If school prayer is unconstitutional...?

Question

Why was it not stopped by the Founders of our country. They did write the constitution, didn't they? I am sure they understood what they meant.

Again I must ask if it is unconstitutional why did they wait till the 1960's to stop it? Why not in the late 1700's or the start of the 1800's?

Answer 1

That's propbably when the ACLU was formed. This country was formed on the basis of freedom of religion. All the these organizations that think they're making it better are destroying all that our Founders fought for.

Funny "In God We Trust" is still on the money for now. All those agencies sure do accept that money from the gov't. What hypocrites!!!!

Answer 2

The founders were more interested in preventing the establishment of a national religion. They had seen what damage too much religious influence can have on a society when they looked back at what had happened in Europe.
Besides, you can pray in school. There's nothing that says that you cannot. Go pray during break, before or after class.
The unconstitutionality comes in when an institution that is owned and paid for by the public endorses a specific religion.

Answer 3

First off, there were no publicly supported schools in 1789.

Second, although prayer was introduced in the late 19th century, the times were such that a lawsuit would not have much chance of success. This is why when prayer was introduced, especially daily Bible readings, the Catholics left the public schools and set up their own private schools.

It has only been relatively recently that the courts have had the opportunity to rule on mandatory imposition of religious doctrine in schools.

For a mental exercise, please think of what your reaction will be if your child's school decided that for the next school year there would be a prayer, every day, over the PA system, in Hindi and English to the Goddess Shiva. And for the year after that, prayers to the Buddha. Then, several years of prayers to Native American spirits.

If you are honest, it is not the lack of prayer in school that has you annoyed, its that you want prayers to your particular God imposed on everyone else.

Answer 4

Certainly they did- but now we have people whose religion is more important than others- this religion is "Atheism" (and it is a religion, at least as defined by the Supreme court). This superior to all others religion is obviously being sponsored by the Federal government, and as such is clearly in violation of the first amendments prohibition of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". Since this and all the other rights gauranteed by the Bill of Rights are obviously viewed by the current "powers that be" as not actual rights, but mere permissions granted by their unlawfully assumed powers (for more information read the unanimous Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights) We the People have been reduced in their eyes to mere serfdom and since few of aforementioned "We" seem to have any objection to living in a socialist police state- why worry about what a bunch of old dead white guys had to say anyway?

Answer 5

Yes, but they also made a clear distinction between church and state, which was why many came here to get AWAY FROM!!!

A school is funded by the government, it is not a church! They don't even say it in a lot of Catholic high schools, which my daughters attended, though they did take some courses in religion.

I am sure they don't recite the Constitution every day, and that isn't a prayer, it was a dream that came true!

Answer 6

The founding fathers had a deistic (is this a word) outlook not one of monotheism. Also, when the founding fathers set up the governement, we were young. Some things will take a while to come before the courts. You have to establish courts, build them, staff them, write laws, etc. In the beginning, most decisions were of the states and the Federal government did not get involved. The fact that prayer had been occurring their rule does not mean they even endorsed it. A number of the founding fathers were avowed atheists.

Answer 7

*Congress was usually opened with prayer.
http://www.ipa.net/~les/congress.html

*The US Senate opened with prayer.
Throughout the years, the United States Senate has honored the historic separation of Church and State, but not the separation of God and State. The first Senate, meeting in New York City on April 25, 1789, elected the Right Reverend Samuel Provost, the Episcopal Bishop of New York, as its first Chaplain. During the past two hundred and seven years, all sessions of the Senate have been opened with prayer, strongly affirming the Senate's faith in God as Sovereign Lord of our Nation.

I think the founding fathers understood the seperation of church and state, they wrote it. - today it is being re-written by those who wish to pervert the constituion.

What boggles my mind though is that secularists are trying to ban "moments of silence"

Answer 8

First of all, the beginning of our country was mostly christian, and not many schools probably, but other than that I agree with you, prayer in school should be allowed, if the government has a right to ban gay marriage (which is only unacceptable in religion, thats wher e it began) then I suppose it is ok to ban prayer in schools, but I think you can pray in school so long as you don't try to convert anyone, and as long as teachers don't force their students to..

Answer 9

1st Amendment of the bill of rights

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

By being told you can't pray in school. You are denied this right.

Someone please show me were it says( SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE) in the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. The above amendment is the only reference to religion in either documents. Read what it says (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof) It does say God is not allowed.

Answer 10

The founding fathers of most countries were not secular.Each country was dominated by one or the other religion.For example,most asian countries were dominated by either muslims or buddhists.And they did not have enough time.They most probably just wanted to finish with the basics.Any way they were not bothered by it as they thought that it was fair that a person could use his educational institution as a way of spreading their religion.Then the population was less and there were lots of schools too.But now,most people don't have a choice.