Is allowing prayer in school really promoting religion? Isn't not allowing it promoting atheism?

Question

Why should one be allowed and the other not...atheism is a cult of sorts...

Answer 1

Prayer is actually allowed in public schools but it has definitely changed from the days when the teacher could lead prayer in the classroom.

The Supreme Court has made clear that prayers organized or sponsored by a public school violate the First Amendment, whether in the classroom, over the public-address system, at a graduation exercise or even at a high school football game. The same rule applies whether the activity is prayer or devotional Bible reading.

However, students are free to pray alone or in groups, as long as the activity is not disruptive and does not infringe upon the rights of others. These activities must be truly voluntary and student-initiated. For example, students are permitted to gather around the flagpole for prayer before school begins, as long as the event is not sponsored by the school and other students are not pressured to attend. Students do not have a right to force a captive audience to participate in religious exercises.

While a student’s right to pray is protected, the Supreme Court has struck down state-sponsored or state-organized prayer in public schools. The Court has interpreted the First Amendment to mean that government must be neutral among religions and between religion and nonreligion.

http://www.fac.org/rel_liberty/publicschools/topic_faqs.aspx?topic=school_prayer

Back when I went to school, of course, the teacher led the prayer in the classroom, and we could sing patriotic songs with the word God in them in music class. I remember the singing better than the prayers because they always made me feel proud of my country and forefathers. Of course they can't do that anymore either. But parents need to make their children aware that they can pray in school and how they can do it.

When parents can afford a good private school they are less apt to run into things they don't want their children to be taught. Private schools are not funded by the government so the government has less to say about what goes on there. Some private schools are much better than public ones because of it.

Answer 2

Name one atheist school. Name one atheist-based holiday. Now... Name one Christian school Name one Christian based holiday. Yup. Sure looks like atheism is a lot more exposed to the public. Honestly, you're just hyper-sensitive. Christianity has been on public display for so many years that now that governments are encouraging individuality and true freedom of religion, Christians are feeling repressed. Be thankful that you have the right to be proud in what you believe in, and don't care about petty things like who can flaunt it the most. In the majority of the modern world, Christianity will always have the most publicity; lets face it, if Christianity didn't have the most publicity, I'm sure we would have had stat holidays such as Christmas taken away and appointed to some other day. Atheism isn't the only religion that can be seen in public; you're making it in to something its not; just because they don't want to promote religions doesn't mean that it's atheist. There are a lot of laws that just don't want people to flaunt their religions, no matter what that religion is. It's something that everyone disagrees with, so its something best not to touch on legally.

Answer 3

Actually, prayer isn't banned completely in public schools. However, ORGANIZED prayer is. That is to say, students are allowed to establish on-campus religious organizations in public schools and pray on their own time, but teachers and other school officials are not allowed to lead students in prayer, because then the school would be promoting a particular sect of religion, and since public schools receive some federal funding and the First Amendment explicitly states that the federal government isn't to promote any establishment of religion, this would be unconstitutional.

Answer 4

Allowing prayer in school is not promoting religion, but in essence, being able to help others with problems that they may have in life, and too, that others may accept the Lord Jesus Christ into their heart and life, and be a better person!

And, Yes, not allowing it, is promoting Atheism, and it takes away the healing power of Jesus Christ that can change the largest group of potential problem makers into respectable and friendly, happy people.

Atheism robs the soul of Life, the Life that Only Jesus Christ can give!!!

God is Love, the Spirit of God is Love, and it shows through in us, as we are Created in His image!!

God bless!!

Answer 5

Prayer is allowed-that promotes nothing. You can pray or not as you choose.

Led prayer in school is not allowed because that would promote it. It would be putting a person of authority into a position where they are promoting religion.

Answer 6

The Left sees only silents; they don't see that as promoting their RELIGION. It is a blind fallowing none the less. There is as much Dogma in their religion as the time when people would be accused of a heresy depending on which foot the Romans put on top during the Crucifixion.

One can be agnostic meaning questioning. Atheism means You KNOW there is no GOD. The Atheist gets just as up set as the other religions when some one questions their dogma! Sounds like a Religion to me.

Answer 7

Look, if you want to PRAY, then pray. You can do it silently; the Almighty has the ability to HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! There's no need to make it a group participation thing.

And...just to remind you again...our founding fathers intended that we should treat ALL religions equally; meaning that Protestantism does NOT get an automatic spot at the front of the line.

Keep prayer out of public schools.

You want prayer in school? Pay for your kid to attend a parochial school. I'm sure you'll claim that the "quality" of education is so much better there, anyway.

Answer 8

If you promote prayer in school then to be fair you'd have to consider all religions. Not promoting anything is not promoting atheism. It's allowing freedom of choice without an endorsement.

Answer 9

Because in a public school, if we allow the prayers of one religion we need to allow the prayers of all religions. Then our kids would spend 5 hours every morning making sure they didn't leave any religion out.

Not allowing any religion, provides time for education... something you did not get much of (judging by the question you have asked)

Answer 10

Allowing isn't promoting. Not allowing it is against the constitution.
If someone is praying, fine, so be it. This is for all denominations (so long as they are here legally). If someone is atheist, they should be able to "practice" this as well.