For a nation founded on religious freedom, we somehow manage to get stuck on the clause in our Constitution that states, “;Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”;

As the National Day of Prayer approaches Thursday, a cloud seems to have mushroomed because a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled that this day of prayer is unconstitutional. It is a small group of agnostics and atheists who are clamoring that it violates our “;separation of church and state.”;

It's never easy to decipher what was the intent of the framers of our U.S. Constitution. However, here are some facts that might inspire Christians and people of all faiths to acknowledge our Creator God on this National Day of Prayer, which was established by Congress and signed by President Harry Truman in 1952.

Many of the pilgrims and Puritans who first came to America did so with the knowledge that in this new land, they would have the freedom to worship God.

James Madison, in his writings dated Aug. 15, 1789, indicated his intention for the “;establishment clause”; was to prevent the government from imposing any religious beliefs on individuals.

Philip Schaff, a 19th-century theologian and historian, observed, “;The American separation of church and state rests upon respect for the church. The Constitution did not create a nation, nor its religion and institutions. It found them already existing, and was framed for the purpose of protecting them under a Republican form of government, in a rule of the people, by the people and for the people.”;

Americans need to understand that the framers feared a state denominational religion, not a state doctrinal religion. Consider the following: Emblazoned over the speaker of the House in the U.S. Capitol are the words, “;In God We Trust.”; The U.S. Supreme Court building has carvings of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Oaths in courtrooms have invoked God from the beginning. The Founding Fathers often quoted the Bible in their writings. Each president of the United States is sworn in on the Bible, and a prayer is said at every presidential inauguration.

God is woven in the very fabric of our American way of life. It is our legacy, and we should not allow a handful of dissidents to destroy our heritage.

President Barack Obama and Congress announced they will observe the National Day of Prayer while the U.S. Justice Department will appeal U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb's ruling.

The National Day of Prayer calls upon all faiths to join in prayer. The centers of prayers for 2010 are for business, education, government, media, military, churches and families. Clearly, the focus is to create an awareness to help the secular world seek the hand of God in our daily lives.

The people of the United States of America can be proud of our heritage. It's time to speak in support of faith-based events that can advance the well-being of our society.

The public is invited to an ecumenical service at 9 a.m. Thursday marking the National Day of Prayer hosted by the Waipahu United Church of Christ at 94-330 Mokuola St.

The Rev. Norma Nomura DeSaegher is senior pastor of the Waipahu United Church of Christ.