I gather w/ folks in our neighborhood to pray every morning. I spent years working on @CommonPrayer & am glad to be part of a global family that sings the unending hymn of God’s praise. But I will not #pray4unity in America today.
I know many faithful people volunteer to organize these events, but the National Day of Prayer exploits their best intentions to whitewash the sin & injustice of people who have worked to divide America. 2/
In the 80s, as corporate interests invested in redefining liberty as freedom from government, they realized they could not build a political coalition w/out Christian nationalists. So they invested (among other things) in a National Day of Prayer. 3/
These events claim to unite, but they are like the prophets Jeremiah condemned for saying, “Peace, peace” when there is no peace. 4/
Not all prayer is pleasing to the God of the Bible. “When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen” (Is 1:15) 5/
The very worst thing people of faith can do when politicians use power to attack immigrants, abuse the earth, & insult the poor is #Pray4Unity. 6/
Instead, Amos says, “In all the public squares there shall be wailing... in all the vineyards there shall be wailing” (5:16) Weeping & wailing in the streets is the prayer America needs. God save us from the self-deception & hypocrisy of this day. 7/
The very worst thing people of faith can do when politicians use power to attack immigrants, abuse the earth, & demean the poor is #Pray4Unity. 6/
Instead, Amos says, “In all the public squares there shall be wailing... in all the vineyards there shall be wailing” (5:16) Weeping & wailing in the streets is the prayer America needs. God save us from the self-deception & hypocrisy of this day. 7/
