When prayers put on airs

God answers prayers, preachers say, so it's hard to argue with those who pray for divine guidance before undertaking the public's serious business.

Unfortunately, God's answer to the elected who curry his favor often seems to be, "Sorry, folks, but you're on your own. I'm too busy creating sunsets, hummingbirds and daisies to worry about rezoning."

That godly wisdom is so rarely on display at public meetings does not deter those who seek it, however.

But must they do it out loud?

Call me cynical, but I suspect many politicians publicly pray so people (read, voters) will be impressed with how saintly they are. Either that or they think God is hard of hearing.

Wouldn't a silent and sincere prayer from the heart cut through the heavenly chatter faster than a mini-sermon from some long-winded politician unable to keep quiet in the presence of a captive audience?

The courts agree the Constitution allows prayer at governmental meetings so long as the praying stops short of preaching. It's when officials promote one religion over others that they get in trouble.

How ironic the American Civil Liberties Union chose Holy Week to gently remind the Chatham County Board of Commissioners that ending its opening prayers with some variation of "in Jesus' name" promotes Christianity and is a no-no.

Prayers are allowed at public meetings, the ACLU said, but Chatham's elected officials have crossed the constitutional line separating the business of man from the business of God.

Politicians may bluster, but they really love such controversy. They get to pose as stalwart defenders of truth, justice the American way and God, too. As if God needed their help.

There's never been a clearer example of what such blowhards are up to than the recurring prayer-in-school spat.

Kids quietly pray in school all the time. Teachers, principals, secretaries, janitors, school bus drivers and lunch ladies quietly pray in school, too. As one wag put it, as long as there are algebra tests, there will be prayer in schools. Amen.

The catch is, you can't force others to take part in your prayer, which is exactly what happens when you pray out loud in front of a class, a meeting or the big game on Friday night.

Want to pray in school or at work or before a session of the county zoning board? Fine. Close your eyes, bow your head and silently pray away. No one will hassle you. Ask for world peace, a date to the prom, a pay raise or that the world ends before next Friday's geometry exam. Or just say "thank you."

Our freedom of faith was bought and paid for by brave men and women fighting on battlefields and in courtrooms. But that's apparently not good enough for some folks.

So to Bible-thumping politicians who feel their brand of religion trumps the freedoms for which so many have died, I offer this bit of sage advice:

Testifying at a Senate hearing last month, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at American University, said, "People place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution; they don't put their hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."

Pray over that, politicians

Just do it quietly.