Happy “National Day of Reason” to All

On this “National Day of Prayer”, I wonder exactly what so many people pray for. World Peace, or perhaps a sick loved one to finally find comfort in healing? Is some child praying for a new doll, while across the nation another is praying for a new bike? I can only imagine that the focus of these prayers are as numerous and vastly different from one another as the people doing the praying.

For the boxer who thanks God for helping him knockout his opponent, and the basketball player who is praying for a playoff victory, I have to wonder why many aren’t praying to give thanks to this god – granter of all touchdown passes, and bulls-eyes. I wonder how many are praying to be sent home alive from the middle-east, and how many have been praying endlessly for the miracle of a limb to regrow in place of the one that was blown off along some roadside in Iraq. Likewise, I wonder how many are praying for a plague to afflict those of a different religion, or of no religion at all.

In recent news we’ve heard of a new War on Religion, when a court in Wisconsin deemed the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. Those most upset by the news often complain about their rival religions, and show tremendous fear and uncertainty over the future of their faith. It is understood that many of them believe the National Day of Prayer to be more exclusive to their own religion, especially when directly faced with the prospect of praying along side of someone with opposing views on the subject.

In 2003 the American Humanist Association along with the Washington Area Secular Humanists co-sponsored the National Day of Reason, and set the celebratory date for May 6th – right in the face of those seeking national recognition for praying to omnipotent beings. Though many might see this as a petty act of defiance, some of us view it as more of an instructional alternative. Truly the Day of Reason should be recognized moreso, if only because there are more people in this nation than there are religious people. Since freethinkers generally hold the “come one come all” stance, and openly invite all walks of earthly life, this is a celebration for all as opposed to some. It is a day to recognize the power of humanity when it works toward a common goal, as opposed to breaking off into exclusive groups and worshipping god(s) that are only your own.