Prayer is allowed.
Just prayer led by teachers, principals and other authority figures are not allowed.
Of course, if your child, wishes to say Grace before eating lunch or a small prayer before taking a test, they are more than welcomed to.
They just can't say it out loud (silent prayer is just as valid), and they cannot try to convert people, or exclude people intentionally. (You know, get out, I'm praying, this is my space, would not be tolerated). But of course, no parent would teach their child to do that either....
Saying that you cannot have teacher or student-led prayer, does not equal .. saying no praying at allowed...
2007-07-13 08:02:16 · 12 answers · asked by Sapere Aude 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When people say that prayer isn't allowed - or shouldn't be allowed - in school, what they mean is prayer led by teachers or faculty, or groups of students for that matter. Nobody's concerned with stopping kids from saying Grace silently to themselves. I suppose "Christians" would like to think so, because that feeds into their persecution-fetish.
And the reason is - or should be - obvious. Your freedom to worship Jesus as you see fit is guaranteed by my right NOT to. Otherwise, we might as well live in Afghanistan. This wouldn't be so difficult for "Christians" to understand if we actually DID decide that America was a "Christian Nation." Because the next question would be, Which brand of Christianity? This nation WAS settled by Christians - by a particular group of Christians fleeing from another group that was persecuting them for not worshiping Jesus the right way! The current situation in the Middle East is just another example of the same thing.
2007-07-13 08:07:13 · answer #1 · answered by jonjon418 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually any prayer the is student led is acceptable including that at the beginning of graduation ceremonies and etc... There are a lot of laws to protect Christian rights in school.. I had one myself where a teacher told me I could not add anything about God or religion in my papers and I won with the help of Liberty Counsel. There are lots of things Christian kids can do in school because while the government cannot promote a religion.. they cannot prohibit the free exercise therof. Some christians need to learn there rights because they may be under attack and not even know it.
God Bless
2007-07-13 15:17:22 · answer #2 · answered by J 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
People intentionally misunderstand the law. They want to be able to make a big show out of their religion.
But yeah, prayer is allowed. In fact, if kids want to form a Bible Club at school, they can do that, as long as it's student-led and membership is optional. Likewise, if someone wants to form a Buddhist group, they are free do to that as well, as long as the same criteria applies to it.
2007-07-13 15:14:14 · answer #3 · answered by I'm Still Here 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're right. But there is no separation of church and state. There is no state church, but I believe the founding fathers always intended on God being a part of our society. That's the problem. When you eliminate school sanctioned, public prayer, you share in eliminating God from our society. When did we have more school shootings, before or after taking prayer out of schools? See my point? God brings stability to a person if we let Him in our heart. In the same way, God brings stability to a society if we let Him in our society.
2007-07-13 15:17:38 · answer #4 · answered by starfishltd 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What a shame that the Lord's Prayer cannot be spoken aloud in American schools any more.
In 1948, the devil took over because he saw the Jews back in the Holy Land and he knew his time is short. So immediately in 1948 the devil started trying to get prayer removed from the schools and in the 1960's it happened. One old Austin, Texas, atheist evil woman accomplished it.
God always hears the prayers of innocent children. The great deceiver has deceived us.
2007-07-13 15:15:57 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
You are correct. If you want teacher led or out-loud prayer in school then you should send you children to a private religious school ans pay for it yourself. It has no business in a taxpayer/state funded school. I will be sending my children to a private secular school.
2007-07-13 15:12:37 · answer #6 · answered by tippytetoe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The argument is for separation of church and state, in this case a public school. But I suppose if one were to pray silently, no one would know, and therefore doesn't matter.
2007-07-13 15:06:27 · answer #7 · answered by Lisa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christians want to pray in public like the hypocrites did in Jesus' time. That is why Jesus told his followers to go into their closets to pray in private. It seems mainstream Christianity wants to make a show of their worship prowess. Look at any televised worship service and you can see how these folks make a show of themselves.
2007-07-13 15:11:03 · answer #8 · answered by Shawn B 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably has something to do with Christian propaganda about the ordeal. Couldn' t you imagine Jerry Falwell giving the impression that if prayer isn't enforced then people will not be allowed.
I've never prayed about a math test. Math requires rational assessment, not prayer.
2007-07-13 15:05:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
As long as there are math tests, there will be prayers in school.
But don't tell the principal. He might not understand that it's legal.
2007-07-13 15:06:00 · answer #10 · answered by sdb deacon 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