Question:
BreakPoint with Charles Colson Commentary #001002 – 10/02/2000 Defending Our Right to Pray: A Not-So-Quiet Revolution For the past several days I’ve been talking about religious liberty and how our American system of government is deeply rooted in Christian principles. I’ve also talked about the rise of practical atheism, the persecution of Christians around the world, and the importance of Christian influence in media and law. As I’ve pointed out over these days, in the past fifty years, the secular culture has been trying to silence believers. But Christians are now saying, "enough is enough," as the protests on high school campuses made clear. When told their right to pray was forbidden, thousands have defied the orders and openly prayed. When TIME magazine reported on this outbreak of Christian resistance, they called it a "not-so-quiet revolution." In communities all across America, citizens have rejected Court-imposed secularism. In Arkansas, for example, football fans left the bleachers and knelt in prayer with the athletes and cheerleaders at mid-field. In Tennessee, students formed a human chain around the field. And in towns like Forest City, North Carolina, fans tuned their portable radios to a local station to hear a pastor’s prayer before the game. But this kind of dissent doesn’t sit well with those who’d like to silence Christians. Steven Shapiro of the ACLU said he’s "very disappointed" with what’s been going on, and he warned that his group will be "watching what’s happening very closely." Well, from the looks of it, he’ll need a lot of watchdogs. But the sore head award goes to Barry Lynn, of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, who said the protests were like a well-known obscene gesture being made at the Court. A more sensible assessment came from Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated who said, "prayer in the American stadium is not an issue that will fade gently away." You can’t stop Americans from standing up and praying any more than you can stop them from cheering the home team. For protesters, Deford said, being told not to pray before a game isn’t an extension of the ban on prayer in school. These games often involve the whole community, and banning prayer on the field is like banning everybody from praying, and that’s an idea that just won’t fly. He’s right about that. In all these issues, the courts and other institutions have overstepped their authority. Praying for the safety of our kids isn’t a threat to anyone, and it’s not something the law can ban. Customs like these are precisely what the religion clauses of the First Amendment were designed to protect. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not from it. And when government tries to suppress our liberties, we have a right to stand up and say no. But in all these instances, it’s important that we make our case thoughtfully and responsibly, bearing in mind that we’re not just citizens but followers of Christ. Violence, or rude, or even angry behavior is never appropriate; but, at the same time, failing to speak up when our basic freedoms are threatened would be just as wrong. As this series has shown, the challenges to religious freedom have never been greater, but there’s also never been a better time to demonstrate faith in action. Call us here at BreakPoint and learn about groups that are fighting for religious freedom. Learn the issues and be prepared to defend religious liberty with your neighbors. And, oh yes, if you are at a football game, stand up and pray. For product requests or to make a donation, please visit our website at http://www.breakpoint.org or call 1-800-995-8777. Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. —
Response:
Good evening Damian; You have made some good points, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. I hear the term religious freedom used a lot. What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Christian influence on TV has had a checkered past, specifically in the area of finances. Jokes about "Give me all your money!" didn’t originate with the IRS. Cheers, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BreakPoint with Charles Colson Commentary #001002 – 10/02/2000 Defending Our Right to Pray: A Not-So-Quiet Revolution For the past several days I’ve been talking about religious liberty and how our American system of government is deeply rooted in Christian principles. I’ve also talked about the rise of practical atheism, the persecution of Christians around the world, and the importance of Christian influence in media and law. As I’ve pointed out over these days, in the past fifty years, the secular culture has been trying to silence believers. But Christians are now saying, "enough is enough," as the protests on high school campuses made clear. When told their right to pray was forbidden, thousands have defied the orders and openly prayed. When TIME magazine reported on this outbreak of Christian resistance, they called it a "not-so-quiet revolution." In communities all across America, citizens have rejected Court-imposed secularism. In Arkansas, for example, football fans left the bleachers and knelt in prayer with the athletes and cheerleaders at mid-field. In Tennessee, students formed a human chain around the field. And in towns like Forest City, North Carolina, fans tuned their portable radios to a local station to hear a pastor’s prayer before the game. But this kind of dissent doesn’t sit well with those who’d like to silence Christians. Steven Shapiro of the ACLU said he’s "very disappointed" with what’s been going on, and he warned that his group will be "watching what’s happening very closely." Well, from the looks of it, he’ll need a lot of watchdogs. But the sore head award goes to Barry Lynn, of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, who said the protests were like a well-known obscene gesture being made at the Court. A more sensible assessment came from Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated who said, "prayer in the American stadium is not an issue that will fade gently away." You can’t stop Americans from standing up and praying any more than you can stop them from cheering the home team. For protesters, Deford said, being told not to pray before a game isn’t an extension of the ban on prayer in school. These games often involve the whole community, and banning prayer on the field is like banning everybody from praying, and that’s an idea that just won’t fly. He’s right about that. In all these issues, the courts and other institutions have overstepped their authority. Praying for the safety of our kids isn’t a threat to anyone, and it’s not something the law can ban. Customs like these are precisely what the religion clauses of the First Amendment were designed to protect. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not from it. And when government tries to suppress our liberties, we have a right to stand up and say no. But in all these instances, it’s important that we make our case thoughtfully and responsibly, bearing in mind that we’re not just citizens but followers of Christ. Violence, or rude, or even angry behavior is never appropriate; but, at the same time, failing to speak up when our basic freedoms are threatened would be just as wrong. As this series has shown, the challenges to religious freedom have never been greater, but there’s also never been a better time to demonstrate faith in action. Call us here at BreakPoint and learn about groups that are fighting for religious freedom. Learn the issues and be prepared to defend religious liberty with your neighbors. And, oh yes, if you are at a football game, stand up and pray. For product requests or to make a donation, please visit our website at http://www.breakpoint.org or call 1-800-995-8777. Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. —
