“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
—Matthew 6:8
While debating a bill to allow a time of prayer in public schools, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) recently said the following:
This is purely political. To do a constitutional amendment, you're trying to appeal to a certain base of people. But those people are sick and tired because they're hurting right now, and that's what you're going to see in November. There's no way this is helping these kids. We put God in a lot of people's lives like that. Does that mean that their character changes? Absolutely not.
I see people who carry around a Bible every day and wear a cross around their neck, the biggest hypocrites and devils I've ever seen.
Ironically, it seems the devil had Anthony Daniels’ tongue that day.
I feel for Daniels – watching hypocrites pray and devils parade while draped in crosses with Bibles in hand is undoubtedly demoralizing – so demoralizing that one begins to unwittingly spread the devil’s discouragements.
I confess: as someone who has committed many sins of the tongue when spitting poison at those I judge poisonous, I, too, have experienced such desolation twisting my tongue. The sin of others welcomes us to sin until we have lost our consolation and begin distrusting the prayers of others.
I do not think Daniels is a devil – far from it. Nor do I believe him to be a hypocrite. I’m certain he believes in the power of prayer. Daniels strikes me as an earnest and upright man – but such men are always the devil’s favorite target to tongue-tie.
To say, “there’s no way” that a time of student-led prayer will help children find their way is such a discouraging thing to say.
To say “absolutely not” to the question of whether prayer in public schools could shape or change a kid’s character is as demoralizing as Hades.
Could not a child find consolation in a shared morning prayer? Could not children learn to pray, not for reward in one another’s eyes, but to forgive and be forgiven in thanksgiving to a common Father for the gift of another day? Could not prayerful consolation be worth suffering the hypocrites and devils who twist all the Lord has taught us to say?
Perhaps some children will pray only to fall away, heaping up empty phrases for nought. Perhaps some children will pray but never find their hearts changed in the ways they sought. Perhaps some children will pray proudly and loudly to the exclusion of others and the esteem of themselves.
Yet should worry over desolation exclude the hope of consolation that prayer may bring the children?
That hypocritical devils pray on the street corner to be praised and seen by others is no excuse to exclude prayer from the public square. That a few may shudder at the mere thought of prayer is a diabolical reason to denude public places – all in the name of an “inclusive neutrality” that is never quite neutral or inclusive, especially when it means the exclusion of God’s name.
As far as politics goes, public institutions should reflect the will of the people, as long as the people’s will serves the common good and respects the individual’s God-given liberty. Prayer should always be voluntary, never officially discouraged to silence.
If the will of Alabamians is that there should be an opportune time for voluntary prayer in public schools – and I believe that is what a vote of Alabamians will show – then so be it. Let the people vote.
With all due respect, Daniels is mistaken that prayer in public schools is a purelypoliticalplay, the sole work of hypocritical devils. It’s a shame to see such a discouraging thing paint the tongue of a good man.
Yet, to give the devil his due, politics is at play here – for both Daniels and his GOP opponents – and politics, no doubt, is the hypocrite’s favorite game to play.
That is why we must pray daily and encourage our children to do the same – to evoke the name of our Father for forgiveness as we forgive others in thanksgiving for the day so that He may rescue us from the evil one.
Joey Clark is a native Alabamian and is currently the host of the radio program News and Views on News Talk 93.1 FM WACV out of Montgomery, AL, M-F 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. His column appears every Tuesday in 1819 News. To contact Joey for media or speaking appearances, as well as any feedback, please email [email protected]. Follow him on X @TheJoeyClark or watch the radio show livestream.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
