NDR Event

Remarks by
Steven F. Goldberg
Washington Area Secular Humanists

Today we stand against the constitutional abuse given credence by the White House in the form of the National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Reason is a thoughtful alternative to government-sponsored religious activities, and the NDR events show what many Americans are doing to oppose the church-state alliance the Bush administration is forcing upon the country.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is "Righteousness Exalts A Nation." It is a sentiment with which I cannot quibble. Righteousness – acting in an ethical manner – may, indeed, exalt our nation. It is a worthy aspiration.

But righteousness is not dependent upon prayer, and morality is not dependent upon belief in a supreme being. These are human attributes that depend only upon our application of reason and compassion. So, on this day that is – by Congressional mandate – a National Day of Prayer, we ask our elected leaders to also pay homage to reason.

The Washington Area Secular Humanists, on whose behalf I speak, is an organization with the unique privilege of operating in and around the capital city of this great nation – a nation of unparalleled opportunity and prosperity, and of unprecedented freedom. Our diverse membership is a cross-section of our region. Our hundreds of members hail from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia, and include managers, laborers, scientists, farmers, students, civil service workers, military personnel, teachers, business owners, writers, artists, and retirees. What unites us is the simple desire to live a good and meaningful life without religion.

In that pursuit we are not alone. We are a nation that includes almost 40 million non-religious adults – a greater proportion of the population than that encompassed by any religious denomination except Baptist and Roman Catholic. Those who profess to be atheists, humanists, or agnostics alone represent a proportion exceeding any of the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu faiths. One is left to wonder why the views of non-religious Americans receive such comparatively paltry attention in our media and from our government.

Those who follow a philosophical, as opposed to a religious, lifestance now face an onslaught of government-imposed religiosity, as well as thinly veiled attempts to divert taxpayer funds to religious institutions. We are subjected to publicly supported days of prayer and fasting, non-binding resolutions in support of retaining "In God We Trust" as our national motto, public displays of overtly religious icons, and attempts to replace sound scientific education with religious indoctrination. This is an affront not only to humanists and atheists, but also to the millions of people of faith who continue to value the separation of church and state as the best means of ensuring religious liberty for all.

Such actions on the part of our government also serve to perpetuate the stigma attached to nontheism. We are a nation of religious tolerance, but our tolerance only seems to extend to those accepting a traditional religious creed. And so, even at the beginning of the 21st century, our members find themselves the victims of a subtle, yet pervasive, form of discrimination and intolerance.

In conjunction with last year’s National Day of Prayer observance, one of our members – a civilian employee of the navy – received a broadcast e-mail from the commander of the navy’s Chaplain Corps, Dr. J. Steven Evans. This e-mail provided specific instructions on how to pray, and for whom to pray, and cited Christian scriptures for support. Dr. Evans implored the recipients to pray because the Bible commands it.

Our member was, needless to say, insulted and infuriated.

Last year's National Day of Prayer also prominently featured an official "Prayer for America" written by the Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie, the taxpayer-funded chaplain of the U.S. Senate. Ogilvie's prayer called on God to "bless our President, Congress and all our leaders with supernatural power" and promised the nation "to be faithful to You as Sovereign of our land and as our personal Lord and Savior."

Again, the exclusive nature of this observance was betrayed in such remarks, and our members were left to wonder why our elected leaders had so wantonly disregarded their views – and those of the millions of religious Americans for whom Jesus is not Lord and Savior.

In issuing his National Day of Prayer proclamation last year, President Bush noted that "in times of crisis and in times of calm, Americans have always turned to prayer." He also urged all Americans to "join in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities."

In so doing, Mr. Bush relegated the non-religious to something less than American, and something less than worthy of his consideration."

President Bush is a devout Christian, and his faith may – and should – inform his decisions. But he is the president for all Americans, including those of divergent beliefs. Leaders who devoutly follow their beliefs are to be admired, not scorned; but when they speak with an official voice, their faith should not be used to exclude; reason, rather than faith, should inform their public actions.

Do we exaggerate the threat to religious liberty that is posed by simple prayer? No – because it is not prayer that we oppose; rather, we object to the government’s intrusion into the sphere of individual spirituality, and its sanction of belief over non-belief. This is offensive not only to humanists but to religious people of a mature faith who don’t want or need government’s help in matters of worship. It’s unconstitutional and un-American.

Some would argue that nonsectarian public prayers or references to God in the public sphere amount to little more than expressions of civic religion. It is, they say, harmless and inclusive. But to a non-believer, calls to pray or seek divine guidance are as offensive as the posting of "Jesus is Lord" on the walls of the Capitol might be to a Jew, or the phrase "Praise Allah" might be to a Christian. The presumption of a universal belief in God is false and such expressions, rather than being harmless, are offensive to and exclusive of many, many Americans.

America leads the world in many ways – technologically, militarily and economically, to be sure. But we must also lead by example. If we wish other nations to embrace secular democracy as a form of government, and to respect the rights of religious minorities, we must continually strive to remain true to our ideals. We expect at least this much of an enlightened and civil society that embraces its pluralism and thrives on its diversity. And it is our law.

Humanists share many values with those of traditional religious faiths. Among these are tolerance, compassion, respect for human rights and dignity, appreciation of diversity, and support of democratic principles of governance. We also share a commitment to, and capacity for, reason. We hope that others will join us in celebrating a National Day of Reason, and in supporting the constitutional separation of church and state, which is the best means of ensuring religious liberty for all – religious and non-religious alike.