Response:
Gene I as a christian have never been intimidated, coerce, frighten, or inhibited by any one from obeying and performing the determinations of Jesus Christ in my life. Maybe that is because I know there is no christian nation and there never will be one. There is only the christian collective corporeal body of Jesus Christ called the church. All nations are part and parcel in this disordered world state of civilization ruled by its god the diabolic spirit of deception and death, called the Devil. The church is the greatest foreign mission this world has ever known, and the ministry is calling out the people that hear and are drawn to Christ through the gospel. We are in this world, but we are not part of it. The christians reside in the Kingdom of the dear Son. Real christians today, as yesterday, do not try to make a superficial show with prayer like Pharisees, and try to force Jesus Christ on any one , or try to dominate the government and the public school system. It means something to be a real christian. And that is why there is no christians in politics, or any military armies any where. If Jesus Christ belonged to the ROTC as a lad, and then joined the Roman army to kill and protect Rome; then I say you can do the same. And after the army he ran for the Roman senate to serve the people before he went into his ministry, then christians can do the same thing today. But you know he did not do any of these things, and neither can you as a christian. Diabolic Religious people are trying to capture the government today to force all Americans to conform to the law of God and their christianity. They want to take over the public school system, and convert mentally the children and young people to become part of the religious movement, and bring a so-called revival to restore America as a christian nation it never was. This is the rise of the "lamb-beast" in America that looked holy and religious, but when it spoke and acted, it was the dragon-Devil in disguise. America wake up before it is to late. <<< In article <Pine.LNX.4.04.10010031802130.22057- – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BreakPoint with Charles Colson Commentary #001002 – 10/02/2000 Defending Our Right to Pray: A Not-So-Quiet Revolution For the past several days I’ve been talking about religious liberty and how our American system of government is deeply rooted in Christian principles. I’ve also talked about the rise of practical atheism, the persecution of Christians around the world, and the importance of Christian influence in media and law. As I’ve pointed out over these days, in the past fifty years, the secular culture has been trying to silence believers. But Christians are now saying, "enough is enough," as the protests on high school campuses made clear. When told their right to pray was forbidden, thousands have defied the orders and openly prayed. When TIME magazine reported on this outbreak of Christian resistance, they called it a "not-so-quiet revolution." In communities all across America, citizens have rejected Court-imposed secularism. In Arkansas, for example, football fans left the bleachers and knelt in prayer with the athletes and cheerleaders at mid-field. In Tennessee, students formed a human chain around the field. And in towns like Forest City, North Carolina, fans tuned their portable radios to a local station to hear a pastor’s prayer before the game. But this kind of dissent doesn’t sit well with those who’d like to silence Christians. Steven Shapiro of the ACLU said he’s "very disappointed" with what’s been going on, and he warned that his group will be "watching what’s happening very closely." Well, from the looks of it, he’ll need a lot of watchdogs. But the sore head award goes to Barry Lynn, of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, who said the protests were like a well-known obscene gesture being made at the Court. A more sensible assessment came from Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated who said, "prayer in the American stadium is not an issue that will fade gently away." You can’t stop Americans from standing up and praying any more than you can stop them from cheering the home team. For protesters, Deford said, being told not to pray before a game isn’t an extension of the ban on prayer in school. These games often involve the whole community, and banning prayer on the field is like banning everybody from praying, and that’s an idea that just won’t fly. He’s right about that. In all these issues, the courts and other institutions have overstepped their authority. Praying for the safety of our kids isn’t a threat to anyone, and it’s not something the law can ban. Customs like these are precisely what the religion clauses of the First Amendment were designed to protect. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not from it. And when government tries to suppress our liberties, we have a right to stand up and say no. But in all these instances, it’s important that we make our case thoughtfully and responsibly, bearing in mind that we’re not just citizens but followers of Christ. Violence, or rude, or even angry behavior is never appropriate; but, at the same time, failing to speak up when our basic freedoms are threatened would be just as wrong. As this series has shown, the challenges to religious freedom have never been greater, but there’s also never been a better time to demonstrate faith in action. Call us here at BreakPoint and learn about groups that are fighting for religious freedom. Learn the issues and be prepared to defend religious liberty with your neighbors. And, oh yes, if you are at a football game, stand up and pray. For product requests or to make a donation, please visit our website at http://www.breakpoint.org or call 1-800-995-8777. Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. —
http://www.unification.net — Gene Austin The Grace Of God In Truth <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2490/index.html Before you buy.
