GaryP

The local National Day of Prayer Task Force has taken over the centrally located public park bandstand in my city. They will have a tag team set up of reading through the whole Bible (they schedule it for 96 hours).
I was wondering if anybody out there has any similar stories of NDP activities which take place on public property at a local level.

AJ the greek

I heard about them doing it in DC, on the Moody radio the other day.

The guy was saying how they got a demonstration permit, so it was all legal.

Doesn't this qualify as a "vain repetition" that Jesus disapproved of?

Coragyps

Well, I do pity the person who gets to read the book of Numbers.

Toto

If the public property is an open forum, they have the right to stage their Bible reading. You could get some popcorn and check for when the more salacious parts are read. You could also hand out the Positive Atheism flier below.

<a href="http://www.au.org/press/pr5-5.htm" target="_blank">Americans United for Separation of Church and State Backgrounder on the National Day of Prayer</a>

<a href="http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/nbw.htm" target="_blank">Download a flier: Many become atheists after reading the Bible</a>

<a href="http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/" target="_blank">National Day of Prayer Home Page</a>

GaryP

Thanks for the links.
The thing is I don't know if it is a public forum. This is the same park where the city puts up an allegedly "secularized" creche each Dec.
When I asked for the same consideration to display an Atheist greeting 2 years ago, the city prohibited "unattended private displays".I have written a couple of times to ask what the policy is for "attended" displays, but as usual the city does not respond.
They also do not display anything which tells the public who sponsors it or that the city does not sponsor it.
I have written to a lawyer at Americans United. I would assume that if it is a public forum, then a group could get up there and read some pro-separationist things.
That however, could be dangerous in this town. My family received many threats when I asked to display the Atheist greeting.
It isn't jusy the South where this type of thing happens.

PopeInTheWoods

Hey GaryP,

Greetings from just up Rte 33 (Pickerington)! This NDP crap cheeses me off too. What do you think my life expectancy would be if I stood nearby with a big "Nothing Fails Like Prayer" sign?

I wonder if during the gospel readings they'll skip over Matthew 6:5-8. I especially like the "babbling like pagans" blast.

Andy

Godless Dave

If it's a public park than any group has the right to hold a gathering there - Bible reading marathons, garden club picnic, birdwatchers, whoever. I don't suppose there is an atheist or freethinker organization in town? If so you could get a permit for your own meeting. Actually there are probably so few of you you wouldn't need a permit!

Undercurrent

They'll probably read it like the TV preachers do -- Three words from the actual bible, and then five minutes of saying what they think it actually should mean, just to avoid having the sheep think about the plainly written words without supervision.

m.

GaryP

PopeInTheWoods--

Your life expectancy could be shortened greatly if you held that sign!
Gald to see there are some of us in Central OH!