National Day of Prayer Unconstitutional

Image from source, Huffington Post

Well, duh. I've said before here that I'm agnostic--leaning pretty close to atheist--but I don't get hugely riled up about it. Oh, I'll get into contentious arguments online sometimes, but I'm not exactly an activist. When questions come up about the Constitutionality of things like "In God We Trust," or "under God," I simultaneously silently root them on, and roll my eyes. "Just leave it alone, guys" I'll think.

That's because while these issues are clearly un-Constitutional, they are also traditions that--while often not well-known or understood in their origins--are held onto tightly by a majority of the country. Messing with them can be more trouble than it's worth. Judges either have to piss off a huge segment of the population, or they have to make tortured decisions as to why these things are Constitutional. But hey, a win. Now, off to the Supreme Court, I'm sure.

[Excerpt]

National Day of Prayer Unconstitutional, Judge Rules

A federal district judge in Wisconsin has ruled that the 1988 law creating the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.

"It goes beyond mere 'acknowledgement' of religion because its sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function in this context," U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled Thursday (April 15). . .

Read more at: Huffington Post