My husband Bill and I read The Fountain Hills Times article discussing the National Day of Prayer and were disturbed by the fact that it was difficult to determine if this were a story for a religious event or for a political rally.

First of all let me make it clear that we are opposed to any National Day of Prayer since we feel it definitely muddies the line separating church and state. In this very diverse country where people of many different religions reside side by side with those with no religious beliefs at all, we feel our governments (both national and state) must be about serving all citizens and showing favoritism toward none. It just is not the government’s job to meddle in religious affairs.

The Fountain Hills observance of the National Day of Prayer would seem to muddy that line of separation even further. As advertised the Pledge of Allegiance, the Preamble to the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address will be recited; the “Key Note” address will be delivered by a well-known Republican county attorney; and prayers are to focus on seven mostly secular areas: government, military, media, business, education, church and family.

The original National Day of Prayer was ostensibly for the purpose of uniting all people from all religions to pray for our country. In Fountain Hills, however, the only people who appear to be involved are those Christian churches with a very right wing conservative leaning. The event has the theme of “One Voice, United in Prayer,” yet the only voice that will be heard is a Christian voice and a conservative one at that.

If they really wanted to express unity they would have invited Muslims, Jews, Buddhist, and on and on—all those religious folks who make up our community. Better still would have been to have this event in a religious context and not connected to the government at all.