUND in our Constitution.

2. National Day of Prayer does not endorse or promote any specific form of religion. When Bush was President, they had Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians praying.

Thursday 07 May

By SgtJoeFriday

Highest Rank

"Right To A Fair Trial" isn't in The Constitution either (if you want to argue semantics), Ros. Just because the exact words are in there, that doesn't mean the concept is. There's nothing in The Constitution about the right to "own a gun" (it says "keep and bear arms", but not "own a gun")