Is it me or does it just seem like this country just wants to please the minority?

Question

I mean correct me if im wrong, but I always thought that there were more people in this country who believed in God rather than not believe. So why is it that they take prayer out of school and stop saying one nation under god in the pledge of allegiance, to please the few who dont believe? I mean cant they just not say it or not partake in it? I cannot recall one time, one time, in my school years where someone said hey i dont want to pray or say the pledge of allegiance, not once and i just graduated h.s. it just seems to me that the more they take out God from this country the worse off it gets, and it is definitely setting this country up for worse to come.

Wow some of you are not getting where im coming from, but thats ok voice ur opinion its very interesting...although i have to admit i find it odd that some of you are even in the religion and spirituality section of yahoo answers when you are anything but religious or spiritual??????

Answer 1

WOW! All you have to do is ask a simple question like yours in this section, and you're blasted to kingdom come! Too bad - I think this is a great and true subject. Prayer has been taken out of schools, and cities have taken religious symbols out of the public view. That's fine for the people who didn't want it there, but what about those of us who do? They could leave things as they are, and those people could refuse to go there. Take up a stand that way, people, instead of taking away MY rights. As it says on all our currency, "In God We Trust". Check out the Consitution of the United States - the document we owe our freedom to, and you'll find the same thing.

Answer 2

It is a matter of following the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. However, this clause has been open to interpretation over the years. During the 1950s, when the words "under God" were added to the Pledge, it was found to be lawful to say the pledge in this new way. Now it appears that the opinion of jurists seems to be going the other way.

I taught in public schools for 19 years and had several students who were Jehovah's Witnesses who refused to stand or say the pledge. Their actions were upheld by the Supreme Court.

Answer 3

Yeah, that would be great. If that's how the world actually worked. It's not. Let prayer be part of schools and some teachers and schools will force everyone to pray. Sad, but that's just the way it is. Just ask yourself why prayer even *should* be in schools. What does it have to do with education? You want to do some good? Don't fight to put things in school that don't need to be there, and start fighting to take some things out that definitely shouldn't be there. Military recruiters come to mind. Not that I have a problem with the military itself, but recruiters in schools is definitely inappropriate.

Edit: "although i have to admit i find it odd that some of you are even in the religion and spirituality section of yahoo answers when you are anything but religious or spiritual??????"

Yeah, I should be more like the religious groups, and keep my nose out of groups that I don't directly belong to.... right?

At least I'm here because it directly effects me, whether I want it to or not.

Answer 4

First, prayer has not been "taken out of schools".

What has been taken out is school-employee-led prayer; school-sanctioned prayer; school-required prayer.

THIS is what is actual and factual about prayer in schools (see link below). You'll see that there is *tremendous* opportunities for kids to pay on school grounds, to form bible study groups, etc.:

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html

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Has it occurred to you that perhaps the reason that, in your own limited experience, kids didn't say they didn't want to participate in school prayer because they know that by and large children have a vicious herd mentality, and that they would be setting themselves up for mockery and isolation?


BTW, do you know the history of "under God" in the pledge? It wasn't originally there; it was added in 1954:

http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

So some of the very politicians and evangelists who are beating the drum about the phrase were old enough to have said the pledge without that phrase, as children. And I'm willing to bet that those very people with an agenda would overwhelmingly say that the America of their childhood was a far more moral place than it is today. Of course, they'll also conveniently "forget" that American schoolkids used to raise their right arms while saying the pledge just like the Nazis saluted their flag and their Fuhrer.

I suggest that you learn a bit about the history of *adding* stuff like this to our traditions, and then ask some questions about why they were added. Another interesting bit is how "In God We Trust" came to be on our coins. If you read the following article carefully, you'll see that the idea of adding the word "God" to our MONEY was supposed to act as some sort of protective magic charm to protect the country.

http://www.treasury.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.shtml

Last, this country has an obligation to protect minorities from the tyrrany of the majority, which in some cases amounts to nothing better than mob rule.

Answer 5

Amazing! You just graduated High School and have already figured it all out! Let me tell you something: you are young, too young to really have any idea what you’re talking about. Not everyone is like you, thins like you, or believes what you do.
I know, it’s a shocker!
Also, the combination of church and state has always been toxic. Look at the Salem Witch Trials, the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the list goes on an on. If anything, history proves the less involvement religion has in government the better things are. People prosper, people can think freely. As for what you think you saw in your school, you probably only saw what you wanted to see. Just because no one refused to do it doesn’t mean they all wanted to. Peer presser is a powerful thing; acceptance from your peers is the most important thing to children your age and children in high school.
Don’t jump to assumptions based on what you’ve seen in your short life and limited experience.

Answer 6

The phrase "one nation under God" is still in the pledge of allegiance since it doesn't promote a particular religion. And if you are Christian you should be glad there is no public praying in school since Jesus said "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6 KJV)

Answer 7

There is a lot more diversity in this country than there has ever been. Would you only grant the right to live with personal beliefs peacefully to the majority, or would you want everyone to have that ability?

You just graduated high school, sweetie. There is a lot yet to learn.

Answer 8

This country is supposed to have freedom FOR ALL.
That means leaving religion out of government for one. Because not everyone worships the same god or has the same beliefs. You wouldn't want to be forced to follow a different doctrine than your own, so don't expect anyone else to just sit through it.

Answer 9

This country is founded on separation of Church and State and freedom of choice. Prayer in school, creationism in science class, etc etc are blatant violations of this freedom. If you don't like it, send your kids to a "Christian" school where they can be indoctrinated into ignorance, superstition and bigotry without interruption - and then we'll all know NOT to hire them when they graduate.

Or just switch the nomenclature of your bigotry and move to Afghanistan, where they ALL think just like you!

P.S. - Incidentally, I see that you're a woman. A century ago, you couldn't vote. I hope you don't suppose that attitudes like yours were responsible for the change! Of course, after reading your remarks, I'm not sure where I stand on the issue anymore!

Answer 10

america was founded by minorities, that were persecuted for their beliefs. by not allowing religion to be force fed to out children in school, we are not imposing on your right to free religion. your children can pray at school if they wish, but ours are not forced to. whereas, if you impose your religion on others YOU are taking away the freedom on of religion of others.

i did refuse to say the pledge of allegiance in school. i was given detention. finally they gave up because i said all but the "under god" part.

it isn't taking "god" out of the contry that is making it worse, it is greed and corruption, most of which originates in those that would have "god" plastered all over the place.

Answer 11

The purpose of the Constitution and all of its ammendments is to protect the minority from the tyrany of the majority. Without it we would already be forced into state religions, women and blacks would still not have the vote, whites would still own black slaves.

Think about it, the minority NEEDS protection.