Sunday, May 1, 2011

On May 5th turn the National Day of Prayer into the National Day Reason

On May 5th the religiously afflicted will presumably do exactly the opposite of Jesus’ admonishment to pray in private and instead will make a great show of public prayer. I can’t imagine what they will be praying about, but given the fact that there was a National Day of Prayer last year, and in 2009, and 2008 I expect the results to be pretty much the same.

But, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they didn’t pray for peace, but for more war. If so, their prayers were answered with a record breaking American death toll in Afghanistan and an inexplicable intrusion into Libya.

Perhaps they decided not to ask their boogieman for prosperity, but for a record breaking fiscal deficit, continued high unemployment, and more home foreclosures. If so, God heard their prayers.

Maybe they opted to forgo the challenge to pray for all amputees’ to re-grow limbs, and instead prayed for more kids in war torn Africa to have their arms amputated by rebel terrorists, more women being raped and children contracting AIDS. If so, their request was granted.

I’m guessing they also prayed for more illegal immigration, a record breaking oil spill in the Gulf, higher gasoline prices, more school shootings, a continued 50% divorce rate, the undermining of labor unions, floods in Australia, massive earthquakes and tsunamis that killed tens of thousands, and a nuclear disaster that will likely result in great suffering on those Asian pagans. Hallelujah, thy will be done! So much for thinking prayer doesn’t work.

So, while they continue to mumble their irrational superstitious idiocy to their non-existent Sky Daddy, Dead Jew, or whom/whatever, let us observe May 5th in our own unique and inimitable way. Here are some suggestions for observing May 5th the National Day of Reason:



  • Read a chapter of Darwin’s Origin of Species or any science book.


  • Watch a Hitchens or Dawkins debate or lecture on Youtube.


  • Find your favorite Bertrand Russell quote on Google and memorize it.


  • Email your Senators and Congressman and tell them to stop praying and get back to doing something meaningful for the country like they are being paid to do.


  • Make an unsolicited contribution to The Freedom from Religion Foundation or Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, or some other freethinking activist organization.


  • Donate a copy of my book to your local library.

You can probably think of some other rational actions of your own. I’ll not surrender May 5th to the ignorant and mindless. In my home reason and rationality will prevail, as always.

10 comments:

  1. ...or clean up a park, volunteer at a school or homeless shelter or soup kitchen, donate unused clothing or another similar activity. There are many useful things to do instead if useless prayer.

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  2. Who was it who said ""Two hands working accomplish more than 1000 hands clasped in prayer"? Here in Raleigh we're holding a National Day of Reason celebration at the State Capitol grounds. A full slate of excellent speakers speaking out for reason instead of dogma. And a full afternoon and evening of activities. All are welcome to join us! http://trianglefreethoughtsociety.org/drupal/NDOR2011

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  3. I opened a bottle of wine to celebrate the death of bin Landen and now I am half drunk. Shit, I got to work in a few hours.

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  4. {{{tHE FOLLOWING COMMENT WAS EMAILED TO ME BY READER Stymie1, AND REPOSTED HERE WITH HIS PERMISSION}}}

    Always right on as usual, but I have something I must confess. Per your suggestions for the 5th:


    I donate to the Skeptic Society monetarily and by supplying musical intros and bumper music for their podcast. I've recently read Darwin's "Origins", and a Burton Russel's "an Outline of Philosophy", Listened to Dawkins and a woman read is "God Delusion" and Mr. Hitchens read "God is not great" but forgive me, I haven't read either of your books yet. Believe it or not, I was totally unaware of them!


    Somehow, I managed to go to your website and sign up for the blog email and didn't connect the two. I think the letter to my senator or congressman is a good choice, but given the situation, I plan to get both your books ASAP, read them first of course, and then donate them to the Henepin County Library.

    Thanks Camel,

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  5. I give blood. It makes me chuckle to think that the answer to someone's prayer is a pint of my atheist blood.

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  6. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rapture-20110519,0,6209624.story#tugs_story_display


    The Camel made the LA Times, and also other sources
    About his saving Earthbound Pets, (Unless the size of horses)
    I’m quite impressed and glad to see a normal mortal man
    Who’s trusted by the Rapturists to have a good pet plan
    He bravely placed his image, quite defying all the sick
    Embroiled in planning stages of a dart board with his pi
    Now I don’t fear the Rapture cause I know that ere it came
    The Cuttlefish would soon reveal his picture and his name
    Cause hopefully in end times it won’t be earth-shaking news
    For the versifying atheist to cop to all his views.

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  7. Ok.. That should say 'his pic' not his "pi." Nor only am I not mathematical, I'm a poor speller.
    I don't know how to get the link to work either, but you made the LA time with a big photo of yourself and big pup.
    Posted this on Cuttle's blog also, but it's about 10 poems back in the queue and I doubt he'll ever see it.
    At any rate, congrats on all the publicity and it's nice to see your face.

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  8. Joan..LOL. Not to mention you posted these comments not to the Rapture blog...but to the Nat. day of Prayer blog ;)

    I'm looking to become the poster boy for religionists' "godless heathen dartboard targets"

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  9. Oops! It has been an evening of screw-ups and your well deserved LA Times linkage did not even link. So sorry. Is there a way to fix it from Bart Centre Center?

    ReplyDelete

PLEASE READ: Love it /hate it feel free to comment on it. Smart phone/ Iphones don't interface well with "blogspot", please..use your computer. Comments containing bad religious poems (they're all bad, trust me), your announcement of your engagement to Jesus (yeah,I've seen 'em), mindless religious babble, your made up version of Christian doctrine, and death threats are going to be laughed at and deleted. Thanks! Hump