Gay Pride Event vs. National Prayer Day

By Jacqueline L. Salmon

In a little-publicized event, President Obama has invited gay rights leaders to a White House reception to be held today. But conservative Christians aren't happy about it--and some of it goes back to National Prayer Day.

Several Christian commentators have unfavorably compared Obama's lack of participation in this year's National Prayer Day to the White House reception for gay rights leaders, which commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York's Greenwich Village, considered the genesis of the gay-rights movement.

"Hmmm. Let's get this straight," writes Andrea Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition on the group's Web site. "Obama has no time to honor God and the traditional National Day of Prayer. Clearly, he does not have a commitment to Judeo-Christian principles, but does have a commitment to the celebration of the drag queen rioters who attacked New York police at the Stonewall Inn - a Mafia-owned gay/drag queen bar."

Lafferty isn't known for her reticence, by the way.

It's tough to say how much of this is lingering resentment against Obama over National Prayer Day and how much of it is more generalized discomfort over the extent to which Obama has embraced gay rights. Unlike President George W. Bush, Obama opted not to have a National Prayer Day service at the White House, although he signed the customary proclamation to recognize the day. Conservative evangelical Christians were furious that there wasn't a service.

Obama's declaration of June as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month" has further scandalized them, made even worse by the fact that this is is the first time a president has publicly referred to "bisexual" and "transgender," or LGBT, the acronym for the gay-rights movement that those in the movement prefer.

"To declare pride in anything that God says is sin is not love," the Rev. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told the Baptist Press. "It is no different than removing a sign that says 'Road closed. Bridge out.'"

By Jacqueline L. Salmon  |  June 27, 2009; 1:15 PM ET  | Category:  God in Government Save & Share:                 
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