Did Barack Obama cancel the National Day of Prayer?

Answer 1

Barack Obama did not participate publicly in the National Day of Prayer (the Christian one). But he did not cancel it. What he did cancel was the National Day of Prayer Service.

Also, representatives from the other branches of the government were at liberty to attend an event held by the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

Answer 2

No, he did not cancel the National Day of Prayer.

MADISON, Wis. - A federal judge in Wisconsin says the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb {appointed by President Jimmy Carter(D)}issued the ruling Thursday in a lawsuit filed by the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Here is a link to the suit filed listing Obama's administration as a defendant. The original suit was filed in 2008 against the Bush administration.

Here is the http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/SummaryJudgementGeitner.PDF It does not take effect until all appeals are exhausting.

Here is the proclamation Obama issued in 2009 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-day-prayer

What Obama is not doing is continuing the practice of a White House ecumenical service. This was held only Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Answer 3

No, it was not cancelled; it took place again in 2012, as it has every year since it was formalized in 1952. (Before that, a day of prayer was unofficially observed; and during difficult times, some presidents turned it into a day of fasting and penitence.) There is an internet rumor that President Obama cancelled the Day of Prayer, but that is false. It should be noted, however, that over the years, some presidents have paid more attention to a National Day of Prayer than others did.

Answer 4

No, absolutely not. This is another of those internet myths and it is not true. in fact, there is a chain e-mail about this subject, and it has been going around for about a decade now, with various presidents (or even congress) being accused of "banning prayer." But it is demonstrably false. For example, Congress has an official chaplain, and there are sometimes guest chaplains-- priest, rabbis, ministers, imams, etc. And during his presidency, President Obama has been visited by a number of ministers. He has also been visited by priests and rabbis-- Michelle Obama's first cousin is a rabbi, for example, and he has been to the White House. If you are asking whether there are prayer services in the White House, that is very doubtful, since we have separation of church and state. But if you are asking whether President Obama has prayed, he has said on many occasions that he does pray in private, which is what other presidents have also done.

Answer 5

No - see http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/prayerday.asp.