Day of Fasting and Prayer...

Tomorrow is the anniversary of Congress's first declared National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, May 17th, 1776. Congress, yes, the United States Congress proclaimed throughout the colonies the need to "confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [God's] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness."

I'm fascinated by those who demand religion be banished to the darkest corners. They do realize the colonists came here for freedom NOT FROM religion but OF religion, don't they? Those who demand God be erased are denying the very reason America exists: People wanted to worship God how and where they chose. Separation of church and state wasn't to keep religion out the state but to keep the state out of religion. By the way, separation of church and state is NOWHERE in the Constitution. It was in a letter from Thomas Jefferson assuring a little religious sect they would not be denied the right to practice their religion.

This year's day of prayer was earlier this month, but I thought it would be a good reminder: This is not a new event.

The following link is to my favorite picture by Arnold Friberg:

http://www.fribergfineart.com/

It's copyrighted, so I'm sending you to the gallery. The picture is titled "The Prayer at Valley Forge."