OPENING PRAYER
FREEDOM FESTIVAL, PROVO, UTAH, JUNE 29, 2008 

ALMIGHTY G-D, MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, IN A FEW DAYS OUR NATION WILL CELEBRATE ITS TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT AS AN INDEPENDENT AND FREE NATION. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS ESTABLISHED AS A NATION WHERE YOU, O FATHER IN HEAVEN, ARE RECOGNIZED AS THE SOVEREIGN MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF OUR COUNTRY WERE RELIGIOUS INDIVIDUALS. THEY WISELY ESTABLISHED A POLICY OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE FOR OUR COUNTRY BUT IT WAS NEVER, EVER, THEIR INTENTION TO SEPARATE STATE FROM YOU, O G-D! THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEGIN THEIR SESSIONS WITH A PRAYER TO YOU, O G-D, CREATOR OF THE HEAVEN AND EARTH. THE STATEMENT “IN G-D WE TRUST” IS PRINTED ON OUR CURRENCY AND ENGRAVED ON THE WALLS OF OUR CAPITOL. IN OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WE STAND AND PROUDLY PROCLAIM “ONE NATION UNDER G-D”.

IN RECOGNIZING YOU, O G-D, AS THE SOVEREIGN CREATOR AND RULER OF THE UNIVERSE WE ARE FULFILLING THE 1^ST OF 7 COMMANDMENTS WHICH YOU, O G-D, GAVE TO NOAH AND HIS FAMILY – THE FOREBEARERS OF ALL MANKIND, AFTER THE FLOOD – THE COMMAND TO WORSHIP YOU AND YOU ALONE. THIS COMMAND WAS FOLLOWED BY SIX OTHER COMMANDS:

1) NEVER TO BLASPHEME YOUR HOLY NAME

2) NOT TO COMMIT MURDER

3) NOT TO COMMIT ADULTERY, INCEST OR ANY SEXUAL MISDEEDS

4) NOT TO STEAL, LIE OR CHEAT

5) NOT TO BE CRUEL TO ANY LIVING CREATURE AND

6) THAT EVERY SOCIETY GOVERN BY JUST LAWS BASED ON THE RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF YOU, O G-D, AS THE SOVEREIGN RULER OF ALL MEN AND ALL NATIONS.

ALMIGHTY G-D, WE ARE GATHERED HERE THIS EVENING TO PLEDGE OUR ALLEGIANCE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FLAG AND TO CELEBRATE THE FREEDOM IN WHICH WE LIVE AND THE BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED ON OUR COUNTRY. GRANT, ALMIGHTY G-D, THAT EVERY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS OUR SACRED DUTY TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY AND HONOR OUR FLAG. MAY WE ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THAT IN HONORING OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FLAG WE ARE HONORING YOU!

ALMIGHTY G-D, I BESEECH YOU TODAY TO BLESS THIS GATHERING AND THE ENTIRE NATION IN THE MERIT OF ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL GIANTS OF OUR TIME AND OUR COUNTRY, THE LUBAVITCH REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, OF RIGHTEOUS, BLESSED MEMORY, WHO PASSED AWAY EXACTLY 14 YEARS AGO. THE REBBE ARRIVED ON THESE SHORES FROM WAR TORN EUROPE IN 1941. HE CHERISHED THE UNITED STATES AND THE FREEDOM THIS BLESSED COUNTRY AFFORDED HIM TO WORSHIP YOU AND TO MAKE THE ENTIRE WORLD CONSCIOUS OF YOUR PRESENCE.

THE REBBE WAS A GREAT PATRIOT ALWAYS EXTOLLING THE VIRTUE OF PATRIOTISM TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.

MAY HIS MEMORY BE FOR A BLESSING, AND HIS MERIT FOR A SHIELD FOR OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR COUNTRY, WHICH HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS A “COUNTRY OF KINDNESS”.

G-D BLESS AMERICA, AMEN.