CCBlogs thinking critically, living faithfully

Debra Dean Murphy's blog

Last Thursday, a U.S. District Court judge in Madison, Wisconsin ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. On Friday, Christopher Hitchens and Tony Perkins duked it out on CNN, rehearsing familiar arguments:

Hitchens: Court decision good. ”The first amendment is written with admirable clarity that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.’”

Perkins: Court decision bad. (He’s calling for the judge’s impeachment). “The National Day of Prayer goes all the way back to the founding fathers.”

Despite some hysterical emails, blogs, and Facebook status updates, President Obama still plans to acknowledge this year’s National Day of Prayer on May 6. (It seems there isn’t any issue which the President’s detractors won’t confuse or distort in order to demonize him).

Many Christians are outraged at Judge Barbara Crabb’s ruling. Tony Perkins and his organization, The Family Research Council, speak for a large segment of American church-goers who see Thursday’s decision as deliberate “judicial activism,” intent on leading the United States further down the path toward “godless socialism.”

But here, I submit, are five reasons why the National Day of Prayer, from a Christian perspective, has always been a bad idea... READ MORE.

Don Scrooby's blog

Recently I was in a communion service diligently following the words and responses of the liturgy. The phrase, “Have mercy on us O God” was constantly repeated in a litany of sins confessed. Touched by a twinge of discomfort, I looked around at the expressions of my fellow worshippers to see if I was alone in this sentiment. It seemed I was. Most people were responding almost mechanically with the phrase and I couldn’t help but wonder what was actually going on in that unconscious realm where our perceptions are shaped and forged, especially when certain phrases carry certain meanings which have been infused over years of repetitive and almost hypnotic announcement.

If we were able to have entered that unconscious realm, I would have staked my life on the fact that the dominant perception in the minds of most worshippers there that day, was one of trying to wring out mercy and forgiveness from a God they were not sure would actually give it. Many are absolutely saturated with this way of believing, and persistently saying these words, just re-enforces the belief.

“Have mercy on us O God” is not an attempt to try and get the Divine to do what the Divine may or may not do... READ MORE.