Dionne on Public Prayer Case | National Catholic Reporter

Dionne on Public Prayer Case | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I actually agree with Kennedy - most of these prayers are a "God minute."  If they were any more intense, there would be a religious freedom question.  The interesting thing is that it was five Catholics voting to defend a congregationalist prayer.  At the moment, there are no Protestants on the Court.  On the other hand, some prayers, such as the Our Father (which the Protestants call the Lord's Prayer - the use of such a term preventing other establishment issues becasue calling it that makes a definite statement on who is God in the public square) are plural in nature - Our Father rather the My Father, our daily bread rather than my daily bread, forgive us, not forgive me.  Saying such a prayer in mixed company offers it for everyone there, including those who do not believe in the same way (although, frankly, the Our Father is a great non-denominational prayer as well).  This issue is not going anywhere.  Indeed, the problem of economic inequality will be solved before our religious issues are dealt with.  Indeed, some prophets see religion as the cause of the next great (nuclear) war, not money.  Sadly, that is probably the case.