2006-12-01 05:13:06 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm talking about taking teacher-led prayer out of school, I'm all for a moment of silence...
2006-12-01 05:19:11 · update #1
Schools should be a place of learning not a place for idiot Christians, Muslims and any religious whack jobs to spread their superstitious trash.
2006-12-01 05:27:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Teacher-led and school-approved prayer is not OK, unless it is OK for everyone's prayers.
And no matter what the alarmists say, there is ample opportunity for prayer and free religious expression in schools. whenever you hear anyone claiming ANYTHING about what is OK in schools, you should check in the appropriate place to find out what is "actual and factual". This is, in the case of schools, the Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
I suspect, personally, that many of the people who are trying to stir up righteous indignation over this issue KNOW that students can pray in school, can have religious clubs and organizations, and so on. And that begs the question: why do they lie?
In any case, what is at issue here is that for a long time in the US, Christians had special privileges in public expression of religion, and sometimes that was even done at taxpayers' expense. Now that the they are required to participate on an equal footing with people of other religions and the non-religious, it *feels* like oppression to them
It is absolutely NOT oppression.
But it feels that way to them. It's not easy for any group of people who have had special privileges (whether religious, ethnic, of some other classification) to give those up.
And they will push back. That's what is going on. I'm certain in my own mind that this is why there is a drive to get atheism reclassified as a religion. That way the teaching of evolution can be considered "religious" and it can be banned from schools.
It's something to watch for, and fight against. First, because it's utterly untrue - a lack of belief is not a religion - and second, because it will only make things worse for everyone; it will escalate the contempt shown to religious people, and that in turn will result in more religious intransigence.
2006-12-01 06:16:27 · answer #2 · answered by Praise Singer 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Teacher-led prayer is just wrong, in a public school. If the school is , for instance, a Catholic school, then teacher-led prayer is probably to be expected. I much prefer the moment of silence; that gives everyone the freedom to observe whatever faith is their own, quietly.
2006-12-01 05:48:15 · answer #3 · answered by Cosmic I 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Giving everyone equal rights. Not everyone who attends public schools are the same religion. Some have no religion at all. If it's not right for the government to force believers not to believe in school, it's just as wrong for the goverment to force nonbelievers to pray.
And say everyone were religious, which faith and denomination do you propose we use to reinstate teacher-led prayers? Christian? Muslim? Hinduist? Buddhist? Wiccan?
And if we were able to choose one of these, which denomination do we want? Lutheran? Catholic? Shi'ite? Sunni? Zen? We've got a lot of religions and even more sects and denominations. How can we possibly choose?
If we were to choose a faith and denomination, well, everyone who isn't is screwed. Choosing to lead students in prayer first discriminates against nonbelievers by making them pray. Then, when you choose a religion, anyone else who isn't of that faith is discriminated against by making them pray to a god or gods they don't believe in. Then, when we settle on a denomination, that further discriminates against those who aren't of the same denomination, even if they're the same overall faith.
Tell me, how is this fair, right, or constitutional?
Without requiring prayer, kids are free to say their own prayers, in their own way, keep their own faith, and not have to go against their religion by doing otherwise. Nonbelievers are respected too as they don't have to feel like they have to pray to something they don't believe in in order to pass Math class.
Requiring prayer, especially in public schools that are government institutions when the government can't favor one religion or another, nor stop people from being religious, is what infringes on people's rights. Especially if only one religion is favored and used and they don't belong to it. The way things are now are as they should be, protecting everyone's rights, letting people be religious or nonreligious as they wish.
2006-12-03 08:09:12 · answer #4 · answered by Ophelia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with Sweetie that everyone who wants to pray, no matter what faith, should be allowed to.
If you mean mandatory prayer that everyone has to do, then I would have to say that it should go.
However, there have been supreme court cases that have ruled that a Christian praying over lunch must do so silently, and not out loud. An individual praying should be able to speak his or her prayers. Which, I think, does intrude on the rights of the pray-er.
Also, there has been a case that ruled that a Christian wasn't allowed to sit during his study hall and read the Bible. And I think that too, intrudes on this individual's rights.
2006-12-01 05:23:19 · answer #5 · answered by peacedevi 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well, we all have the right to believe in and/or believe what we want. taking prayer out of school was for the non-Christian. But, since they have it now where there's no teacher led prayer, that don't mean that we Christians still can't pray in school. we just can't say our prayers out loud.
2006-12-01 05:24:44 · answer #6 · answered by Christ Follower 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. Take the prayer out, let the students worship as they please or not if they please. Let everyone be equal.
Really how does that create more "atheist" or really change personal religion in any way? Do parents not teach their religion at home? Do they not take their children to church to learn religion it they are believers themselves? There is always private religious schools if you don't like public school.
I think it is a bit presumptuous that that some people still believe society should have to comform to someones religious beliefs instead of personal responsibility and personal choice.
2006-12-01 06:20:44 · answer #7 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Schools should not have mandated prayer,However,if someone wishes to pray during break or before class and it doesn't interfere with class time;WHY NOT?
I didn't know they still have teacher led prayer.
We should not have teacher led prayer.
Only in religious school.
God Bless
2006-12-01 05:18:59 · answer #8 · answered by lifeinheavenforeever 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's giving everyone equal rights. There is plenty of opportunity outside school to be able to pray. People with no religious belief should certainly not be forced to pray in school. Religion is a personal choice and should not be forced on anyone.
2006-12-01 05:22:15 · answer #9 · answered by EddieEXD 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Prayer wasn't taken out of school -- people can pray ALL they want BECAUSE of the principal of ensuring religious freedom by making it illegal for a school or state representative to endorse a particular practice. It's so misunderstood and misrepresented.
2006-12-01 05:17:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The DEVIL doesnt care about taking prayer out of the school. He wants to take prayer out of the home.
2006-12-01 05:22:49 · answer #11 · answered by guyinzion 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