Repost from 2009: National Day of Prayer: in which I disagree with Shirley Dobson and everyone

[Originally posted here; reposted by request. Nothing fundamental has improved, to say the least.]

Perhaps you've heard by now that The Obama will not attend the National Day of Prayer service and breakfast. I think that's good. He should not attend, and he should not pray — unless it is a prayer of broken repentance, calling on the Lord to save him through and because of Jesus Christ alone.

Shirley Dobson differs. She is James Dobson's wife, and also is chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Committee. She says her group is "disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," and further: "At this time in our country's history, we would hope our president would recognize more fully the importance of prayer."

Yeah, well, about that:

I disagree with most of what she's saying. First, the Obama administration should not be involved in prayer at all. Second, Obama himself should not pray.

Why? Well, I believe the Bible, in short. In long:

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer is an abomination
(Proverbs 28:9)

"Abomination," it says. Something that — so far from pleasing God and bringing His blessing — repels, disgusts and offends God. Has Obama (and thus his administration) turned away his ear from  hearing the law?  Well, duh. Let's see:

• enthusiastic advocate of torture-killing (of babies), check
• denier of the exclusivity of Christ, check
• promoter of greed and covetousness, check
• rewarder of evil, check
• punisher of good, check

Enough, for starters?

But I'll go further. I oppose the National Day of Prayer, when it comes right down to it. Oh, I understand the argument: we should acknowledge God, and so forth. Okay, but — acknowledge "God," as a proper noun, generic? Like acknowledging "beer," but not naming a label?

Well, what use is that? Is it pleasing to God? Certainly not. When God says "God," He certainly never means "However you define that word." He always means "However I define that word."

Is prayer about making ourselves feel pious? Or is prayer about God?

And should our nation, as a nation, pray? No. Remember, Obama did not take office by coup. He was freely-elected. Abortion could be as easy to access as a Snickers bar, but that wouldn't make anyone have one. Professing Christians' knowledge of (and thus reverent obedience for) God is famously pathetic.

For us as a nation to pray, lifting up our bloody hands and asking God to pile yet more material blessings and protections on our openly defiant heads, is an atrocious insult to God.

So I'd say it's very clear that we, as a nation, have turned our ear away from listening to the law of God.

Now, if anyone wants to propose a National Day of Repentance, featuring coast-to-coast, red-hot Biblical Gospel preaching —

I'm there.

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