Response:
Good evening Damian; You have made some good points, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. I hear the term religious freedom used a lot. What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted?
No, and that was the point of the Supreme Court case. The "messanger" (the person who gave the prayer) was selected by majority vote. The Roman Catholic and LDS family who brought this to court pointed out that only members of majority religion (IOW baptist) were allowed to give the "message" (prayer), and the specific prayer was sometimes offensive in its sectarian message. I notice that Chuck Colson did not address that particular issue here. snip Best regards, Charles dowis "Try to reason with a cat? I’m not sure that’s possible." Before you buy.
Response:
<snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted?
Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
I would think freedom to speak should cover this, and a minute or two, will not hurt anyone, then if a prayer is to a false God, they are praying, not you, and you can pray your prayer quietly while they pray out loud. If their prayer is to a false idol or god, it is useless to start with, so to be respectable is to let them have their say. When it is your turn you can pray to God and that should make a difference and these unbelievers would hear and see what your God can do. Who knows maybe they like it, and find Jesus. This is better then no public prayers. There should still be rules that no one should disrespect others, even if they are in the wrong, a pray to help others see the truth, would be simple. I would be against written prayers, or book prayers, that are not from that persons heart, but his religion should not be used. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. I would think freedom to speak should cover this, and a minute or two, will not hurt anyone, then if a prayer is to a false God, they are praying, not you, and you can pray your prayer quietly while they pray out loud.
Why can’t they all do it silently? If one can, they all can. If their prayer is to a false idol or god, it is useless to start with, so to be respectable is to let them have their say. When it is your turn you can pray to God and that should make a difference and these unbelievers would hear and see what your God can do. Who knows maybe they like it, and find Jesus. This is better then no public prayers. There should still be rules that no one should disrespect others, even if they are in the wrong, a pray to help others see the truth, would be simple. I would be against written prayers, or book prayers, that are not from that persons heart, but his religion should not be used.
Suppose the prayer of the majority was to a golden calf? I don’t think you’d be so understanding then. Agkistrodon
Response:
Good morning Alcatel; Well, if the freedom to publicly express one’s religious belief’s are paramount, I certainly agree that this is quite logical. However, many Christians would object that this wouldn’t be fair. For some reason, many of them interpret freedom of religion to mean that they have all of the advantages while others have none. That isn’t freedom. And as Copperhead suggested, if they can’t get along, then provide time for a silent prayer so they can pray or chew bubble gum. Cheers, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. I would think freedom to speak should cover this, and a minute or two, will not hurt anyone, then if a prayer is to a false God, they are praying, not you, and you can pray your prayer quietly while they pray out loud. Why can’t they all do it silently? If one can, they all can.
I have no problem with that, but some do. I would be against written prayers, or book prayers, that are not from that persons heart, but his religion should not be used. Suppose the prayer of the majority was to a golden calf? I don’t think you’d be so understanding then.
