"Banning Prayer from school is the reason why there is so many problems in our society."?

Question

I read this in a post recently.

Am I alone in thinking that this is an awfully simplistic and naive thing to say.

To boil down all of society's ills down and say that drugs, poverty, and homelessness (to name only three) are all because there is no prayer in school disregards thousands and thousands of other factors at work.

I'm curious to know if there really are people out there who take the stand (as this poster seems to) that everything would be just fine in America if schools sanctioned prayer.

And if my fellow atheists and freethinkers want to jump in and ring in on this one, I'd like to hear from you too.

Answer 1

To pretend the same problems didn't exist in the past as does now is very silly.

Answer 2

I read an answer like that, I forgot what I replied there or what the question was.

Anyway, according to Norris and Inglehart (2004), 65% of the population in Japan do not believe in god, 64% of those in Sweden do not believe in god, 61% of those in the Czech republic do not believe in god. I'm sure there aren't many prayers in those countries (not only at classrooms, but anywhere). If the asseveration of the lack of prayers was true, I'd expect the countries listed above were way more violent than countries like Mexico or Colombia, that have a higher number of believers and prayers (the believers in both countries represent over 90% of the population).

I suspect the problem is linked to cultural and economic issues and no to the lack of prayers. Work and education, and not prayers, will improve this problem. I say that, instead investing time in prayers, they should improve the education quality. I don't have the information at hand, but I think the US education quality has been dropping in the last years. Imagine a child gets sick, gets no medical attention and dies, should we blame the lack of prayers (or faith)? Or the negligence of those responsible of the kid? I don't mind people praying and having faith, but blaming the lack of faith as the source of any problem is just negligent.

To link the "banning" of prayers in schools to the increasing problems in society is, to me, like linking the decrease of the stork population with the decrease in birth rates to conclude that storks bring babies from France. Even if there's a correlation, doesn't mean there's a cause-effect relationship (cu.m hoc ergo propter hoc).

Answer 3

Wasn't there lots of poverty during the 30s and they school prayer was allowed even forced in my mother's school. Also there were lots of homelessness at the time. My grandmother walked into her second grade class to see her teacher dead on the the floor with a bullet through her head. I went to weekly religious education each week at school, prayed in school, had prayer lead by teachers, all this and I still tried drugs, sex, and all that fun stuff in school. I am not so sure things are as much worse in the schools as it seems. I think part of it is television and finding out more of what is going on all over the country as opposed to just what happens in your little part of the world.

Answer 4

There is no linkage between removal prayer and society's ills, a Post hoc fallacy. It should be noted that violent crimes have decreased since the 90s, just after the Lord's prayer was taken out of Ontario, Canada, schools.

If Christians want the Lord's Prayer back in schools, then other religious prayers must be allowed too.

Answer 5

I think that the problems we have in the world can be attributed to a lot of things, but the lack of enforced prayer in school is not one of them. I want it to be fair for everyone, and the only way that seems possible is to not have religion encroach on things that the government subsidizes. I have no problem with a moment of silence, extracurricular religious clubs, or even elective religious courses. I'm not against believers. But I think that here in the United States, we have problems enough with the educational system without having to appease every last religious group. There is plenty of time for religion at home, church, etc. I always seem to get a lot of flak for this opinion, but I stand by it.

Answer 6

The posters you looked at would be funded was surely made by some DeLay linked charity.

Anyway, the Republican / Christian rights think that everything is solved by the bible and prayers. Its a falsity that is well-suited to their political machinations.

Prayers are best suited in churches, temples and mosques (and other place of worship) or your home. Outside that, one's prayers might well be another's insult.

And in America today, not everyone in a school is a Christian, and therefore, need not recite the bible. Schools are not the place to proselytize. In US, there are attempts to do so – via school prayers, via intelligent design – and every one should be opposed to these kinds of nefarious politics.

Answer 7

There's plenty of prayer in school, especially during exam week. There's no *mandatory* prayer in school, nor should there be in any place that's not a church.

I'll never understand how people can claim to believe that all will be well when religion pervades every aspect of life. We've already tried that, people! It's in the history books. Look up "Dark Ages."

Answer 8

To think that shows ignorance

The principle of the separation of church and state is that the state shall not legislate concerning matters of religious belief. In particular, it means not only that the state cannot promote one religion at the expense of another, but also that it cannot promote any belief which is religious in nature.

Christian prayer in schools is intimidating to non-Christians, even if they are told that they need not join in. It is particularly bad if the prayer is led by a teacher, or otherwise officially endorsed.

Children are quite free to pray as they wish in their free time.

Answer 9

naive? It's silly! Besides, it's not banned. No one is stopping those kids from praying whenever they want to. So, maybe they should look to their own home before blaming public schools. Unless, of course, they would be willing to allow someone like me to come in and perform a ritual of cleansing on all the children. Or, how about we get some talismans of protection?

*Have to add the disclaimer.*

Answer 10

Honestly, I dont pray on my own that often.
But if I feel I need to, I will, even if in school.
But stupidity within the child's actions, which could contain drugs and lead to homelessness and poverty, is on their own fault, and is what I believe has nothing to do with them banning prayer in school.
It's on the child's own head, and doesn't have to do with how much they pray.

Answer 11

no, but it sure hasnt help at all. when we had pray things were much better, no school shooting, killing, beatings drugs, etc. but that was also the times back then. would it improve out schools now, absolutely. we will never get back to were we were. but every bit helps. prayer at school, home, and church. would help bring this great country back on the right track. and prayer wold be
optional for those that do wish to participate of course.