From the Houston Chronicle.
Excerpt:
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop Gov. Rick Perry from sponsoring a national day of Christian prayer and fasting, ruling Thursday that the group of atheists and agnostics did not have legal standing to sue.
U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller said the Freedom From Religion Foundation argued against Perry’s involvement based merely on feelings of exclusion, but did not show sufficient harm to merit the injunction they sought.
“The governor has done nothing more than invite others who are willing to do so to pray,” Miller said.
I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned about militant atheism during the time I have been running this blog, and I think the whole atheistic fundamentalism view boils down to 3 things. The first is the desire to be immoral, usually dressed up by defining morality as being based on feelings or cultural conventions. The second is the desire to censor and coerce other people who make them feel bad about being immoral. And the third is the desire to tell other people how intelligent and moral they are, but without actually being intelligent or moral. But I digress.
More:
A day earlier, Perry defended the event, comparing it to President Barack Obama’s participation in the National Day of Prayer.
“My prayer is that the courts will find that the first amendment is still applicable to the governor no matter what they might be doing and that what we’ve done in the state of Texas or what we’ve done in the governor’s office is appropriate,” he said. “It’s no different than what George Washington or Abraham Linlcoln or President Truman or President Obama have done.”
Perry, an evangelical Christian, said he didn’t yet know what his role in the rally would be.
“I’m going to be there — I may be ushering for all I know — I haven’t gotten my marching orders,” he said. “It’s not about me and it’s not about the people on the stage either, this is truly about coming together as a state lifting up this nation in prayer, having a day of prayer and fasting. That’s all it is.”
Good for governor Perry, though. Sticking his neck out a bit. Good. But he has a ways to go to catch Michele.
WINTERY KNIGHT 
I am glad he won (I don’t believe his prayer day violated any laws), but I do have to say that if he runs for president I will not vote for him now.
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Because you like 1.65 trillion dollar deficits or because you don’t like the free exercise clause? Or both?
And quit being so crabby. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if a bunch of people pray.
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I believe that’s what I said – I’m glad he won- he should be allowed to pray – it’s not illegal. I’m not sure where your animosity came from!?
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Well, I want you to vote for Rick Perry instead of Obama.
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It’s becoming harder to consider voting for any of the current republicans with the current debt fiasco and the tea party/GOP’s complete unwillingness to cut debt spending, remove any of the tax breaks (even the personal jet breaks) or to raise taxes on any segment (say to those levels when Clinton was in office) or do anything related to taxes claiming it will costs jobs while companies are still shedding jobs/outsourcing while making record profits. They are willing to ruin the country unless we do what they want. They say I shouldn’t I have social security while they have their golden plan…they say I should invest my money privately (401k, 403b, etc)…then they keep messing up the markets ruining my 401k, making it impossible to retire while they get their gold retirements…
I’m unsure of who I want to vote for – I’m completely unimpressed with Obama – but as of right now the far right is impressing me even less.
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