# The National Day of Prayer has ARRIVED! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246 "2003-04-30T23:37:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/61 "2003-05-01T14:07:55Z")
Howcum I’ve never heard about them till now? I have a feeling all the other presidents had the good sense or good taste to soft-pedal them, not like the Rev. ---
**Author:** ![Summertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Summertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Summertime)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/62 "2003-05-01T14:19:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Howcum I’ve never heard about them till now? \*\* slow news day 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/63 "2003-05-01T14:22:31Z")
Slow news day? Why, what with _People_’s 50 Most Beautiful issue out, and Jack Osbourne in rehab, I’m surprised there’s room on the front pages for _anything_ else! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/64 "2003-05-01T14:27:30Z")
Just because it’s been happening since the '50s doesn’t make it right. What frosts my butt is that he puts it smack dab in the middle of a national crisis (and says he wants it to focus on the troops and soforth) so that anyone who doesn’t drop to their knees is looked upon with scorn and suspicion. He’s a pud.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/65 "2003-05-01T14:53:34Z")
What does that mean? pud? ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/66 "2003-05-01T15:00:24Z")
pud=dick ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/67 "2003-05-01T15:47:45Z")
**Fin man** , I take your point, and I sincerely hope you and **Freyr** will be joining me in prayer according to your own beliefs. My saying “Christian” was that I was answering that I intended to pray using the liturgy of my particular branch of Christianity, and invited others who thought likewise (and therefore would be Christians) to do so along with me. Certainly there was no intent to be exclusivist in the overall invitation to pray for those things. > [@](#): > > But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. So this is National Christian Coming Out of the Closet Day? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/68 "2003-05-01T16:55:54Z")
It’s almost noon central, so I guess it’s time to call the Church Police in. “Oh lord, we beseech thee, tell us who done the bishop of Westminster.” [echo]“The one in the braces, he done it.”[/echo] “It’s a fair cop, but societies to blame.” “Right. We’ll arrest them too.” Ah, I feel so much better now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/69 "2003-05-01T20:02:33Z")
Hrmm, somehow I missed the official prayer memo. As I recall, at noon today, I was using the ladies’ room. Does making an offering to the porcelain god count as an Ashcroft-sanctioned prayer? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/70 "2003-05-01T20:08:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*So this is National Christian Coming Out of the Closet Day? :smack: \*\* nooo… you’re supposed to go back _into_ the closet! ---
**Author:** ![Southerner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Southerner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southerner)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/71 "2003-05-01T20:57:51Z")
Matthew 6:5-6: “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men…when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…” 😉 Hmmmmmmm !!! ---
**Author:** ![Southerner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Southerner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southerner)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/72 "2003-05-01T21:16:06Z")
OOPS !!! Sorry Polycarp. I thought that I had covered the entire thread and wondered why this bit of scripture wasn’t in here. I saw yours about 2 seconds after I posted it. Every time I hear people complaining about prayer being taken out of the public eye I wonder why this little bit of scripture gets overlooked. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/73 "2003-05-01T21:26:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I Scream In Darkness \* > \*\*Why should I pray only on a certain day at a specified time? Sounds like showboating to me. I shall pray for the end of prayer showboating. \*\* Make sure do to it nice and loud. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/74 "2003-05-01T21:35:00Z")
I’m Christian, and though I prayed today, I did not participate in the clergiastic spectacular going on down at the steps of the Capital Building then the march to the Judicial Building (a whole 2 blocks away) where the faithful will thank God for the illegal 10 commandments monument. And I prayed that Bush would be shown the error of his ways. [proof.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/030501/168/3y3v3.html&e=4) God is good. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/75 "2003-05-01T22:01:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Southerner \* > \*\*Matthew 6:5-6: “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men…when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…” > \*\* Actually I pray several times a day - whenever I have a minute on the porcelain throne. Seems like carrying out a natural function is the right moment to check in w/my Creator - plus it reminds me of my essential critterdom. I had no idea this was officially sanctioned by Matthew! So does that count or what? ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/76 "2003-05-02T00:22:59Z")
[http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/9/039773-9429-092.html](http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/9/039773-9429-092.html) Could this be why the First Amendment exists? Even a rather “insignificant” national day of prayer can divide communities. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/77 "2003-05-02T02:54:33Z")
Noontime found me in the shower. I may or may not have been touching my penis at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/78 "2003-05-02T05:32:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > This is hurting me because from the minute Rev. Chuckles got into office, he’s been doing everything he can to marginalize atheists (indeed, all non-Christians, but especially atheists), and his gov’t. is filled to overflowing with bible-pounding fanatics who are doing everything they can to tear down the putative “wall” we have between church and state. Admittedly, it’s a wall that could be torn down by an anemic sparrow . . . Wasn’t it Shrubbie Pie who said that all athiests were essentially immoral? **Eve** , if ever I wished to have a love child with someone at these boards (capable or not), it could easily be with you. PS: Was that an African or European sparrow? D&R > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fessie \* > Actually I pray several times a day - whenever I have a minute on the porcelain throne … Erm … **fessie** , I don’t think they were talking about the _water_ closet. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/79 "2003-05-02T13:54:03Z")
**litost** , that’s disturbing. While I’m pretty sure most of us here were always aware that the conservative Christian contingent considered these Days of Prayer to be exclusively for their own use, I didn’t expect to find one that actually came out and basically said that if you can’t at least pretend to pray to Jesus like we do, don’t come. They usually pay lip service to the fellowship of Christianity and Judaism, anyway. I guess it’s easier to preach about Christ than to live as he did… ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246/80 "2003-05-02T19:18:58Z")
Bush is the first president in recent memory to actually mention people “of no faith at all” in a good light. If you can’t give him credit for that, you’re too darn cynical. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-national-day-of-prayer-has-arrived/172246.md?page=5)