Obama’s National Day of Prayer Record
May 6, 2009 The Washington times: “The National Day of Prayer (NDOP) (36 U.S.C. § 119) is an annual day of observance but President Barack Obama did not hold a formal event for the NDOP on May 7, 2009 President Obama distanced himself from the National Day of Prayer by nixing a formal early morning service and not attending a large Catholic prayer breakfast the next morning. All Mr. Obama will do for the National Day of Prayer is sign a proclamation honoring the day, which originated in 1952 when Congress set aside the first Thursday in May for the observance.”
May 6, 2010 The Christian Science Monitor: “National Day of Prayer is on, despite court ruling President Obama has issued a National Day of Prayer proclamation but will not hold an interfaith observance at the White House, as President Bush did. The administration is appealing a ruling last month that the official day of prayer is unconstitutional.”
May 5, 2011 White House Proclamation: “NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2011, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith or conscience directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I ask all people of faith to join me in asking God for guidance, mercy, and protection for our Nation.”
May 3, 2012 White House Proclamation: “NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2012, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I call upon individuals of all faiths to pray for guidance, grace, and protection for our great Nation as we address the challenges of our time.”
May 3, 2013 WND.com: “Obama in his first proclamation, in 2009 cited the prayers of the Continental Congress and the President Lincoln call for prayer during the Civil War. But he started turning the next year, mentioning ‘God’ only twice, asking for ‘blessings’ and ‘guidance.’ The closest reference to the nation’s Christian heritage was a reference that the U.S. ‘counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles.’ By 2012, Obama’s proclamation was giving thanks ‘for our democracy that respects the beliefs and protects the religious freedom of all people to pray, worship, or abstain.’ Obama cleansed ‘Christianity’ from observation of this day.”
May 1, 2014 WND.com: “This year, his text includes ‘faith’ only to reference it as ‘our faith’ and recognizes ‘God’ only for delivering liberties and guidance. The nation’s Christian heritage is referenced only in his statement that ‘the earliest settlers prayed that they would 'rejoice together, mourn together, labor, and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work.’ ‘Regardless of religion or creed, Americans reflect on the sacredness of life and express their sympathy for the wounded, offering comfort and holding up a light in an hour of darkness,’ said the president.”
Comment: Does America have a prayer, or does it care?
