Guest Post

What I heard at the National Prayer Breakfast

Recently I did something for the first time: I attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. Held annually since 1953, the breakfast is sponsored by the Fellowship (sometimes called “the Family”), a shadowy organization with connections especially to conservative members of Congress.

I went with my crap detectors on high alert. In addition to my cynicism about the sponsoring group, I expected an unholy blending of prayer and politics, piety and patriotism.

To my surprise, there wasn't much in the way of overt patriotism: there was no pledge of allegiance, no saluting of the flag, no national anthem. If there was an American flag anywhere, I missed it.