US National Day of Prayer Ruled Unconstitutional

[JoeyKnothead]

From the article here:

A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional Thursday, saying the day amounts to a call for religious action.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb wrote that the government can no more enact laws supporting a day of prayer than it can encourage citizens to fast during Ramadan, attend a synagogue or practice magic.

For debate:

Should the National Day of Prayer be considered constitutional or not?

[McCulloch]

Should the National Day of Prayer be considered constitutional or not?

A National Day of Prayer is an undisguised attempt to establish religion.

[micatala]

Should the National Day of Prayer be considered constitutional or not?

A National Day of Prayer is an undisguised attempt to establish religion.

If they event is sponsored or paid for by the government, I would tend to agree.

[Miles]

Should the National Day of Prayer be considered constitutional or not?

A National Day of Prayer is an undisguised attempt to establish religion.

If they event is sponsored or paid for by the government, I would tend to agree.

No "if" about it.

• 1952-APR-17: A bill proclaiming an annual National Day of Prayer (NDP) was unanimously passed by both houses of congress. President Truman signed it into law. It required the President to select a day for national prayer each year.
  
  1972: The National Prayer Committee was created. It is an Evangelical Christian organization. The National Day of Prayer Task Force is a project of that committee.
  
  1988: A bill was introduced to Congress which fixed the annual NDP at the first Thursday in May. The Senate bill, S 1378, was introduced by Stron Thurmond (R-SC); a matching House version was initiated by Tony Hall, (D-OH). It received broad bipartisan sponsorship and support, and became Public Law 100-307. It was signed into law by President Reagan on 1988-MAY-5. He commented: "On our National Day of Prayer, then, we join together as people of many faiths to petition God to show us His mercy and His love, to heal our weariness and uphold our hope, that we might live ever mindful of His justice and thankful for His blessing."
  
  source

Evidently Christians need to be reminded to pray. Go figure.

[Lux]

Public funds should not be used to promote a particular religion.

[Goat]

Public funds should not be used to promote a particular religion.

The way it is written, it is not promoting a 'specific religion'. However, it seems to have been adopted and promoted by a very Evangelistic religious group, and it therefore is suspect enough to be careful of it.

[Lux]

Public funds should not be used to promote a particular religion.

The way it is written, it is not promoting a 'specific religion'. However, it seems to have been adopted and promoted by a very Evangelistic religious group, and it therefore is suspect enough to be careful of it.

That's true.
However, it promotes particular religions, since not all religions include praying. And even if it promoted every religion that is practiced in the country, it still shouldn't be done with public funds.

[ChaosBorders]

The court seems to currently have a 'secular purpose' test regarding any religious actions or displays. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Establishm ... orporation

I would be curious what the 'secular purpose' of a national day of prayer would be.

[East of Eden]

Yet another idiotic court decision. The Day of Prayer establishes no religion (Reagan's proclamation talked about 'many faiths'). It is calling unconstitutional what the very authors of the constitution authorized, a Day of Prayer.

While the constitution calls for a separation of church and state, in no way does it call for a separation of faith and state.

[McCulloch]

Yet another idiotic court decision. The Day of Prayer establishes no religion (Reagan's proclamation talked about 'many faiths'). It is calling unconstitutional what the very authors of the constitution authorized, a Day of Prayer.

It does not establish one specific religion, but it does establish the set of religions which involve prayer.

While the constitution calls for a separation of church and state, in no way does it call for a separation of faith and state.

That is not how the courts and constitutional experts have interpreted the intent. The state should not encourage or discourage religious faith .