I personally think that the only reason why they even made mention of it was because they came from a country that told them what religeon they HAD to be and how they had live accordingly. The purpose was just so that the government couldn't tell everyone that they had to be catholic or protestant and tell them how to run their lives. It's gone way overboard when people think that having a nativity scene on public property during Christmas is somehow an infringement on their rights. Nobody is demanding that they be a christian or worship in any certain way. It's really become a misrepresentation of the meaning and purpose of our founding documents. People in other countries are still beheaded for not worshiping as their government sees fit. That was the purpose. To have freedom to worship or serve the god of your choice without being burned at the stake or beheaded.

 

First of all, I commend everyone who responded to this thread, it has been kept civil. I think most people seem to agree on the basic principle that government should not have the power to tell you what to believe or who to Pray to.

Does seem though that in the days when we used to pray in schools and most people went to church that there were fewer social issues???

Not passing judgement, just making an idle comment.

I know when I was in public school we said the Lords Prayer veryday and I don't remember it hurting anyone??

Believe me, I'm not a "bible thumper" by any stetch, in fact I have some "issues" with organised religion in the first place..............


It just seems that we have somewhat "lost the way" or something. Open a newspaper, it's scary.

 

Back when I was a kid.....(Geezer Alert, Geezer Alert, Geezer Alert):

When someone mentioned Madonna, we thought of this


Not this



That might have something to do with it too.

 

I don't think this has anything to do with praying in school. It's more to do with parenting and accepting responsibility. When you used to pray in school, you most likely had a parent at home when you got there at the end of the day. And your parents held you responsible for your actions, rather than blaming your teachers or the government or the loss of school prayers for your problems. And your dad probably didn't beat up the other dads whose kid wasn't as good as you, but got to play in the Little League game.

I'm not saying faith and religion don't play a part, but it's instilled at home, by your parents and your church, not your teacher.

What if you were in Congress and one of your colleagues - an Islamic one - wanted to lead a prayer on the Floor. Just before an important session where many Jews were present. And Chirstians. Don't you suppose it would offend many there? Personally, I think they ought to rotate the prayer responsibility so every group represented gets a turn, but that's just me.

As for school and just not participating, that's easy for you and I to say and do, but a 5 or 6 year old looks to a teacher as an authority figure and if s/he says it's prayer time, the kids feels obligated to pray. So, what if the teacher is Jewish and offers a Jewish prayer or a Moslem and offers a prayer to Abraham instead of Jesus. Sure the kid can sit out, but they'll feel awkward. And they'll feel awkward in participating, too. So... dilemma.

Now, independent prayer groups should be just fine. Even on school grounds. Just not "authority figure" lead.

That's my take, anyway.

 

Life as I've seen it is just chock FULL of "awkward" moments.

One of the troubles with folks now-a-days is that they have been brainwashed into a Me-First attitude.
Avoid the awkward, avoid anything that might disrupt their little happy world.
Embrace all ideologies, as long as they agree with yours.
There were Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Druids, and even a couple of Satinists in my high school. We learned to get along.
Nobody was trying to drive a bus full of explosives into a cafeteria.

 

I came across a fraze a while back that says it for me , freedom from religion.

 

And Congress hasn't sent a Jack-Booted-Thug to your door yet, have they?

 

i agree!

britt

 

When I was in school which was not that long ago we had a group that gathered every morning around the flagpole and said a prayer before going to class. The group was called younglife they also gathered afterschool and had bible study. Everyone respected it and let them do their thing to me seperation of church and state means that no government or anyone can tell you what to praise or what to believe in and when or where you can or can't do it. You hear of schools where people are told they can't gather and practice religion at school and I think that is wrong. How do you offend someone by praising your own god. Tool brought up that fact he has issues with organized religion and I do as well. I was 17 and dating this girl who went to this church on wednesday nights all the parents were on the main floor listening to the service while all the kids were upstairs in a youth group. Toards the end of the night I was shocked to hear the pasture explain to these kids from ages 7-18 that to the way to show love to Jesus christ was to give from your wallet These were kids giving their allowance they actually passed around a collection plate while their parents already give a certain percentage of their salary monthly to the church. In WA state religion has become a business mega churches popping up all over the place the latest one was a 20 million dollar project. My church takes place every morning at my breakfeast table where I read a few pages out of my bible and it never ask for any money. The bible was even free from a Fort Lewis Chaplin the cover is even camoflauge.

