QUICK CHECK: NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

I have seen and received the following from several sources:

"President Obama has decided that there will no longer be a "National Day of Prayer" held in May. He doesn't want to offend anybody. Where was his concern about offending Christians last January when he allowed the Muslims to hold a day of prayer on the capitol grounds. As a Christian American "I am offended." If you agree copy and paste no matter what religion you are, this country was built on Freedom!!AMEN"

I feel compelled as I read this to throw out some quick points for everyone's consideration:

1. In 1952, President Truman signed into law (unanimously passed in both houses) a National Day of Prayer. This was standardized to the first Thursday of May in 1988 and recognized by an annual presidential proclamation since.

2. President Obama issued a proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer last year. According to White House and news sources, He will also be issuing a proclamation this year. Important point: President Obama has not cancelled the National Day of Prayer.

3. President Obama will not host a formal meeting for National Day of Prayer. In fact, not every president has been a part of a formal National Day of Prayer event. In my opinion, we should not read a "hostility toward Christianity" into this, anymore than we should interpret Ronald Reagan's lack of church attendance as a statement against Christianity.

4. Ironically, President Obama was sued in U.S. District Court for issuing the National Day of Prayer proclamation. The judge in the case said that it was unconstitutional. President Obama is going to issue the proclamation anyway. Is this not a good thing?

5. Even if the President had the ability to cancel the National Day of Prayer (the President cannot, on a whim, ignore an act of Congress), the National Day of Prayer would still be held. Every single piece of literature and information I have recieved about the National Day of Prayer has not been issued by the government, but by private organizations. To my knowledge, most groups observing the National Day of Prayer go through the same channels as any other group in order to hold a rally in public places. Even if the President refused to issue a proclamation, you will still see thousands of people rallying in the mall in Washington DC on May 6.

President Obama has actually said and done many things with which I disagree. But he hasn't cancelled the National Day of Prayer. Let's take a deep breath now.....