I saw the phrase quoted in the title of this piece on a bumper sticker yesterday.  It stuck in my mind so I decided to try to figure out what it meant. For some reason, the owner of that car thinks prayer is threatened because some others think it is a crime.  Why he/she thinks that prayer is punished in this country, I cannot fathom. I am neutral on prayer since praying is for other people.

I do not pray for I do not see a connection to my belief in a supreme entity or creator of our universe and that I can communicate with him, her or it. An earthbound creator has been always seen in anthropomorphic terms.  We, you and I, are created in HIS image.  If so, why are some of us female? That is quibbling.  What I am interested in here is that I have not heard from any other source than this bumper sticker that prayer is under attack by law.

My position is a simple one.  Like the Libertarians, I think people should be allowed to do what they want and believe what they want as long as this does not interfere with the rights of others.  There should be a minimum of laws governing our behavior.  I see no harm in praying.  I also see no positive or negative results from prayer.  I see people praying and can consider that good – for them.  If they think something will be changed, created, or stopped because of their intervention through prayer to a supernatural entity, then they should be free to do so.  Where is it recorded that prayer is a criminal activity?

There is a certain paranoia associated with prayer.  In addressing an invisible LORD, God, “Architect of the Universe” or Creator, why must I be involved?  I do not think I should be involved but there are people who assure me that I am in their prayers.  It is not a crime for them to do this but I feel somewhat obligated to thank them for something in which I do not believe.

I have written before on the notion of prayer.  I think that it is a good thing if people wish to pray and they should be allowed to do so.  There should be no argument that prayer is a private matter and that masses of people praying could constitute a traffic jam if not organized in some efficient pattern.

Kneeling is good. Prostrating oneself is good, if tired.  Nevertheless, the whole notion of being forced to pray is scary.  I read in a story that a child was forced to kneel on grains of wheat in order to concentrate his attention while praying.  This is a bit too extreme. Please do not make prayer a crime – there are far more important things to think about.