Roger Simon is whining about John Edwards closing a prayer that he prayed recently in Nashville "in Christ's name."

Simon must be agnostic, or athiest because he obviously doesn't understand the purpose of prayer.

In taking Edwards to task, Simon complains that Jews and others would feel left out and that prayers are intended to comfort those who hear them.

Like I said - Simon is clueless on what prayer actually is.

Prayer has nothing to do with comforting those who hear it. Prayer is not offered for the benefit of other humans standing in the room, sitting in the audience, or listening by means of media. Prayer is not directed at other human beings IN ANY WAY. Praying people know this. Prayer is not a "psyche yourself up" excercise of mindless hypnosis. Prayer is not a pep-talk for taking the field of play in a better state of mind. Prayer is not a band-aid, a rabbit's foot, a religious ritual, and certainly isn't offered to keep people from being offended.

Prayer asserts certain things that in fact will offend, and if in fact it does not assert such things then by definition it can not be a prayer.

Prayer is direct communication between the person praying it - and the GOD who made him or her. Sure there may be times when prayers are said publicly, and the doing so lifts the minds of those involved in the prayer as a corporate prayer to the God who made all those who give mental assent to the truths being prayed... but it is never about making those who hear it "feel" anything.

Prayer IS serious business, because on the other end of the line resides the God who created ALL that we see around us. And if He can hold all that we will ever experience in the palm of his hand, I know for sure that I don't want to approach Him wasting His time, coming before Him with a lack of sincerety, or being anything less than fully honest.

Simon probably had an excellent point in his column where he describes Edwards' motivation to even say a prayer at the event as being the result of a political strategist advising him to do such as a ploy for future votes.

But praying how he chooses is what the first amendment guarantees...

At least for a little while longer...