rganizers of Thursday's National Day of Prayer claimed that nearly 2 million people throughout the country turned out for breakfasts, lunches, rallies at government buildings and flagpoles and other activities to celebrate this year's event. 20,000 community gatherings were slated, including the NDOP rally on Capitol Hill at the House Office Building. Atheists responded with small but spirited and effective demonstrations in San Jose and Redding, California, and Dallas Texas.

   ¶    In Washington, 400 "prayer warriors" crowded into the Cannon House Office Building to hear a battery of speakers introduced by National Day of Prayer Task Force head Shirley Dobson. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, told the group that "storm clouds are on the horizon and God is warning America."

   "We as a nation and we as a people must make a decision to accept God's authority," declared Graham. He added that the entertainment industry was responsible for widespread sex and violence throughout the culture. Graham is still being criticized for his remarks made recently at a state-sponsored memorial service for dead students in Littleton, Colorado. There, some religious leaders say that they were "hit over the head" by the Christian proselytizing of Graham and others, who turned the event into a pulpit for sectarian religious doctrine.

   The most controversial speaker at the Washington, D.C. gathering was Etowah County (Alabama) Judge Roy Moore, who has generated national controversy for displaying a Ten Commandments plaque in his courtroom, and opening judicial proceedings with a Baptist invocation. Citing the use of phrases such as "God save the court" at Supreme Court hearings, Moore scolded the nation's highest judicial body for restraining mandatory prayer and bible verse recitation in the public schools. "It is incongruous to forbid the states, in their courts or in their public schools, to acknowledge God in prayer."

   "The solution is not just to pray for schools," Moore declared. "The solution is to put prayer back in schools."

   Others speakers at the rally included drug czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Senate Chaplain Rev. Lloyd Ogilvie, Chicago Cardinal Francis George, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, and Rep. Steve Largent (R-OK). Congressman Largent told the congregation that "the single root problem" behind the Littleton shootings, the violence in Kosovo and disagreement in congress is alienation, which he said can be solved by prayer. "God has given His people a mandate when it comes to alienation."

   Chaplain Ogilvie declared that despite newspaper headlines in the secular press, "Some people in the political world are having an authentic experience with God.

   ¶    Dallas was one of the two cities where Atheists actively turned out to protest National Day of Prayer activism. "Several hundred people" gathered in front of the "Old Red" courthouse, according to the Dallas Morning News. Also present was a contingent of First Amendment activists organized by Randall Gorman, Texas State Director for American Atheists. Mr. Gorman estimated the size of the NDOP crowd to be closer to 200, and noted that Atheists from as far away as Conroe, Texas made the trek to protest.

   "While the prayer group was setting up," noted Randall, "some of our protesters were mingling with the crowd which prompted two of the City of Dallas policemen on scene to lecture me on what our group could and could not do..." Local Christian radio talk jock Scott Wilder served as NDOP Master of Ceremonies, but singled out the American Atheist group to defend "our right to be there and our right to protest." Wilder interviewed Mr. Gorman later on his radio program.

   County Commissioner Jim Jackson also participated in the prayer events, insisting that the Atheist demonstration was a "compliment" to the Lord. "We had a couple of signs saying 'HONK IF YOU SUPPORT CHURCH/STATE SEPARATION,'" added Randall. "We got quite a bit of support from the passing motorists..." Other signs declared DON'T PRAY IN PUBLIC -- MATTHEW 6:5-6 and NO PRAYER IN GOVERNMENT. Randall informs us that a good time was had by all who participated, and that following the successful protest action, the contingent adjourned not for prayer and meditation, but a celebration at a nearby TGI-Fridays restaurant.

   ¶    Atheists in San Jose and Redding, California protested their local National Day of Prayer activities. We are still awaiting a report on the Redding action, but in San Jose, activist John Messina attracted a crowd with his famous "Uncle Sam" outfit and signs defending the separation of church and state. Photos are now up on our web site at http://www.americanatheist.org

   ¶    Minnesota Governor Jesse "The Mind" Ventura, an Atheist, refused to issue a proclamation supporting the National Day of Prayer. "I believe in the separation of church and state," the former wrestler declared. "We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists, who don't believe at all. They are all citizens of Minnesota and I have to respect that."

   ¶    In Colorado, the National Day of Prayer event in Denver was quickly turned into a memorial service dwelling on the religious implications of the Columbine High School shootings last months in Littleton. Former U.S. Senator Hank Brown told an audience of 1,100 "All of us must go out and make a difference from this moment on," adding that the gun play would reshape Coloradoans forever. Also in attendance were Gov. Bill Owen, Lt. Governor Joe Rogers and Public Safety Director Butch Montoya. According to a story in the Denver Rocky Mountain News, "The governor added that Coloradoans have a choice -- to forever associate Columbine with 'two horribly flawed killers,' or to associated it with two other teen-agers, Cassie Bernall and Valeen Schnurr, who at the point of a gun professed their belief in God."

   Brown, President of the University of Northern Colorado, cited Bible passage passages from the Book of Job, and questioned the idea that good people can expect to lead comfortable and safe lives. "What if the purpose of our earthly existence is not to live in a paradise, but to test and train us for the next life?" he mused.

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