Conservatives: Why do you want to force my child to pray at school?

Question

My child is NOT a Christian.

How would you feel if your kids were forced to worship Satan in school?

Key word here, people.
Please read the question.

"WANT to force"...

I didn't say, "ARE forcing".

Darned cons can't read.

I don't want to deny anyone to have time for prayer. You cons just attack without thinking of the question.
It's just a question.

..and don't tell me that the Conservative Christians wouldn't just LOVE to have prayer forced in school.

Answer 1

You make a valid point, no prayer in public schools is ok for me, I would never want my children to be forced to pray.

Answer 2

Dear God, Why didn't you save the children at?
Moses Lake Washington 2/2/96
Bethel, Alaska 2/19/97
Pearl, Mississippi, 10/01/97
West Paducah, Kentucky 12/1/97
Stamp, Arkansas 3/24/98
Jonesboro, Arkansas 3/24/98
Edinboro, Pennsylvania 4/24/98
Springfield, Oregon 5/21/98
Richmond, Virginia 6/15/98
Littleton, Colorada 4/20/99
Taber, Alberta Canada 5/28/99
Conyers, Georgia 5/20/99
Deming, New Mexico 11/19/99
Fort Gibson, Oklahoma 12/6/99
Santee, California 3/5/01
El Cajon, California 3/22/01

Sincerely, Concerned Student

Reply:

Dear Concerned Student,
I am not allowed in schools.

Sincerely, God

How did this start?

I think it started with Madeline Murray O'Hare when she complained she didn't want prayer in school. And we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the bible in school, the Bible says "Thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbors as yourself." And we said OK
Ask yourself why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, classmates and even themselves. If we thought about it long enough, we could figure it out.
"YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW"
Good luck with your kid.

Answer 3

I love this question. I don't want to force your child to pray at all. Why do you want to deny my children the right to pray at school? Why do you want religious symbols removed from public property? Why does one atheist have the right to have a cross removed from a war memorial in San Diego, (my home town), the cross has been there as long as I can remember. If you don't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, why are you so offended at any of these things? I will tell you, if I don't don't believe in something I wouldn't take away your right to celebrate it, it wouldn't affect me at all. I want to be able to see a Nativity Scenes at the public square at Christmas time, to you it would probably be a bunch of figurines with no meaning at all, so why take away my right to enjoy it? I read somewhere that now in some areas they are so worried about offending non-believers that they call the town Christmas Tree the Holiday Tree (and somewhere else, the Make a Wish Tree), do you want to take things that far?

Answer 4

I agree. We are not a Christian family either so I wouldn't want my children forced to pray. However, I don't think they're being forced to, unless it's a religious school.

I just think religion needs to be left alone in all public schools since not every child is a Christian. America may have a Christian majority but being an American also means freedom from religion, if you so choose.

Answer 5

Your question assumes that by asking for the right to pray in school your children will be forced to pray in school.

While I do not pray in public nor practice a religion, I do not want to restrict someones freedom to do so. I do not think we preserve freedom by restricting our neighbors freedom.

The line should be drawn by not having prayer forced upon those who do not want to take part. That prayer not be used to interrupt the classrooms or the educational process.

While I can see where the freedom to pray can be used to manipulate through group and peer pressure, I do not think conservatives are asking that your child be forced to pray

It seems to me that love of freedom does not mean freedom for me, but not for you. The first amendment includes the right to peaceful assembly, freedom to speak (public prayer is not a stated exception).

Praying in public institutions is exercising ones right to peaceful assembly, religion and speech. All three are protected. As long as the practice of religion is not forced upon others, no harm is done.

Now as for the potential to use group or peer pressure to manipulate others to practice religion, the following applies:

The potential for abuse is not abuse. We do not restrict people from assembling because their is the potential for violence.

Is it not an attempt to use group pressure and peer pressure when protesting prayer.

Excercisng tolerance and love of freedom go hand in hand. By examing the history of how we treat each other in our neighborhood associations and classrooms we can see there has been an errosion of both.

Answer 6

I doubt very much that your child is forced to pray. There may be some social ramifications of him/her not praying, like being last picked in kickball... Unless of course you sent you child to a parochial (religious) school, wherein prayer is really quite common. Anyway, no one is forcing, and no one is asking for force to be used. Some people think they should be allowed to pray where they want when they want. This is not really that big of a deal. I say if a kid wants to pray then let them.

Answer 7

No child should be forced to pray at school, but if those who want to should have the right to. I would think more prayers and less guns would be a good thing.

Answer 8

I do not think you listen because it sounds like you are the one completely missing the problem at hand and then turning it around to be your problem... noone is forcing your child to pray.. conservatives simply want their children to be ABLE to pray and not be looked down upon for it. As it stands now, Noone can MENTION God without getting in trouble. A teacher got fired for giving a Christmas card to a Christian student but some non-Christian in the class did not like it and told mommy. There is NO argument to force your kid to pray... nobody cares what he does, conservatives want people to be able to pray if they want.

Answer 9

We used to pray in school years ago but it was not forced on us then. A child should be able to pray if they want to and if not, just remain silent and have respect for those who want to. It really does not hurt anything at all. You see nothing is being forced on anyone. You just don't want those who want to pray not to have the right to do so which is very hypocritical.

Answer 10

I'm mostly conservative, and yet I don't want prayer put back in school. However, I do think that kids should be taught morals. You know, don't steal, don't lie, don't JUDGE people, respect everyone, honor your parents...that sort of thing. It doesn't mean they should have the Bible shoved down their throat. I'm a Christian and I say this. They should be taught about ALL major world religions, including Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology. I think they should also throw in Egyptian mythology as well.
Please stop generalizing.

Answer 11

What school are they going to that they can force them to pray??!! Sorry, you're right, I misread the question. I don't think anyone has the right to force prayer on any one. If they started to make prayer mandatory in public schools (which won't happen), I would home school my kids.
I truly get tired of people trying to force their god on me. If you want your children to pray in school, go to a religious school. Stay out of the public schools.
If kids want to pray at school, nothing is stopping them from doing it.