Okay, so I'm an atheist and I'm going to hell. In the meantime, what gives you the right --?

Question

-- to force my kids to pray in school?

Hmm. Where are all the believers who like to quote that line about how "every knee shall bow"? Did they all finish their shift and go home?

Answer 1

The US Supreme court and virtually every lower court have all consistently ruled that prayer in public school is unconstitutional.

Who's forcing your kids to pray? Report 'em, they're breaking the law!

FYI, when they say the pledge of allegiance at school, my kids skip the "under god" part, which wasn't added until 1950's anyway as a reactionary measure to "godless communists" during the red scare...:)

Peace.

Answer 2

First, of all, that's pretty pessimistic of you to think you are going to hell, especially because you are an atheist. Do you even believe in hell?

Second, no one can force your child to pray in school. If they are doing so, and you disagree with it as a parent, you need to be the good parent and step up and say something. Unless, of course, the school is private, then they can do what they want and you can choose to withdraw your child from that school. No one should be forced to do anything with religion, especially if it is at a state institution.

Lastly, it appears you are just an angry person and aren't quite sure what you want in life, especially spirtitually (and I'm not meaning religion). Good luck. I'm sure the ACLU will help you if you really are having the problem with the school you are talking about, just give them a call.

Answer 3

What gives you the right to take freedom away and tell kids they CANNOT pray in school?????
No one is wanting to force kids to pray in school. They DO want the right to pray to God if they choose to.
I do not understand why on earth people are so uninformed to the point they would think the school system would force someone to pray, or that Christians are asking for a law FORCING someone to pray. You have it wrong wrong wrong...they want the opportunity to pray if they choose to do so.
If more prayer happens and there is a little more peace... all the better. You have the freedom to practice atheism, my child should have the freedom to practice Christianity, someone else's child should have the freedom to pray to humpty dumpty if he/she so pleases.
I do not understand why atheists feel so threatened by Christians, or why they show so much violence toward them. Our relationship with God is a very sacred thing to us. It is our
life, who we are.
I do not want to hear the "whine whine" about Christians forcing religion either. There are extremists in all walks of life and the whole should not be judged by the very few.
--->>>> If you know your Bible..."Every knee shall bow" .....refers to Christ's return and all will worship Him... again... please -->> Get educated in the subject before you discuss it.<<<-----

If you choose not to beleive it, then don't worry about it. We Christains are the one's who had prayer taken away from us as if we were commiting some evil crime. We are the ones who have to study apologetics in order to defend and stand for our sacred belief. We are the ones who have to take the stand.
I love the quote.. "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything"
I CHOOSE TO STAND ON THE ROCK

Answer 4

If you're in the U.S. and your children are truly being forced to pray, then something is wrong. Someone is violating the law. All but the most selfish are against compelling non-believers to pray, or believers to pray in a way against their traditions. But if it's simply a case of other children in the class praying on their own, without being led by an authority figure, then that's just freedom of religion.

Dud: "One girl was told she would be suspended if she would say amen at the end."

That's terribly sad even to me, a Humanist. We didn't have school-led prayer at the elementary school I attended, but one of my teachers instituted a moment of silence after recess. I thought it was wonderful. She didn't tell anyone to pray or not to pray. She explained that people have different beliefs and could use the time as they chose. She taught us that it was a matter of individuality. I wish every teacher could be trusted to take such an open attitude. Unfortunately, there will always be those who try to take advantage of the opportunity to impose their personal beliefs on the children in their care. Some refuse to acknowledge that their way is not everyone's way.

Answer 5

I am a teacher in a public school. I have worked in 4 Parishes in the Lousiana School system in my 13 years of teaching. I have yet to see any one being forced to pray during school. The closest I have seen to this was in one Parish we had a moment of silence led by students over the announcements. The moment of silence was requested by students, approved by the principal, and done on a daily basis. There was not a religious word uttered throughout. Not even an Amen at the end. So where are the rights of all of the Christians who are at that school? No where. One girl was told she would be suspended if she would say amen at the end.

Answer 6

Last time I checked, they kicked prayer OUT of school. I don't know what school YOUR kids are going to....
Even when there WAS prayer in school, no one was ever FORCED to pray.
I think the problem is that you see a kid praying next to you, and you think, "OH MY GOD! HE'S FORCING ME TO PRAY!"

Answer 7

No one can "force" anyone to pray. Prayer comes from the heart. But the schools would be a lot better off and safer if the kids were allowed to speak their prayers out loud. By the way, kids can't be forced to pray, but kids can't be stopped from praying either. Halleluiah!

Answer 8

Nobody is FORCING children to pray in school. Take it from a student. In fact, we Christians are discouraged from praying aloud where others can hear, because it is supposedly "forcing religion on others"...haha. Right.

First of all, just because you're atheist it doesn't mean your kids have to be. And secondly, if they don't want to pray, NOBODY IS GOING TO MAKE THEM. point. blank. period.

Answer 9

Nothing.Your kids should only pray if they want to!If I want to pray at school,I have the right to do it,but I don't have the right to force someone else to pray with me.

Answer 10

As has been stated, no forces anyone to pray. Unless you're at a private religious school - what do you expect?
Second, you're not going to hell. Hell is for the evil, you're just annoying.