 

In America we are supposed to have freedom of religion not freedom from religion. I think the problem is the ACLU, People the the American Way and those of that ilk are trying to cleanse this country of religion. I think that what they really want is separation of "Christ and state". They cannot stand that we have a president that is a christian and is not shy about it. They seemed to not have a problem with the previous occupant of the White House who claimed to be a christian and visited and campiagned in more churches(ooh I thought that was illegal?) then Bush. I find it interesting that while they are trying to rid the public schools of anything remotely christian, they have no problem teaching our kids the "Theory" of evolution as fact, they have no problem giving our daughters birth control pills, our sons condoms, taking our daughters to get abortions, teaching them that "Alernative lifesyles" are just another decision they will have to make. They Have no problem with teachers ridiculing children for espousing religious faith and forcing their leftist political views on them and giving them a bad time if they disagree. Where is the freedom in that? My wife works in a school with a teacher who had to make the agonizing decision as to whether or not to put cut out snow flakes up at Christmas because they might be too christian, but had no problem
celebrating Kwanza! I wonder why people who believe there is no god feel so threatend by other peoples faith and display of that faith. It would seem as though the non religious, atheist, secular humanists are forcing their veiws down other peoples throats.

Just a few thoughts.

 

Well, went to class, got there, teacher never showed. We all waited for 20 minutes and finally said forget it. Signed a piece of paper saying we were here and left it in her office and went home. Oh well. Thanks for the opinions. They're gonna help on tuesday.

 

I agree that we are supposed to have freedom of religion. I’m glad we do. I myself practice freedom from religion.


I personally don’t see anything wrong with that.


I don’t like Bush but this is certainly not the reason why. I’m glad he is a Christian. No matter what your faith I believe it gives you a good starting point.


The theory of evolution has a lot of facts in it. Species do evolve to their surroundings. But Darwin would be the first to say: “if there is something else out there that is better go with that” he never claimed it was perfect and knew parts of it might be proven false as knowledge was gained. But I personally believe it is closer to the truth than the Bible (that will get some people upset).
As far as giving our daughters birth control pills and our sons condoms, they are going to do it anyway. I would rather my daughter be safe (and use a condom) than pregnant or worse. That’s not saying that I want her to have sex. But all I can do is teach her not to and hope she listens. She is going to do what she is going to do eventually. I did. You may have also. Not saying it’s right, just being realistic. Unfortunately the spread of Aids and other STD’s force us to think beyond religion. You can only teach your kids so much and then it’s up to them.
Alterative lifestyles… not even going to bother.

I have no problem with prayer before school. But where does it stop? Would you be receptive to someone that worships Satan being allowed to pray to him? If there were a statue of Muhammad at some courthouse somewhere would you like or allow it? It seems that the only people that are upset with the separation of church and state are the Christians.

Just a thought

Britt

 

Theres a difference between adaption and evolution. The idea that a being can evolve into another life form is ridiculous. I've heard evolutionists debate that " new life forms" were discovered in the gallopegos islands <sp>. I had to laugh... they had a new submersible capable of going deeper than man was ever capable of before and they insist that they found evolved life forms. How do they know that the species hasn't been there for millions of years and they were just never able to put a camera that deep to see it before? I think evolution is full of holes. I personally think that it takes more faith to believe in the big bang theory than it does to believe in God.

 

I disagree. Species do evolve to their surroundings and eventually form others. It is no more ridiculous then thinking woman was created from Adam's rib.

Really?

Did you know that the big bang theory was first proposed by Belgian priest Georges Lemaître in 1927? A man of god theorized this.

Britt

 

The mention of a supreme being is not endorsement of a religion!!
The government has no power to tell someone that they can or cannot pray.