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rulemylife -> RE: National Day of Prayer (5/5/2010 4:59:49 PM)
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Judge who struck down Day of Prayer in spotlight
By RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press Writer Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press Writer – Wed May 5, 2:45 pm ET
MADISON, Wis. – Since U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, critics have declared what they think of her: A Marxist. A moron. A disgrace.
One person wrote that he was praying God removes her from office. Several warned she is headed to hell. GOP Rep. Ted Poe of Texas took to the House floor to taunt: "What's next, Judge Crabb? You going to ban Thanksgiving and Christmas as national holidays?"
.....In the National Day of Prayer decision, Crabb found Congress violated the First Amendment by passing a law directing the president to encourage citizens to pray, and said the law amounted to a government endorsement of a religious exercise. She emphasized that her conclusion was not a judgment "on the value of prayer or the millions of Americans who believe in its power."
But she said the government can no more encourage citizens to pray than to "fast during the month of Ramadan, attend a synagogue, purify themselves in a sweat lodge or practice rune magic."
"In fact, it is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision on whether and when to pray," she wrote.
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