AMERICANS UNITED PLANS OKLAHOMA CITY EVENT TO 'LET FREEDOM RING' ON NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Inclusive Event Celebrates Freedom Of Conscience, Welcomes All Faiths And Philosophical Traditions
For too long, the National Day of Prayer has been held captive by the Religious Right. This year, Americans United for Separation of Church and State is planning a rescue."Let Freedom Ring: A Celebration of Freedom of Conscience," an event sponsored by the Oklahoma Chapter of Americans United, will be open to Americans of all faiths - as well as those who don't pray."America is a nation with rich diversity, and we want to celebrate that fact," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, who will be in Oklahoma City to speak at the event. "The National Day of Prayer has become an excuse for the Religious Right to practice exclusion and peddle bad history. We want to offer an alternative."The Oklahoma event, which is being cosponsored by Mainstream Baptists of Oklahoma and the Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma, will take place on the South Steps of the State Capitol in Oklahoma City on May 5 at 11 a.m. AU's Lynn is a United Church of Christ minister. Speakers from the Jewish, Islamic, Pagan and non-theistic communities will also participate. By act of Congress, the National Day of Prayer takes place the first Thursday in May. Many events are coordinated by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a private group run by Shirley Dobson, wife of radio broadcaster and Religious Right kingpin James C. Dobson. The Task Force excludes certain religious groups from its events and has turned many of them into highly politicized fundamentalist rallies. In years past, it has advised that non-Christians not be allowed to speak at local events, and this year the Task Force mandates that participation be limited to "Judeo-Christian" groups. But Americans United charges that Task Force events are by default saturated with fundamentalist Christianity. It notes that the Task Force insists that groups taking part agree with the Lausanne Covenant, a 1974 plan for world Christian evangelism spearheaded by Billy Graham. The Covenant insists that the Bible is inerrant and states that Jesus Christ is "the only mediator between God and people. There is no other name by which we must be saved. "The Task Force's website makes it clear that its events are for certain Christians only, saying, "If peoples of other faiths wish to celebrate in their own tradition, they are welcome to do so, but we must be true to those who have supported this effort and volunteered their time to promote it. "Said AU's Lynn, "The Dobsons are essentially telling people of other faith traditions that they are not welcome and to take a hike. I want all of them to know they should hike on over to our event, where they will be welcomed and encouraged to take part. "Continued Lynn, "Americans United's event is about inclusion, not exclusion. It's a different celebration that honors the Constitution and celebrates our diversity. " Lynn said Americans United hopes to export the Oklahoma City model to other communities.
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

I have always wondered just what makes the Religious Right think they are more deserving of their Christian Jesus then any other group of Chrisitans. Why do they think they need to push everyone else into their little box and make them behave just like their own sheeple. While I am not fond of the Religious Right and their temper tantrums and fighting to make this country more divided then it has ever been before. I am also upset with the moderates for allowing Dobson and his ilk to subvert our politicians, other religions and to just put anyone who isn't "one of them" down as a heritic, an unbeliever and just not right. To stand for your beliefs isn't wrong. Pushing your beliefs on others and trying to make everyone else just like you is wrong. Without the diversity of faith, color, gender, love this world will be a much sadder, sorrier, place to live.
Now before you trolls in the world think my comment on gender includes only straight marriages, you are wrong. Diversity in love and marriage includes same sex marriage, it includes the fact that like with interracial marriages the diversity of love has no lines, boundries and jumps to where it is most wanted and needed. We as beings were not made to be all the same, we were made to be different, to learn from each other, to see things in different ways while holding gently onto our own ways.