Thursday is this country’s National Day of Prayer. This day was set aside back in the 1950’s, the same era when “In God We Trust” was added to the coins, and “Under God” added to the Pledge of Allegience. The purpose of the event is to bring people together from all denominations to pray for the country and to give thanks. Normally I don’t even notice when this day occurs. This year, though, it has several very interesting aspects to it.
First of all, I read that all are welcome to pray on Thursday, but only those members from certain Christian churches can lead prayer sessions. This has peeved the Mormon Church who have been told that they may not lead prayer sessions–in Utah, no less.
Of course if you’re Jewish or Muslim, Hindu, or a member of a Christian sect outside of those classified as a “evangelical Christian Church”, you also can’t lead a prayer session on this day. Well, I suppose you could. I don’t think you’ll get arrested if you do. In fact, if you don’t pray, you probably won’t get arrested.
That’s kind of reassuring.
Now, Oliver North is leading a prayer session. He’s been designated as the Honorary Chair for this year’s events (oh, and by the way, you can order his book here, at the NDP site). Yes, that is the Oliver North of the Iran-Contra illegal gun sales.
(In case you don’t know US history that well, that was when we sold guns to Iran (fighting Iraq–we also supplied arms to Iraq) and then used the money to fund terrorists in Nicaragua.)
Yeah, that Oliver North.
I’m not giving an opinion about this day of prayer led by evangelical Christian churches, to pray for our ‘campaign of freedom’ in Iraq and elsewhere, led by a man who was involved in one of the worst scandals to have ever hit this country.
Nope. No opinion at all.
By the way, what are you doing this Thursday during the Day of Prayer?