quote:Originally posted by seeweed:
Aude is in fact correct. "Prayer not allowed in schools anymore" is just a lie made up by a bunch of preachers to strike fear into the minds of simpletons that "they are taking away our freedoms".
I can remember when those laws were placed into effect. The reason was that most of us didn't want our children subjected to the religion then being pushed which was the "Hare Krishna"s who were in most airports and public places giving away their literature. Even the "Beetles" were pushing that religion as in the song "My Sweet Lord".
More lately, I would doubt if any of you would desire your little Johnny bowing 5 times per day to Mecca on his little prayer rug.
The decision to keep public prayer out of schools is a good thing, whether it be to Jesus, Hare Krishna, Muhammad, or twirling a Buddhist prayer wheel.
On the bright side, you can privately pray all you want in school. Praying privately (in a closet) is what Jesus told us to do anyway.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
seeweed says, "I can remember when those laws were placed into effect." That quote illustrates the very problem. For 150 plus years it was understood, Constitutionally, the FEDERAL government has no say in such matters...as referenced in the text of the First Amendment above. This question, along with an infinite number of other controversial issues, were to be left in state and local government hands...you know that goofy little idea the Founders had...Self Government.
And yes, beternU, this is a State's Right argument...I should probably change my signature to Thomas Jefferson's quote calling the Tenth Amendment the "cornerstone" of the Constitution.