Prayer day task force excludes non-Christians

Church & State, Jun 1999

Mormons, Muslims and other religious minorities were not welcome to participate in National Day of Prayer events sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, materials from the group suggest.

The Task Force, a group affiliated with religious broadcaster James Dobson and other Religious Right leaders, sent out an information packet this year that says every NDP volunteer must be "a Christian who has a personal relationship with Christ."

A statement on increasing church participation by Illinois NDP Coordinator Claudia Dunne included in the packet reads, "[W]e are looking forward to assembling the BODY OF CHRIST so we are covered as to why we haven't invited Mormons, Muslims, etc....[W]e want everyone to come to the NDP events, but the only people who get to the microphone are those we know have a personal relationship with Christ."

Although the Task Force, based at Dobson's Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs, is a private group, its events dominate the observances of the National Day of Prayer and it often seeks quasi-official status.

The National Day of Prayer was formally approved by Congress in 1952, and in 1988 it was permanently set by Congress as the first Thursday of each May. An NDP event was held May 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives' Cannon Office Building with participation by Senate Chaplain Lloyd Ogilvie, U.S. Rep. Steve Largent (R-Okla.) and other public officials.

Among them was Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the nation's "drug czar," who announced that the federal government will work with religious groups to promote "faith-based initiatives" to combat drug abuse.

Also speaking was Alabama Judge Roy Moore, who achieved national notoriety in 1997 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments plaque from his courtroom wall and opening jury sessions with Christian prayers. During his remarks, Moore called for official prayer in public schools.

Americans United charged that the National Day of Prayer has been hijacked by Religious Right organizations that are using it to promote their religious political agenda. Task Force materials distributed this year distorted Supreme Court decisions and gave a false impression of U.S. history.

The NDP Task Force often schedules its events at government buildings and seeks endorsements and participation by governors, mayors and other elected officials, thus giving the events the appearance of official sponsorship. Governors in 46 states issued proclamations this year, as did President Bill Clinton.