Kimberly Winston of Religion News Service reports on a U.S. House of Representatives bill proposing a prayer plaque at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the interfaith coalition against the idea. From the article:
The coalition — a mix of religious and secular organizations that includes the Center for Inquiry, a humanist organization; three Jewish groups; the Hindu American Foundation; and the United Methodist Church – said the prayer does not reflect the religious diversity of the United States.
“Our religious diversity is one of our nation’s great strengths,” they stated in a letter to the subcommittee. “This bill, however, shows a lack of respect for this great diversity. It endorses the false notion that all veterans will be honored by a war memorial that includes a prayer that proponents characterize as reflecting our country’s ‘Judeo-Christian heritage and values.’”
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Scoring cheap political points is what this Congress wants to do.
Gary Paul Gilbert
Doesn’t the House have better things to do? I have been to the WWII moment and thought it was perfect. Why do we need to spend time trying to “fix” something that doesn’t need fixed with controversial, politically-motivated additions, when there are ACTUAL problems to address. This is a distraction. Nothing more.
Lisa Jones
Even though these words are by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, they are not, strictly speaking, Christian prayer because they are not addressed to God, who doesn’t have to hear them. Politicians from time to time want to harness the authority of God to justify war. In this case most would agree with the invasion of D Day, but that still doesn’t make it right as a general principle to invoke God to justify violence. Politicians choose the cross of Constantine rather than that of Golgotha.
Post-9/11 it is best to avoid the conflation of God with violent projects.
Gary Paul Gilber
But this thing isn’t about “ALL of the country…in 2014”. It is about those servicemen who served and fought and died in the 1940s.
I agree w/ the coalition. “O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee” is not something that reflects ALL of the country, at a Federal monument, in 2014.
JC Fisher