Why would you think that? I do not live in the USA, on both sides of my enterance is a buddhist worship area, and I get the smoke from them burning their gifts to the dead, daily. We are great friends, they do not put their candles on my steps and we live side by side. I have my mark on the door way saying we love the Lord, and they have their red signs saying what they want. I find when I pray for them they are humble and will lower their head in respect to my God. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Agkistrodon
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. I would think freedom to speak should cover this, and a minute or two, will not hurt anyone, then if a prayer is to a false God, they are praying, not you, and you can pray your prayer quietly while they pray out loud. Why can’t they all do it silently? If one can, they all can. I have no problem with that, but some do. I would be against written prayers, or book prayers, that are not from that persons heart, but his religion should not be used. Suppose the prayer of the majority was to a golden calf? I don’t think you’d be so understanding then. Why would you think that? I do not live in the USA, on both sides of my enterance is a buddhist worship area, and I get the smoke from them burning their gifts to the dead, daily. We are great friends, they do not put their candles on my steps and we live side by side. I have my mark on the door way saying we love the Lord, and they have their red signs saying what they want. I find when I pray for them they are humble and will lower their head in respect to my God.
But you are not talking about a religious performance at a state function, are you? Agkistrodon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Suppose the prayer of the majority was to a golden calf? I don’t think you’d be so understanding then. Why would you think that? I do not live in the USA, on both sides of my enterance is a buddhist worship area, and I get the smoke from them burning their gifts to the dead, daily. We are great friends, they do not put their candles on my steps and we live side by side. I have my mark on the door way saying we love the Lord, and they have their red signs saying what they want. I find when I pray for them they are humble and will lower their head in respect to my God. But you are not talking about a religious performance at a state function, are you?
Any and all functions. Raymond – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Agkistrodon
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Good morning Alcatel; Well, if the freedom to publicly express one’s religious belief’s are paramount, I certainly agree that this is quite logical. However, many Christians would object that this wouldn’t be fair. For some reason, many of them interpret freedom of religion to mean that they have all of the advantages while others have none. That isn’t freedom. And as Copperhead suggested, if they can’t get along, then provide time for a silent prayer so they can pray or chew bubble gum. Cheers, John <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
I disagree with even the moment of silence business. There’s an interesting case in Virginia right now, where schools hold a moment of silence to reflect or pray. There’s some difficulty over what to do with students who believe it is an infringement of separation of church and state and who leave the classroom during the time. — Regards, Lee Paulson **In the beginning, there was soup, followed shortly by mitochondrial Eve. ** Before you buy.
Response:
Good morning Lee; I’m unfamililar with the situation in Virginia. Could you provide me with some more detail? Cheers, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Good morning Alcatel; Well, if the freedom to publicly express one’s religious belief’s are paramount, I certainly agree that this is quite logical. However, many Christians would object that this wouldn’t be fair. For some reason, many of them interpret freedom of religion to mean that they have all of the advantages while others have none. That isn’t freedom. And as Copperhead suggested, if they can’t get along, then provide time for a silent prayer so they can pray or chew bubble gum. Cheers, John <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. I disagree with even the moment of silence business. There’s an interesting case in Virginia right now, where schools hold a moment of silence to reflect or pray. There’s some difficulty over what to do with students who believe it is an infringement of separation of church and state and who leave the classroom during the time. — Regards, Lee Paulson **In the beginning, there was soup, followed shortly by mitochondrial Eve. ** Before you buy.
Response:
Good morning Lee; I’m unfamililar with the situation in Virginia. Could you provide me with some more detail? Cheers, John
This is a stretch of my poor brain, in part because I don’t live in Virginia. Let me search the Washington Post. If I recall correctly, schools have been mandated to observe a moment of silence at the beginning of the day. There is prefatory language to the moment that says something to the effect of it’s for introspection or prayer. I’ll search the Post and see what I can come up with. — Regards, Lee Paulson **In the beginning, there was soup, followed shortly by mitochondrial Eve. ** Before you buy.
