Day of prayer focuses on tolerance, truth

Christians can be tolerant people who respect another's religious beliefs without accepting those claims as truth. In an era of postmodernism, America needs to reclaim its godly values and freedoms, says syndicated newspaper columnist and author David Limbaugh.

Limbaugh spoke to an audience of about 600 people Thursday morning at the 53rd annual Mayors' Prayer Breakfast in Cape Girardeau.

The breakfast, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance was held at the A.C. Brase Arena Building as the city's official National Day of Prayer observance.

Limbaugh asked the audience to consider who they were praying to: a statue, an inanimate god, a nebulous, generic creator or a loving God.

In today's postmodern culture, he said, many people prefer to place a greater value on tolerance and religious equality than on truth. And though religions vary, there's only one that offers itself as truly unique: Christianity.

Christians don't need to be intolerant or unloving but treat everyone with civility and respect.

"We're all equal in God's sight," Limbaugh said.

But that equality doesn't mean that Christians have to deny the truth or accept another religion's views as equally valid, he said.

Limbaugh said his prayer for America is that it would establish itself as a nation that returns to its founders' respect for absolute morals, godly values and freedom traditions.

About 120 more people attended this year's prayer breakfast than attended last year, said organizer Dee Dee Wilson. Years ago the prayer breakfast gathered crowds near the thousands.

Jackson ministers remembered how the city rebuilt following a tornado one year ago during that community's prayer service. About 75 members of the community and students from Immaculate Conception School gathered inside the Immaculate Conception Church to mark the National Day of Prayer with a short noon service.

The three congregations directly affected by the storm and its damage were represented during the service.

The Rev. Grant Gillard, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, said that no matter what disaster strikes, there is always a morning after. He read verses from the Psalms that spoke of the good people standing firm when the storm swept through.

Deborah Beussink said the storm made Jackson "more aware of the need for prayer."

"We make the kingdom more real in the way we respond," Monsignor Ed Eftink of Immaculate Conception said. After the storm, "people responded to God's call."

ljohnston@semissourian.com

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