WASHINGTON (RNS) A Wisconsin-based group of atheists and agnostics has filed suit against President Bush over the federal law designating a National Day of Prayer.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which urges a strict separation of church and state, also names White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, and National Day of Prayer Task Force Chairwoman Shirley Dobson in the lawsuit filed Friday (Oct. 3).
"The point is to stop the National Day of Prayer," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the foundation, in an interview Monday.
The law, created in 1952 by Congress and signed by President Harry Truman, establishes an annual prayer day. In 1988, President Reagan amended the law, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of May.
"Designations of an official Day of Prayer by presidential and gubernatorial proclamations...create a hostile environment for nonbelievers," the complaint says.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation maintains the law violates the First Amendment's prohibition against an official establishment of religion.
"We hope to buttress the wall of separation of church and state," Gaylor said.
Last year, the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit by the same group that criticized Bush's faith-based initiative.
The recent suit charges that the National Day of Prayer Task Force has ties to James Dobson's Focus on the Family, a nonprofit evangelical organization. Shirley Dobson is James Dobson's wife. The task force also rents office space in the Focus on the Family headquarters.
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Presidents throughout our history have called for a national day of prayer," said the task force's vice chairman, Brian Toon. "This is an act of Congress."
"They can sue if they want to, but they're going to go against some pretty heavy people in our nation," Toon said.
The foundation, which is based in Madison, Wis., is also suing Doyle as one of 50 governors to issue a proclamation for the prayer day. The White House had no immediate comment.
By Brittney Bain
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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Religious tolerance is very important in our nation and it is its key virtue. But that doesn't mean that the government should tolerate irreligion. Atheism and Agnosticism should not be protected by the government or supported by the government. That doesn't mean the government should actively seek out atheists and agnostics to persecute but it does mean that if these groups choose to espouse nontheism that it is a private affair and that complaints against religion do not belong in politics or public life. We can complain about particular religions but not about religion itself which is a virtue.
adamlsp
A lack of religion is as important as a relgion. Failure to defend people who choose to have no religion and recognize no god is as bad asf ailure to defend people with a religion different than your own. When you wrote, "Atheism and Agnosticism should not be protected by the government or supported by the government." that is the very thing that Jefferson had in mind. Government is here to protect and defend all people - without any regard for their religious persuassion.
ck
You wrote, "Also Jesus didn't always pray in seclusion his disciples heard enough to ask Him how to pray and He prayed over the sick and afflicted." Wow is that true. there were even times when Jesus prayed in public just so people would be sure to see him pray. But that was not to compel others to join him - it was to work on his own disciples and encourage them. Also, he was most definitely not the government.I know we differ on this point, and probably will for a very long time. I simply don;t want the gov. messing with religion - it manages to make its own messes well enough.
"I don't want the gov. messing with religion-it manages to make its own messes well enough." jestrfly
Well said and so true!
jest quote "I simply don;t want the gov. messing with religion."
Way too late on that one jest, Everyone in the gov. that founded this country was religious and they worshiped in gov. halls including Jefferson. People are gov. not some mysterious entity and people are religious. We are moving in a direction that respects religions that are new to this country, well not so new but becoming more popular and that is good but the attempts to put down Christianity because of it's popularity is often propelled by misinformation and evil.
Sorry I was in a hurry to make a meeting, I meant to sign the last post
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