I am unified with the rest of the country with my love for the United States and proud of the principles that underlie its greatness. I pray that we continue to uphold these principles that have made it great and a beacon of light to people everywhere. It is incomprehensible that sincere Christians who observe the bizarre public expression of faith in areas such as Northern Ireland, between Catholics and Protestants, the Talibans and the minority of rioting Pakistanis, cannot see the explosive results of defiant confrontation with the combination of public prayer and faith. With a lifelong love for the church, and as a missionary for Christ in Pakistan, prayer is a very serious matter for me. It is too important to be thrown around lightly in the market place.
Prayer is a wonderful source of guidance, encouragement and solace.
Christians, Muslims and Jews believe in the power and good results of prayer. The president and others have called for families to pray together, and for people to go to churches, mosques and synagogues. At this time, when we need to encourage moderate Muslims and Jews and not give fuel to the fire of fanatics, it is not the moment to bring diversity among our people by pushing prayer in public schools where we have such a wide variety of backgrounds and religions. Many Muslims of modern Pakistan are having a difficult time facing religious fundamentalists in their original homelands and maintaining relations with the western secular states. Whether we have the intention or not, we are isolating them both from their friends in America but also from the rest of the Muslim world when we fail to recognize the difficulties they face.