Response:
Good morning Lee; I’m unfamililar with the situation in Virginia. Could you provide me with some more detail? Cheers, John
Here’s the blurb from the Post archives. I don’t have an account, so I can’t pull the entire article, but I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the web. It’s evidently a commonwealth law. JUDGE HEARS DEBATE ON SCHOOL LAW; STUDENTS CHALLENGING VA. MINUTE OF SILENCE Article 4 of 31 found BROOKE A. MASTERS WASHINGTON POST STAFF WRITER Saturday, September 9, 2000 ; Page B01 Section: Metro Word Count: 633 Attorneys for 10 public school students sparred in federal court yesterday with Virginia’s solicitor general over whether the commonwealth’s new mandatory moment-of-silence law is simply a useful educational tool or an unconstitutional effort to force children to pray. — Regards, Lee Paulson **In the beginning, there was soup, followed shortly by mitochondrial Eve. ** Before you buy.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Good morning Lee; I’m unfamililar with the situation in Virginia. Could you provide me with some more detail? Cheers, John Good morning Alcatel; Well, if the freedom to publicly express one’s religious
Here’s a better description: http://www.mcjonline.com/news/00/20000308d.htm — Regards, Lee Paulson **In the beginning, there was soup, followed shortly by mitochondrial Eve. ** Before you buy.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
So you feel that members of a *minority* religions do not have a right to participate on public prayers. And that attitude is exactly why the Supreme Court ruled "student lead" paryers to be illegal. Only members of the majority religion were invited to give the prayer, and their prayer were offensive to those of minority religions. As my momma taught me when I tried to grab too much cake "When you get piggy, you gets your hand slapped." And that’s what happened to the majority religion when they got piggy. They got their hand slapped, and cried abt religious freedom because they wanted the "freedom" to deny it to others. So sad. Best regards, Charles dowis "Try to reason with a cat? I’m not sure that’s possible." Before you buy.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. So you feel that members of a *minority* religions do not have a right to participate on public prayers. And that attitude is exactly why the Supreme Court ruled "student lead" paryers to be illegal. Only members of the majority religion were invited to give the prayer, and their prayer were offensive to those of minority religions. As my momma taught me when I tried to grab too much cake "When you get piggy, you gets your hand slapped." And that’s what happened to the majority religion when they got piggy. They got their hand slapped, and cried abt religious freedom because they wanted the "freedom" to deny it to others. So sad.
ALRIGHT, CHARLES!!!!! YOU GOT A BIG ONE AND YOU GOT IT ON THE HEAD!! I’ll send you one of my Jell-O mo(u)lds as soon as they arrive. Agkistrodon
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Re: Defending Our Right to Pray Organization: Deja.com – Before you buy. Newsgroups: [2] alt.religion.christian.pentecostal, [3] alt.religion.mormon, [4] alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic Followup to: [5] newsgroup(s) References: [6] <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished.
*** well heck if all faiths could do their prayers and atheists could be excused from listening etc….then that would be great but on a practical level would that not take a long time? there are so many faiths out there and to give time for all would take a good chunk of time! Reverend Brenda – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Best regards, Charles dowis "Try to reason with a cat? I’m not sure that’s possible." Before you buy.
Response:
If I recall correctly, schools have been mandated to observe a moment of silence at the beginning of the day. There is prefatory language to the moment that says something to the effect of it’s for introspection or prayer.
I would beg to be corrected if I am incorrect about this, Lee, but since I do live in Virginia, I’ll try to explain this to the best of my ability. If I am properly informed, the law calls only for a minute of silence at the beginning of each school day. I believe that the language regarding prayer or introspection was stricken from the bill before it reached the Governor’s desk. If I may offer my opinion, as the godmother of 10 and the aunt of 4, I humbly submit that anything that causes children to be silent for one moment at the beginning of each day is a good thing. If they choose to pray, then so be it. I went to public schools for 11 years and found time to pray several times during each day, including the Angelus. I honestly don’t know if anyone else was aware that I was praying, except when I said Grace before lunch, or a Hail Mary before a track or cross-country meet. I do know that when I was in school, we said the Pledge of Allegiance before classes began every morning. If a student’s religion did not permit him or her to say the Pledge, he or she was asked to remain silent while it was said. It does not seem to me to be that much of a stretch to have a moment of silence either before or after the Pledge for students to do as they please, so long as they do it in silence. I will also look this law up, and report back with what will hopefully be some clarification. Anyone else who wishes to do so, may wish to check http://www.roanoketimes.com or http://www.richmondtimesdispatch.com; both of these are Virginia newspapers. Kelly
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip What if an Islamic or a Hindu wants to make a public prayer as well? Will that person be permitted? Why not, If about 50% or more of the stadium is Islamic, in an islamic community, they should not only have the right to pray, but I think they should have the obligation. Why can we not celebrate differences and if someone does something that you don’t agree with, just stand respectably for a couple of minutes and then join them when they are finished. So you feel that members of a *minority* religions do not have a right to participate on public prayers. And that attitude is exactly why the Supreme Court ruled "student lead" paryers to be illegal. Only members of the majority religion were invited to give the prayer, and their prayer were offensive to those of minority religions. As my momma taught me when I tried to grab too much cake "When you get piggy, you gets your hand slapped." And that’s what happened to the majority religion when they got piggy. They got their hand slapped, and cried abt religious freedom because they wanted the "freedom" to deny it to others. So sad.
Indeed. The topic of marriage and homosexuals comes to mind. -Winslow Best regards, Charles dowis "Try to reason with a cat? I’m not sure that’s possible." Before you buy.
Before you buy.
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