National Day of Reason:

Every year, on the first Thursday in May, we observe the National Day of Reason, a day of secular observance for humanists, secularists, and the like.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalDayOfReason

#DayOfReason

Why National Day of Reason?

There are many days celebrated throughout history for religious reasons, holidays offering prayers, fasting, etc. There is even the National Day of Prayer which advises people to turn to God in their needy times through meditation and prayer. There are however many who do not believe in a specific religion and hence do not partake in the holiday as such. This is where the National Day of Reason comes into play offering the atheists, the secularists, and those who listen to the voice of reason in their minds to come together and celebrate a day that resonates with this concept. The day was initiated by the American Humanist Association along with Washington Area Secular Humanists for secularists, humanists, and the atheists who do not observe the National Day of Prayer.

As the name infers, this is the day when these people come together to be part of community events, charities, etc. contributing to the society they belong to.The day is an inclusive day for all people, religious or non-religious to take part in the reasoning behind our actions.

Additionally being part of the secular and democratic nation also implies that you are entitled to have a logical and rational thinking capability. This is the day to honor that logical part of your mind and reason out the many challenges we face in our lives.

How can we observe the National Day of Reason?

Logical reasoning is one of the major attributes that clearly distinguishes us as humans. And on this day celebrating reason, there are many ways to observe this day and with the diligence it deserves.

1. You can try the celebrations held in your locality on this day. There are many organizations, which organize food drives, blood donation camps, donations, and much more on this day, as a means to contribute to society. You can be part of these local celebrations, giving your contribution while also spreading awareness about this day among the masses.
2. If your local government is yet to take note of the day then you can take it as a project starting a campaign to have the day recognized. You can speak to many like-minded individuals who are in favor of this day and take their help in having this day observed through the region. You can also seek support for a cause, helping others on this day.
3. There is an official website for the day which catalogs the events as they unfold in different parts of the country on this day. You can also find the celebrations of the previous years and the events which were held in memory of this day before. You can get notified about the upcoming events and the coverage in media regarding this day to plan your celebrations.

Remember to spread the word about the day and the reason for celebrating it on your social media platform with the #NationalDayofReason.

Interesting facts about the National Day of Reason:

Some facts and a timeline on the observance and the initiation of this day are noted below for easy reference.

1. With regards to the timeline, the story begins in 2003, when the day was initially started as a means of observation for those who feel left out in the National Day of Prayer celebrations.
   1. In the year 2005, the center of Atheism in New York decided to celebrate this day by donating blood and emphasizing the need for positivity in celebrations of this day.
   2. The House of Representatives pay attention to the day, thanks to the representative Pete Stark who supported this in 2011-2012 in the house.
   3. The resolution to designate this celebration officially was sponsored in 2018 by yet another representative Jared Huffman.
   4. In the year 2021, yet another effort was made to make May 7^th as the official National Day of Reason, by Jamie Raskin, a representative supported by 6 other members of the House of Representatives.
2. Some interesting facts about the government and religion might interest you.
   1. There is no mention of God in any place of the US Constitution while God is mentioned in state constitutions, pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence, US Currency, etc.
   2. Nearly 88% of the representatives are Christian as of the year 2019.
   3. There are nearly 75% who do not believe in religious houses supporting political leaders. This is the same for the citizens with 65% believing that religions should not influence policymaking.
   4. Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson were two American Presidents with no religious affiliation.

History of National Day of Reason:

It was the year 2003 when the Washington Area Secular Humanists came together with the American Humanist Association to start a day for the non-religious people to celebrate in place of the National Day of Prayer.