If the constitution was founded on biblical principle, why ban prayer from schools?

Answer 1

The Constitution was not founded on biblical principles -- in fact, the Founders were very specific that religion was not involved in any way, shape or form with the US govt -- including the fact that God is never mentioned once in the Constitution.

But the fact that religion should not be involved in govt is mentioned several times -- starting with Article VI that prohibits any religious test for office -- and then going to the 1st Amendment where the govt cannot sponsor or promote ("respect the establisment of") any religion.

As for prayer in schools -- private individuals can pray silently all the want -- and many schools set aside times for children to pray by themselves -- as long as the school is not organizing or sponsoring the activity, it's constitutional.

But the school cannot single out prayer for any benefit or restriction over any other type of expression -- meaning if the school prohibits prayer out loud they also need to prohibit poetry reading or quoting shakespeare out loud -- all 1st Amendment activities -- or the school can allow all of them equally -- but the school cannot pick and choose some content over others -- and that includes religious content.

Answer 2

If it were true the constitution were based on religious principles it doesn't mean schools should be primarily driven by religious values. The beauty of the constitution is it's a living breathing document and, when designed, our nation was a very anglo driven society and this is vastly different to the wide spread melting pot we clearly see today. Allowing prayer in schools establishes biblical principles as the primary core value and religious system. However non-private, publicly funded school districts are places of obtectivity, and the free flow of opinions and ideas all the while children are learning the fundamentals of reading, writing math and science and a general broad analysis of history. if you establish the biblical definition of prayer you establish favoratism of a written book and religious segment of society.
In the end, school systems do establish the spirit of universal biblical principles by constituting and enforcing a good moral and ethical value system. It should not and ought not establish an opinion on religious choice.

Answer 3

Freedom of Speech is not a Biblical principle. "Thou shalt not say the Lord's name in vain" is a Biblical principle.

Sure, America was founded by religious & spiritual people, but they weren't all Christians and even among the Christians there was very little agreement (see discrimination against Catholics). They had mostly come here to escape from religious influence in government, profit, or political freedom.

Nothing in the constitution is founded on Biblical principle other than perhaps the concept of "free will." If you're looking for a source of inspiration for the document, you should study Enlightenment era literature. America is and has been the most religiously and ethnically diverse nation since it became significantly populated. The constitution, in its historical context, is a RADICAL departure from religious influence in government.

Answer 4

I've not heard, nor read anything in the Constitution, about 'biblical' principles. I've heard about Christian principles but that is a moot argument since a lot of the Christian principles are also shared by other religions. There are no specific, Christian-ONLY principles in the Constitution.

Some states did enact 'blue' laws regarding businesses operating on Sundays because it was the 'Sabbath'. Those laws have been struck down as unconstitutional.

Answer 5

In the constitution it state "their creator" that could mean anything. My Mom could qualify under "their creator."

The Constitution says nothing about religion other than we have the right to have one. And government shall not infringe on that right. Now I believe if you want to pray, wear a t-shirt, or necklace, or anything like that on public schools then you should have every right, because your 1st amendment protects that right. But if that govt owned school decides to teach religion to pupils, then that is infringing on the rights of those students who might not believe in that particular religion or even a god at all, and I don't believe that is right.

However if a private school decides to be religious, then I have no problem with it mainly because no govt is involved with that school. It was formed from individual(s) who used their money to help make that school. It was not taxed/forced to have society pay for that school. Because govt was not involved, those teachings are made by the one(s) who own the school. And I said school way too many times at the end of each sentence.

Answer 6

The constitution wasn't based upon bibilical principles. It was mostly based off the Magna Carta in actuallity probably the most influential political document ever written.

Public schools should allow silent prayer and students should be able to pray on their own time, but it is wrong for the school to promote one religion over another by allowing teachers or students to lead prayers to any single religion during actual education time.

Answer 7

Prayer is banned from schools because the Constitution calls for a separation of Church and State. Public schools are part of the state, and prayer is a religious practice.

Answer 8

There are no Biblical principles in the US Constitution.

Answer 9

The US Constitution was NOT founded on biblical principle. Where did you get such a silly idea?

Answer 10

Vina - The puritants have been Christian, yet they did no longer write the form. in factor of fact, the Virginians have been greater influential, and that they have got been as a rule deists, and unquestionably many have been masons. in factor of fact, to respond to the question quickly, the form develop into in accordance with Enlightenment ideals, no longer Christian ones. Se how usually John Locke and different enlightenment writers are referenced.