Theocracy on the March, Part II

The National Day of Prayer has been around in the US in various forms since the beginning of the country. The latest incarnation stems from 1988, when Ronald Reagan signed into law a bill designating the first Thursday in May as the official NDOP.

Those of us who interpret the Constitution's freedom of religion clause to include freedom from religion aren't particularly enamored of such legislation, obviously. The original spirit appeared harmless enough: most people who paid attention to the NDOP saw it as a way to promote ecumenicalism. Recent developments, however, demonstrate why it's always a good idea to oppose such mixing of church and state from the start.

Last Thursday's MojoBlog reports the following. Shirley Dobson, the wife of James Dobson, has been designated chairperson of something called the National Day of Prayer Task Force. James Dobson, whom I've described before, is the head of Focus on the Family, a politically powerful organization of fundamentalist evangelical Christians. It is no stretch to call them The American Taliban.

Shirley Dobson and her task force are basically a subsidiary of Focus on the Family. They work out of the same offices. Lately, they have been portraying themselves as officially in charge of the National Day of Prayer. How's that's working out? About the way you'd expect:

According to Jay Keller, national field director of the Interfaith Alliance, Dobson has made a point of "excluding Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Buddhists, and even mainline Christians" from the National Day of Prayer.

Thanks to Dobson, this year's task force volunteers are required to sign pledges, stating: "I commit that NDP activities I serve with will be conducted solely by Christians while those of differing beliefs are welcome to attend." Volunteers must also affirm that they "believe that the Holy Bible is the inerrant Word of The Living God" and that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only One by which I can obtain salvation and have an ongoing relationship with God."

Keller is not exaggerating. Here's the full text of the pledge section, copied from the application posted on the task force's web site.

Statement of Belief:

I believe that the Holy Bible is the inerrant Word of The Living God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only One by which I can obtain salvation and have an ongoing relationship with God. I believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, his sinless life, his miracles, the atoning work of his shed blood, his resurrection and ascension, his intercession and his coming return to power and glory. I believe that those who follow Jesus are family and there should be unity among all who claim his name.

Here is an excerpt from the application's "Coordinator Qualifications:"

I agree to utilize and follow copyright usage of the NDP Task Force promotional materials to 1) perpetuate the annual theme and national media opportunities and 2) ensure a strong, consistent Christian message throughout the nation. I commit that NDP activities I serve with will be conducted solely by Christians while those with differing beliefs are welcome to attend.

Note also, in the same application, this additional bit of smarminess:

Official Policy Statement on Participation of "Non-Judeo-Christian" groups in the National Day of Prayer:

The National Day of Prayer Task Force was a creation of the National Prayer Committee for the expressed purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances conforming to a Judeo-Christian system of values. People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own beliefs. This diversity is what Congress intended when it designated the Day of Prayer, not that every faith and creed would be homogenized, but that all who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in any way deemed appropriate. It is that broad invitation to the American people that led, in our case, to the creation of the Task Force and the Judeo-Christian principles on which it is based.

There may be an upside to this. Most people of faith tend not to confront extremists like Dobson. This has been a problem, since it has allowed the wingnuts to grow unfettered. On the other hand, their increased prominence brings into the spotlight their exclusivity and intolerance. It may not be an empty hope to think that it's getting to the point where the wingnuts will provoke active revulsion not just in people like me, but among those religious people who have stayed silent for too long.

USA Today, The Carpetbagger Report, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have more.