State judge rejects prayer proclamation challenge

A Denver District Court judge ruled Thursday that the Colorado governor’s support of the National Day of Prayer doesn’t violate the constitutional rights of Coloradans.

Judge R. Michael Mullins wrote in his decision that the gubernatorial proclamations do not encourage a Coloradan to pray or not to pray. “That issue is left up to the individual.”

In 2008 the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a Madison, Wis.-based organization that supports the separation of church and state, sued Gov. Bill Ritter and the state of Colorado, arguing that the governor’s National Day of Prayer proclamations violates the First Amendment.

Colorado governors have issued honorary proclamations on the National Day of Prayer, which occurs annually on the first Thursday of May, since 2004.

Last April, a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled in favor of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, writing in her decision that the government has no right to endorse prayer, just as it has no right to “encourage citizens to fast during the month of Ramadan, attend a synagogue, purify themselves in a sweat lodge or practice rune magic.”

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, said Thursday that the organization will appeal the decision.

“The governor doesn’t have the right to interfere with a person’s conscience,” she said.

Shirley Dobson, wife of conservative religious leader James Dobson, is chairwoman of the Colorado Springs-based National Day of Prayer Task Force, which coordinates participation in the event. The organization writes to United States governors every year requesting honorary proclamations for the prayer day.

For background on this story go to the Gazette Pulpit blog by clicking here. For more religion news, go to www.thepulpit.freedomblogging.com.