The opening prayer of today's special session called for "tender mercies."

Here is the complete text of the prayer by Rev. James H. Harry, House chaplain: 

Let us pray together.

Merciful God, you alone are sovereign over the world and all that is in it, and you alone are the final arbiter of truth and justice. As pilgrims making our way through this often weary world, we confess that each of us is fallible and not without error. Extend your tender mercies upon us in this hour and forgive us where we have gone astray. Enable us to both receive and extol mercy, so that our forgiven past can become an asset to a more dedicated future.

With humility we pray.

Amen. 

The Rasmussen Reports poll hit a nerve on Nascar.

In its survey of 500 likely North Carolina voters, the New Jersey-based company asked "What's more important, going to church or going to a Nascar race?"

The pollsters say 84 percent said church, seven percent said Nascar and nine percent weren't sure.

The question infuriated Tom Jensen at Public Policy Polling, who wrote that it "just feeds into stereotypes that Yankees have about North Carolina."

"Apparently we don't do anything but go to church and watch Nascar," he wrote.

At Hunter's Tavern, Laura Leslie wrote that the question is a giveaway that the poll "might not be on the level."

First, anyone who knows NC knows that, most of the time, NASCAR and the church work things out so as to coexist peacefully, which makes the whole issue pretty much moot. If they had to choose, most Tarheels would tell you they’d pick church. Their pastors might tell you otherwise.

"God" has returned to the Capitol.

After gripes about the ban on "God" on flag certificates from the U.S. Capitol, the Acting Architect of the Capitol announced today that he will allow religious references on the certificates. Among those complaining about the policy was U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Waynesville Democrat.

The papers are part of a constituent program that permits people to have flags flown over the U.S. Capitol and then mailed to them with accompanying certificates, Barb Barrett reports.

After news stories this week about the policy, which had been in place since 2003, Shuler sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressing his concern.

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler wants to reconsider banning "God."

The Waynesville Democrat has asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi to revisit a prohibition on the word "God" or other religious references from certificates that accompany flags flown over the U.S. Capitol, Barb Barrett reports.

As reported by The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, a Republican congressman from Ohio grew upset when the "God" was removed from the requested writing submitted by one of his constituents.

The House Administration Committee responded this week by proposing a compromise, which would allow members of Congress to submit writing that includes religious references. Pelosi’s office supports the idea.

Today, Shuler sent Pelosi a letter asking her to take a look at the policy.

"I believe that this restriction is an unnecessary restriction on our citizens' right to openly and freely practice their religion," he wrote.

More after the jump.

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