Nobody is saying to 'pray in private, only', however it is better to pray in private and be one with the Father than to pray loudly, openly and boastfully as many who claim to be Christians do. In this arena we are not discussing 'The Great Commission', but open prayer and secular government, of which this country was founded and still works upon. You cannot have freedom of religion and not respect and allow for other views on God and the afterlife as is believed by varied groups. So I personally do not pray in public, but I pray everyday and secluded with the Father alone, so that I might hear Him better and without worrying about being a hypocrite. If you make laws which you  know Jesus would be ashamed of you, and yet claim to be a Christian, then you have completely misunderstood everything He stood for. I think most fanatical Christians have missed the mark and verge on insanity. I am Lutheran and even within our own sect we disagree.