I'm not going to rant about Pastor Rick.  I already did that elsewhere.  But I am going to question the entire notion of the desirability of inserting religion into this most civil of ceremonies. 

Why do we still have an invocation and a closing prayer for the inauguration? Isn't this a civil matter? Don't we have a nation composed of many religions and none? Yet we have a Christian opening and closing -- Joseph Lowrey of the SCLC will give the benediction. Insisting on bracketing this event with Christian symbolism seems to be eliminating a lot of Americans who don't participate in this particular brand of religion. So why not just drop it?

Mr. Obama, his family, and those who choose could very well start the day or precede the ceremony by attending a church service. Or by inviting in a religious leader of his choosing to pray together. But why can't that be a matter of personal choice? Why the need to impose his religious preferences on all of us during what is clearly a civil matter? Isn't it time to end this vestigial practice?