“It is wrong for a secular government to promote prayer. We think the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. What if the president declared a National Day of Cursing God because He failed us on September 11? Americans would say, "You've overstepped your authority." That's how we feel when he promotes prayer.” IfsThinkingFeelsGovernmentPresidentPrayerAtheismAuthorityPositive AtheismWhat IfSecularSeptemberSeptember 11CursingUnconstitutionalNational Day Of Prayer Author:Dan Barker
“Look at the posture of prayer. It is the posture of slavery, of bowing before your master. We are a proudly rebellious country. We kicked out the master. Now here comes the government telling us to humbly bow again.” LooksCountryGovernmentPrayerAtheismMastersSlaveryPositive AtheismBowsRebelliousPosture Author:Dan Barker
“The government ought to stay out of the prayer business.” GovernmentPrayerAtheismOughtPositive Atheism Book:Jimmy Carter Source: Jimmy Carter
“It goes beyond mere 'acknowledgment' 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. In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience.” MatterGovernmentPurposeIndividualLeftSidesReligiousPrayerTakenAtheismCitizensExerciseConscienceFunctionMerePositive AtheismInstanceSoleSecularAcknowledgment Author:Barbara Brandriff Crabb
“In fact, it is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision on whether and when to pray.” TryingMayFactsUseGovernmentIndividualCommunityPrayerDecisionPowerfulAtheismInfluenceEffectsPrayingAuthorityPositive Atheism Author:Barbara Brandriff Crabb
“Zealous groups threaten to infringe civil liberties when they seek government support to impose their own religious views on nonadherents. This has taken many forms, including attempts to introduce organized prayer in public schools, to outlaw birth control and abortion, and to use public tax revenues to finance religious schools.” UseGovernmentSchoolFormReligiousPrayerViewsLibertySupportTakenGroupsAtheismBirthTaxesIncludingPositive AtheismFinanceOrganizedAbortionIntroducingRevenuePublic SchoolCivil LibertiesBirth ControlOutlawZealousReligious Views Author:Norman Dorsen