Presidential Praying
EmailAs Barack Obama and Joe Biden are praying at St. John’s Episcopal Church, let’s ponder this: what happens if/when the country elects a president or vice president who is not a Christian? Will he/she feel compelled to appear at this church on the morning of his/her inauguration?
Barack Obama is the first African-American elected president, and that is without a doubt a monumental first. But we still have plenty of firsts to go.
No woman.
And we still have never elected a non-Christian to the White House. And while we are at it, just one Catholic has ever been president (John F. Kennedy.) And Joe Biden will be our very first Catholic vice president.
What if Mitt Romney had won? Where would he be praying this morning? Just some interesting stuff to think about.
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
In 100 years the country may be ready to elect an athiest/agnostic. For now, being athiest in America means being powerless. We are discriminated against a lor more than is reported. People believe that an athiest has no values and can’t do anything good, but they ignore all the things bad that religion has brought upon the world.
Posted by: Reason | January 20, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
He isn’t just african american though. Why is eveyone forgeting his mother is white. He is the first interracial president, not the first true african american president.
Posted by: jess | January 20, 2009, 9:15 am 9:15 am
I have just been thinking of this. I am not a religious person. I am not an atheist, but I have many doubts. To me, I don’t care if someone is religious or not. I think we put too much emphasis on this for politicians and that is how we end up in trouble later on. Remember the Terry Schiavo case? I worry about the separation of church and state. But I am more hopeful with a Democrat in power that it will be protected.
I don’t think this country would ever elect someone who was an atheist or agnostic and I think that’s unfair.
Posted by: Janis | January 20, 2009, 9:21 am 9:21 am
I wish to express my heartfelt disgust that Rick “the Bigot” Warren will be delivering the inaugural prayer, while Bishop Robinson’s invocation at the pre-inaugural event was not broadcast-the days of Democratic party pandering mixed with insults to the gay community will come to an end! Change we can believe in? As Palin would say-You betcha!It is my intention over the next four years to establish and tirelessly promote a movement called “Just One Time”. The goal of this group will be to persuade gay and lesbian Americans to vote en masse “Just One Time” for Republican candidates, to show to the country and the Democratic party the meaning of 7% of their electoral vote! It will only take one time for the message to get through-I assure you. Enjoy your one and only inauguration Barack!
Posted by: Michael ONeal | January 20, 2009, 9:23 am 9:23 am
Michael Oneal,
It’s attitudes like yours that makes it bad for all of us gays.
Take a look at the big picture,we are all Americans
Posted by: proud | January 20, 2009, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Unbelievable. I cannot believe what I am reading here. Today’s inauguration is truly a landmark event – a multi-racial president in a country historically torn by bitter race relations. But despite this, there are some who cannot be happy, because Obama is not just like them. Should all caucasians in the U.S. be upset that we are not seeing another caucasian sworn in today? I think the appropriate response to this is: grow up and get over yourself.
Posted by: Erik | January 20, 2009, 9:56 am 9:56 am
According NNBD Abraham Lincoln was atheist. see: http://www.nndb.com/people/332/000024260/
A footnote on that site states:
[1] It is difficult to determine Lincoln’s religion, if any. He would sometimes attend services, likely as a courtesy to his wife, and occasionally quote scripture in speeches. In a letter quoted by Joseph Lewis, Lincoln wrote “The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.” Law partner William Herndon stated that Lincoln “was an infidel of the radical type… never mentioned the name of Jesus, except to scorn and detest the idea of a miraculous conception.” Wife Mary Todd Lincoln’s opinion was that “Mr. Lincoln had no hope and no faith in the usual acceptance of those words.”
Posted by: M I Advany | January 20, 2009, 10:00 am 10:00 am