here's the situation-you're at a banquet honoring exceptional teachers and education support professionals (aides, bus drivers, admin folk, custodians, cooks) for your school system-the banquet is held on school property. the superintendent of schools, is the host, the school board is at the head table...just before dinner is served, a teacher (who is also a pastor of a local baptist church) stans up and asks everyone to bow their heads for the benediction, in which he thanks God for all those in attendance, asks for blessing over the food, and concludes with 'in the name of Christ we pray, Amen.' later on, the musical portion of the evening consists of gospel singing by one of the assistant principals, during which the audience is asked to join in 'if you want'...what i'm wondering is, how would you react?
a) enjoy the good food, applaud the honorees, and have a good time?
b) silently go along, hoping it's over soon?
c) threaten to sue?
2007-06-18 13:32:25 · 9 answers · asked by spike missing debra m 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
pardon my forgetfulness in spell-checking...and this WAS at a public school
2007-06-18 13:34:59 · update #1
i had a great time...the food was great, my wife was one of the honorees (25 yrs in the classroom) and a lot of our friends were honored, also! and my girls and i joined in with the singing-you just can't go wrong with 'this little light of mine'...it was, all in all, a blessed and uplifting event!
2007-06-18 14:03:23 · update #2
Free food says it all. AMEN!
2007-06-18 13:36:40 · answer #1 · answered by S.O.S. 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you admire the honorees, enjoy the food and applaud the honorees; it would be hard to "have a good time" if there are activities taking place which you do not enjoy. Decide if showing respect for the honorees overrides the annoyances of church activities at a school function.
If you really feel strongly about it, threatening to sue might get their attention and make them think twice about "separation of church and state".
I would only attend such an event if I had a deep respect for the honorees and wanted to show support, all the while ignoring the religious activities.
2007-06-18 20:58:35 · answer #2 · answered by MyPreshus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would be mildly annoyed by the Christian-specific prayer, as it is obviously a taxpayer-funded event, but far from upset. It would bother me more if I knew that there were Jewish, Muslim, and other non-Christian families in the audience being slighted. Still, I would remain respectfully quiet while those who choose to pray pray over their food, enjoy the gospel singing without giving it the slightest thought, and loudly applaud the honorees.
2007-06-18 20:38:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I personally do a mixture of A. and B. Face it christianity is always going to be pushing itself on everyone. We who are not christian just have to ignore it most times unless it threatens our job, children or our housing. Of course there are probably other instances where legal action has to be taken but in this particular instance probably not. I know how irritating this is. They can be so arrogant, obnoxious and down right rude.
2007-06-18 20:53:11 · answer #4 · answered by Praire Crone 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You think suing will stop it? I have news for you. If I was at that banquet I would lead a prayer and sing praises no matter what the risk.
2007-06-18 20:45:24 · answer #5 · answered by silver wings 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I would choose A, but that is because I am a Christian. Why do people sue so often nowadays?
2007-06-18 20:37:43 · answer #6 · answered by Iamnotarobot (former believer) 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would be over joyed.
However, that would never happen in our school system. It is so secular that there is no chance.
~Neeva
2007-06-18 20:47:25 · answer #7 · answered by Neeva C 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I will show them the respect that they obviously won't show me because Atheists are bigger people than Christians.
2007-06-18 20:39:05 · answer #8 · answered by S K 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
A.
2007-06-18 20:46:26 · answer #9 · answered by Jlk 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