Why do atheists get blamed for prayer not being in schools?

Question

In 1890, bible reading was outlawed from Wisconsin schools. Who was responsible? A Roman Catholic family. A Roman Catholic family objected to the exclusive use of the Protestant King James Version of the bible. The court barred all bible reading from Wisconsin public schools. [State ex rel. Weiss vs. District Board, 76 Wisc. 177 (1890)]. Catholicism was a small minority in 19th-century America. It is usually minority groups who need the protection of the Bill of Rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed student-initiated prayers at high-school football games in 2000. Who were the plaintiffs in that lawsuit? Roman Catholic and Mormon families. The Texas lawsuit was taken by a Catholic family and a Mormon family who had children who were being harassed by the born-again majority in the public schools.

Thoughts on this information?

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Answer 1

If a meteor struck the planet right now, Christians would say it's because they took prayer out of schools.

It's nice to have a built-in excuse for everything.

Answer 2

Prayer in school was about the way things were done in a certain "WASP" manner. Just like alot things, a change to allow others to think different was the coming of age. Forcing someone to do something they don't do at home is interfering, plus public school system is the state. Religion has no place in public state matters. If so, you will have to invite all the other practices such as WICCA, Voo-Doo, etc. Are you being fair?

Answer 3

Behold: Prayer has ALWAYS been legal in schools. It just can't be led by a teacher. It is not nor should it be the business of the schools to preach the Gospel. Teachers are trained to teach subjects like English Literature or Physics or Beginning Chemistry or Phys Ed. If they had wanted to teach the Gospel they would have taken the special training for that field and would have become Preachers, not Teachers. Students can pray, there has never been the slightest restriction on that. Nor should there be. But honest to God, if a teacher is only trained in teaching Physics how or why would you ever trust him or her to teach the finer points of Transubstantiation or the Holy Trinity or other doctrines of Faith. ?

Answer 4

While accurate, your information is incomplete because the woman, who brought the lawsuit that in 1963 led to the banning of teacher or school official led prayer in schools, Madeline Murray O'Hair, was an outspoken atheist. In fact she founded American Atheists. Her case "Murray v. Curlett" was consolidated with another case "Abington School District v. Schempp" where the justices ruled 8-1 that public schools could not lead in class prayers or Bible reading. Madeline Murray O'Hair is the exact reason why people blame atheists for not having prayer in the classroom. What your information shows, however, is that, it isn't just atheists who object to in classroom prayers. Anyone in the US who is not a Protestant of one sort or another is bound to object. I think of myself as a fairly conservative individual, but because I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I would not want myself or my children to be required to say heretical Protestant prayers as part of required classroom activities. However, the fact remains that the woman who brought the court case the ended prayer in public schools once and for all was an outspoken atheist.

Answer 5

Yup. And in the 1940s, Protestants sued in the Boston school system, which was (of course) predominantly Catholic to get Catholic prayers out of schools.

Evangelicals just turned their anti-Catholicism into anti-secularism. Most Catholics you meet are used to being in the religious minority and seem to understand the issue.

Go figure.

Answer 6

It don't feel good does it ??? Everyone lumping you into a group, and thinks that you ALL are the same ... that is what happens when people talk with out knowing the facts and situations......... It is a game EVERYONE likes to play...... So think about it the next time you or someone you know points the finger at us (Christians) and blames us for all the worlds problems........ ok ?? just a suggestion...... God bless

Answer 7

Are you new to this planet?
It was an atheist who first got this evil ball rolling in the sixties.
Madeline Murray O’Hara, an atheist, was known as the ‘American Antichrist’ to the Christian Right. She is held solely responsible for removing prayer from public school.

Answer 8

Good research there.I found it very interesting.What puzzles me is Christians who put the blame on Athiests and act as if their right to pray far out votes our rights to not have religion forced down our throats.There are plenty of private christian schools out there where they can pray and read the bible all they want.

Answer 9

Allen, Newman, Philosophynerd, et al, you might find this article interesting.

Annie, when you say "It is a game EVERYONE likes to play", I can't help feeling like you're lumping me into a group and thinking I'm just the same.

Answer 10

Because misinformation is an effective tool. Just a while ago a read a guys answer who was blaming Liberals for our current situation - he said, and I quote "Because Liberals have been in control for so long..." I almost spit my coffee all over my computer I laughed so hard!

Answer 11

they don't. do you know how many religions come from 'just' the Kings James Version bible? everyone interprets it differently. so who's right or wrong best thing to do is take it out of school