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.