"In a city where the most residents in recent memory now cite religious faith as strongly important, New York is tone-deaf to exclude all religion when remembering the slaughter of over 3000 innocents." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President

Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office has announced that the principle ceremony marking the 9/11 terrorist attacks will exclude clergy and formal prayers.

The move by city hall allows "moments of silence" and for families to share, but specifically excludes religious figures.

Bloomberg's controversial decision comes when the Barna Group polling firm finds that 46 percent of New York area residents reported attending worship services in the previous week in 2010, up from 31 percent in 2000. The latest figures also show that 61 percent of New York-area residents agree strongly that religious faith is very important to them.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"In a city where the most residents in recent memory now cite religious faith as strongly important, New York is tone-deaf to exclude all religion when remembering the slaughter of over 3000 innocents.

"To exclude clergy even at a memorial service implies that religion is not welcome in the public square, even in mourning.

"From presidential inaugurals to opening Congress, to countless civic events routinely in every community across America, clergy and prayers have been a regular part of public life for years. The exclusion of both clergy and prayers is deeply at odds with America's robust religious life and even with the beliefs of most New Yorkers.

"Secularist groups like Americans United for the Separation of Church and State naturally applaud New York's ignoring most Americans and most New Yorkers by pretending religion is unimportant, even when remembering mass slaughter and heroic sacrifice."