Enlarge By Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer via AP National Day of Prayer is celebrated by, from left, Barbara Holub, 51, Ravella Booker Pugh, 62, and Angie Compernolle, who raise their hands in praise as they sing in the council chambers at City Hall in Cleveland on May 7, 2009. Afterward, the group walked to the public square where others were meeting for prayer. NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Join the conversation: Religion, spirituality & ethics | Reader forum: Your beliefs Americans are overwhelmingly sure there's a God who answers prayers. But that doesn't mean they all favor an official annual National Day of Prayer — or that its goal should be promoting Christianity. President Obama signed the annual proclamation last weekend, inviting Americans of all religious stripes to pray on Thursday, the 2010 National Day of Prayer. PRAYER DAY: Rev. Franklin Graham has strong words for Obama This fits with most Americans' views: 92% say there is a God and 83% say this God answers prayers, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,000 adults May 1-2. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. The survey also asked two groups of 500 people each a question about the National Day of Prayer. These questions have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. One group was asked if they favored or opposed the National Day of Prayer or if it "doesn't matter." About 57% of adults favor it, and 38% shrugged it off. Only 4.5% opposed it. For most 18- to 29-year-olds, it could be the National Day of Whatever — 59% said it doesn't matter. Those who most strongly favor it were Republicans (76%); women 50 and older (71%); and Midwesterners (71%) or Southerners (63%). Thousands of events nationwide are being organized Thursday by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a private conservative evangelical group that says one of its primary goals is to "publicize and promote Christian prayer." FAITH & REASON: Does God only answer Christian prayers? COURT: Judge ruled Prayer Day unconstitutional, government appealing Among 500 respondents asked if this should be "a major goal" of the National Day of Prayer, 62% said it should and 36% said it should not. People of all ages and regions held roughly similar views. Most strongly in favor of promoting Christian prayer were Protestants (72%) and Catholics (70%). People with no religious preference were most strongly opposed: 69%. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more