The National Day Of Prayer -- A Fundamental American Right

America is an intensely religious nation and this is reflected in the annual national day of prayer

, which is held on the first Thursday in May. On this day, people of all faiths are asked to acknowledge God's presence in their lives and spend time in prayer. Its future is uncertain, however, as its legality is currently being challenged in court.

The United States was first settled by Christians opposed to the control of religion by the state in England and who sought to practise their beliefs freely. Since that time, religion, particularly protestantism, has been an integral part of America's history, culture and heritage. Even in today's society, a significant proportion of the population are regular church attendees who base their actions and philosophy on Christian principles.

Although not officially a law until 1952, the idea of a national day of prayer goes back to 1775, when the constitutional congress recommended that July 20 be designated for this purpose. President John Adams asked the people of the newly formed nation to ask for God's protection on May 9 1798. During the bloody civil war of the 1860s, President Abraham Lincoln thought that a day of prayer would atone for the sins which had brought about the conflict and bring peace to the devastated country.

It became federal law in 1952, and has been acknowledged by republican presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush senior and George W. Bush, all of whom have held ceremonies to mark the occasion. However, the recent democratic administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have not followed suit.

In 2008, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sued the federal government, arguing that the First Amendment to the Constitution prevented such an endorsement of a particular religious practice. Although the Obama administration tried to have the case dismissed, District Judge Barbara Crabb allowed it to proceed.

Judge Crabb later ruled that the law was unconstitutional, stating that the government couldn't endorse a particular religious practice, but should instead promote religious freedom. In her statement she said that her ruling in no way questioned the effectiveness of prayer or placed any judgement on citizens who chose to observe the day of their own free will.

The legal proceedings look set to continue for quite some time as there are appeals pending and a final decision is not yet made. The outcome will no doubt cause more dispute as it involves such an emotional issue.

by: Lisa Krempasky

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