Dear Mikey Weinstein,
We feel that Franklin Graham has every right to speak at the Pentagon’s Natl. Day of Prayer program. It is our right to prayer and our country was founded on Judeo-Christian rights. Our forefathers prayed at Congressional meetings and we want you to include Franklin Graham as the keynote speaker!
Thanks,
and God bless America,
(name withheld)
Hi (name withheld),
Needless to say, Mikey is tied up with the many responses we have received to the National Day of Prayer story. I hope you don’t mind me sitting in for him. My name is Rick Baker. I am a regional coordinator for MRFF.
Normally, Mr. Graham would have every right to speak at a prayer meeting, however our constitution prohibits such speech if arranged, condoned or encouraged by government agencies.
The Lemon Test, based on the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602, 612-13, the Court will rule a practice unconstitutional if:
1. It lacks any secular purpose. That is, if the practice lacks any non-religious purpose.
2. The practice either promotes or inhibits religion.
3. Or the practice excessively (in the Court’s opinion) involves government with a religion.
So you can readily see that the invitation to Graham to speak violates all three of these provisions. Now I know that you wouldn’t want to break the law for your personal religious beliefs, would you? Therefore the Pentagon and Mr. Graham would be wrong in this endeavor.
It is difficult for us not to transmogrify our religious belief into law but it is imperative that we not do so. The wonders and gratification that religion gives us belongs in our hearts and not our political embroilments.
Rick Baker
MRFF
