For at least the last four years, Mayor Ava Frisinger has proclaimed a Day of Prayer “in keeping with the wishes of the Congress.” The beginning of her proclamation states: “Whereas on April 17, 1952, the Congress of the United States approved the joint Resolution to provide for setting aside an appropriate day as a National Day of Prayer.”

That Congressional resolution has just been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge who declared the obvious: The government has no business encouraging Americans to pray, just as it has no business asking Americans to attend church.

If Frisinger persists in her tradition of telling us when we should pray, will she continue to glowingly reference the now-outlawed law?

In her proclamation, Frisinger wrote, “I urge all citizens to join me in this special observance.” All citizens? Including the 25 percent of Washington residents who aren’t religious? Why is our mayor urging—not just asking, urging—citizens who don’t pray to pray? It’s none of her business!

Many religious people are also offended by these sanctimonious and pandering proclamations.

The head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, for example, is a Christian minister who applauded the court decision because he understands that Americans are perfectly capable of praying — if they wish — without Big Brother’s intervention.

Finally, local prayer participants, who in the past have gathered in groups in front of newspaper reporters and photographers, should remember what Jesus said about public prayer: “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men . . . But when you pray, go into your room [and] close the door.”

Matthew Barry

Issaquah