On Prayer in School . . .

It is true, to escape official religious oppression in England, many brave souls came to this continent. Their goal was to set up a society in which all could practice each of their religions without interference from the government, and also to not interfere with the religions of others. In our society the majority rules, as long as the majority does not step on the rights of the minority.

What I am sure most people want is the return “Christian” prayer to our schools.

What we forget is that we are not all Christian, and even if we were, how would we feel if our child came home and told us he was forced in school to say fifteen “OUR FATHER’S” and twenty “HAIL MARY’S,” both good Christian prayers.

On the other hand if prayer is all that is wanted, how about ten minutes of “ALLAH IS GREAT, AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS PROPHET,” or the kids could set in the floor, legs folded, hands together and “OOOMMMMM” for ten minutes.

Maybe if the teacher is a feminist she just might want to lead the children in “OH! GREAT GODDESS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, BRING ME INTO THE COMPANY OF THOSE WHO SEEK THE TRUTH, BUT DELIVER ME FROM THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE FOUND IT.”

My point here is that there are certain things that are personal, which is why we have locks on our bedrooms and bathrooms. Prayer is personal, each of us who prays does so in our own individual way and to our own God.

I promise to never force your child to say an “OUR FATHER” or a “HAIL MARY” or “ALLAH IS GREAT” or even an “OOOMMMMM.” All I want is for you to not force my children to recite your prayers. Personal prayer belongs in Church or with those who also believe, at home. Christian doctrine dictates that one should do their prayers “MODESTLY” away from others, in a closet.

We all want our children in school to be taught the fundamentals. Religion and morals, I’ll take care of at home and in my church. You certainly don’t want me teaching your children my religion and morals, and I feel the same. The assumption is that we are all Christian, but if you mean Baptist, that leaves out the Lutherans, Catholics, People from the Church of Christ, and Church of God, Church of the Nazerine, not to mention the Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Agnostics, and Atheists.

In other words, most of the World. The Christian Fundamentalists are a minority.