About the only thing that can be said in favor of the recent and unseemly squabble over the appointment of a chaplain for the House of Representatives is that the foolishness seems to have been entirely bipartisan.
If anyone needs any further persuasion on the wisdom of our Founding Fathers in erecting a constitutional barrier between church and state, this dispute should be the clincher.
The office of House Chaplain is an anachronism, and true religionists of any stripe ought to take the lead in calling for its abolition.
Prayers tailored to offend the sensibilities of no one satisfy no one to whom religious belief is important. The best hope for such neutered addresses to the Almighty is that they will contribute to a patina of courtesy for at least the first few minutes of the morning’s first debate, a hope usually quickly dispelled by actual behavior.
If members of the House are serious about their religion, they can find it at one of the numerous congregations in Washington or back in their home district.
It is not the obligation either of the House or the taxpayer to support public prayer in a legislative body.
