National Day of Prayer

I briefly referenced the National Day of Prayer in my Conclave review post. This year it was on May 1st.

One Biden proclamation:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 4, 2023, as a National Day of Prayer. I call upon the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, in accordance with their own faith and conscience, for our many freedoms and blessings, and I invite all people of faith to join me in asking for God’s continued guidance, mercy, and protection.

I'm not gung-ho about the final statement about "asking for God's" guidance, but that's a reflection of the law itself. The 1952 law, amended in 1988 to make it the first Thursday of May, declares that the president:

"shall set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year, other than a Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer, on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation."

Note the mediation option. 

Okay. Let's see how Trump does it this time. 

We start with this:

From the earliest days of our Nation’s journey, America has been guided by the grace of Almighty God.

The proclamation is in the name of the president of the United States. It is not just a personal statement. It is an official statement carrying out congressional legislation. 

And, it begins with a religious statement not shared by millions of Americans. There is a summary of American history, including the Washington prayer at Valley Forge myth. The selective focus continues:

our greatest leaders have always recognized the necessity of faith, prayer, and devotion to God. As President Washington famously stated in his seminal Farewell Address, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.

Okay. So those who do not so recognize are not "great leaders"? Also, "religion and morality" can be expressed in multiple ways. Prayer is just one example.

As President, I proudly established Task Forces to eradicate religious bias by combating [sic] anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and additional forms of anti-religious bias.

I appreciate that he is somewhat inclusive after specifically forming an anti-Christian bias task force. There is now a "religious liberty commission." Conservative religious liberty is selective and misguided. Nonetheless, the more inclusive language found in the second executive order is better than something that just supports one religious tradition.

I will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty and protecting God in our public square.

The National Day of Prayer is now used to "protect God in our public square." People pray in a variety of ways, including some who pray to multiple gods. The second half of the statement disrespects the first. Finally, I think God (if God exists) doesn't need Trump's protection.  

I believe that God spared my life for a reason — to save our country and restore America to greatness.  It serves as a sacred reminder of our Creator’s infinite goodness, guidance, and grace.

YMMV.

This National Day of Prayer, we recognize that the true strength of the American spirit has always been found in churches, chapels, pews, parishes and synagogues, and the hearts and souls of our citizens of faith.  Today and every day, we bow our heads in prayer to thank God for His countless gifts and to ask for His divine protection. 

This is offensive. First, the language used does not cover multiple religions. For instance, there is no reference (shocker) to mosques. Again, people pray in different ways, not just bowing their heads to a single god. Also, the non-religious have "true strength of the American spirit" too. 

Trump's proclamation then quotes the law, which provides a more inclusive statement than his previous comment:

“on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”

Nonetheless, even here, "churches" are singled out. This is discriminatory and "establishes" a special favoritism of certain religions. There are "churches" (Christian) and other also rans like the original Gilligan's Island where Mary Ann and the professor were thrown in as "the rest."  

Finally:

I encourage all Americans to observe this day, reflecting on the blessings our Nation has received and the importance of prayer, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities in their houses of worship, communities, and places of work, schools, and homes.

President Jefferson argued that asking him to "encourage" religious beliefs was a violation of the First and Tenth Amendments (pre-14th Amendment, states could establish religions). He was correct. 

A president can, on their own, encourage people to practice religion. I would suggest they do so in an inclusive way (finally, we hear of "houses of worship," not sectarian language). Good policy is a good practice even if it is not constitutionally necessary.  

Also, religion is a private matter, and having the president in general remarks -- outside of a limited forum expressing their beliefs -- favoring certain religious beliefs is problematic too. For instance, the gospels say Jesus cautions us to pray in private, not "at work" or in the "public square."  

I think we can do without public figures, via official proclamations, to provide religious instruction. Some presidents were much more believable than Trump in this effort. Overall, as noted by representatives of the Baptist Joint Committee, the government should not tell us when to pray.