First Amendment

Originally Published February 04, 2010; Last Updated February 14, 2010; Last Republished February 14, 2010:

A sign that our nation may be maturing; more groups are beginning to insist our leadership skip breakfast—national prayer breakfast. The biographies compiled by CongressDotOrg show that our leadership has overwhelming stated their religious affiliation as Christian based—with less than 10 using the "not stated" or "not affiliated" categories.

Where is the "nontheist" category—do we really have zero leadership that believe they and they alone in concert with their Christian colleagues are responsible for guiding our nation? If true, that alone could explain a lot of our current predicament—if untrue, who are they?

Web:

• UPDATED 02/14/2010 NYT, How Christian Were the Founders? .

  One of the benefits of the flat-earth-faithful's recently aggressive attempts at commingling religion with state, to disastrous consequences, is public discussion, debate, and pushback.

  At one time most of us held a belief in Santa Claus; but most would not suggest that Santa Claus form the basis of building and sustaining our civil society (although it might be a pretty good basis for a civil society!).

  In fact most reluctantly jettison Santa Claus, revising their perception and concept of the origins of presents.

  Wonder why we're so reluctant to move beyond "God"...or so compelled to commingle a personal belief in "God" with the State?

• NYT, National Prayer Breakfast Draws Controversy