OUR VIEW: Obama talks like a fanatic for Jesus

[Seth]

OUR VIEW: Obama talks like a fanatic for Jesus

We have no freedom from his religion

Vote in poll!

By Wayne Laugesen
For the editorial board

Few affronts to the First Amendment have been so menacing and wrongheaded as the advocacy for freedom from religion — a freedom we do not have. And few individuals have done more to counter this threat than President Barack Obama, a warrior for prayer. The Gazette can praise few aspects of this presidency to date, but Obama has been stalwart in his defense of religious liberty. It’s a significant contribution to keeping our country free.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which seeks to silence religious people, filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration in an effort to end the President’s National Day of Prayer.... [more at link]

[charlou]

The FFRF is right to point out that it's not the president's role to promote ideological observance he personally subscirbes to. It's outside the parameters of his role as the elected representative of a secular country.

The FFRF are not arguing that ideological observance should not be allowed, only that it's not the government's role to promote it.

I agree with them.

[maiforpeace]

The title of this thread, and the article are both misleading...this is not "Obama's" day of prayer, he just happens to participate in, and support it as all past presidents have. The National Day of Prayer was actually designated by Congress quite a while ago, along with these other days of observances in the United States by presidential proclamation listed below.

While I don't disagree with what the FFRF contends about how our government should not be taking a position on religion, I just don't see the same problem here as in other cases, like swearing on a bible, or the 10 commandments being enshrined on public property, that sort of thing. I support the FFRF in most of the work they do, but I don't support this legal fight. I consider it to be a waste of (my) valuable resources (since I support them financially) better spent on what I consider to be important separation of church and state issues than this silly one...I mean, come on, look at the list, they have all kinds of observance days, go ahead and let them have their prayer day. The argument is that such a day alienates people who don't pray, but the District Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that feeling alienated does not constitute injury...so what I think the FFRF should be doing is petitioning for a National Atheist Day.

Religious Freedom Day (January 16)
Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday (third Monday in January)[2]
National Sanctity of Human Life Day (third Sunday in January)
Education and Sharing Day (late March or April-based on Hebrew Calendar)
Greek Independence Day (March 25)
National D.A.R.E. Day (second Thursday in April)
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day (April 9)
Pan American Day and week (April 14 and week thereof)
Loyalty Day (May 1)
Law Day, U.S.A. (May 1)
National Day of Prayer (first Thursday in May)
Mother's Day (second Sunday in May)
National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week (third Friday in May and week thereof)
National Maritime Day (May 22)
Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day (last Monday in May) [3]
National Child's Day (first Monday in June)
Flag Day, and National Flag Week (June 14 and week thereof)
Father's Day (third Sunday in June)
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27) (originally ended 2003, reinstated in 2009)
Parent's Day (last Sunday in July)
National Airborne Day (August 16)
Women's Equality Day (August 26)
National Days of Prayer and Remembrance (weekend prior to September 11)
Patriot Day (September 11)
National POW/MIA Recognition Day (Third Friday in September)
Citizenship Day and Constitution Week (September 17 and week thereof)
Family Day (fourth Monday in September)
Gold Star Mother's Day (last Sunday in September)
Child Health Day (first Monday in October)
German-American Day (October 6)
Columbus Day (second Monday in October)[4]
Leif Erikson Day (October 9)
General Pulaski Memorial Day (October 11)
White Cane Safety Day (October 15)
United Nations Day (October 24)
World Freedom Day (November 9)
Veterans Day (November 11)[5]
America Recycles Day (November 15)
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)[6]
Native American Heritage Day (Friday after Thanksgiving)[7]
World AIDS Day (December 1)
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)
Human Rights Day and Human Rights Week (December 10 and week beginning of)
Bill of Rights Day (December 15)
Wright Brothers Day (December 17)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Few affronts to the First Amendment have been so menacing and wrongheaded as the advocacy for freedom from religion — a freedom we do not have.

Hey, another theist who doesn't know how to read court opinions. That's almost as surprising as finding another politician who plumps for religion.

[charlou]

so what I think the FFRF should be doing is petitioning for a National Atheist Day.

With a big read capital A?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Mai, of course the thread title is misleading. Seth is God's punishment on us for being atheists.

[charlou]

The thread title's a quote of the title of the article linked to in the OP.