Congressional National Day of Prayer: Sixty seven in Congress Support National Day of Prayer Case

Sixty-seven members of Congress are supporting an amicus brief filed in a court of appeals to defend the National Day of Prayer (NDP). See the list below and note that only three Democrats have signed. And a shout-out to my state representative, John Sullivan (R-OK), and Senator Tom Coburn,   I don't see your names on this list. Why not? Video below.

First just a word about the National Day of Prayer, which was formally suggested by Rev. Billy Graham, although several days of prayer have been individually called for throughout the years of the formation of America. After Billy Graham suggested the idea, President Truman signed it into law. In 2010 Rev. Franklin Graham, Billy's son, was disinvited to speak at the Pentagon's National Day of Prayer because of his views on Islam. The Army did not invite Franklin to speak, but they did disinvite him. See a very interesting and forthright interview of Franklin Graham on Islam by Sally Quinn below the list of congressional names.

The case to abolish the NDP is now in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, with The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) defending the constitutionality of the National Day of Prayer.

...a federal district court in Wisconsin recently ruled in favor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s claim that the National Day of Prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

This ruling is clearly flawed and out of step with more than 200 years of history, Supreme Court precedent, and multiple acts of Congress.

 Annie Laurie Gaylor, the co-president of Freedom from Religion Foundation, says opponents to abolishing the National Day of Prayer are actually making the case for her atheist argument. She believes the "government is exhorting us to pray...," and the Congressional support in the case is proof.

We have a day designated to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, which I am not opposed to, but it is a nationally recognized and the federal government shuts-down on that day. Does that mean I must revere MLK? What about Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Christ? Non-believers enjoy the day off. Does Gaylor want to work on Christmas Day, and command everyone else do so, as well? Do the prayer rooms on Capitol Hill provided by Congress for Muslims offend Gaylor? How about Thanksgiving Day? I assume atheists do not give "thanks."

If the National Day of Prayer is ruled illegal, can it start a chain-reaction to bring down our country's other time-honored traditions? You're danged right it will. Here are the Representatives and Senators supporting the ACLJ's brief - only three are Democrats.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA)

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss)

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)

Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)

Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA)

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn)

Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL)

Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)

Rep. John Boozman (R-Ark)

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)

Rep. Michael Conoway (R-TX)

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY)

Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN)

Rep. Mary Fallin (R-OK)

Rep. John Fleming (R-LA)

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss)

Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA)

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich)

Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC)

Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)

Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn)

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

Rep. Robert Latta (R-OH)

Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL)

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX)

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich)

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC)

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)

Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA)

Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)

Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS)

Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)

Rep. Pete Olson (R-TN)

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)

Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX)

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN)

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC)

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)

Rev. Franklin Graham on Islam (video)