Offended at Public Prayer ?

[Richard Cranium]

This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLoud, on September 1, 2000. I thought it was worth sharing with the world and hope you will forward it to all your friends. It shows clearly just how far this country has gone in the wrong direction.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country.

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it, "an alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that's OK.


I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.


I can even use this public facility, to present the merits of killing an unborn baby, as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem.


I can designate a school day as, "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess, "Mother Earth," and call it "ecology."


I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as, "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it, "enlightenment."


However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God, and to ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.


This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and His Commandments.


Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.


For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.



However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God, and ask Him, in the name of Jesus, to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."



One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another, and began to pray.



They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand, and they prayed in the announcer's box.


The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America - the seat of "justice" in the "one nation, under God."


Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten..We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise God that His remnant remains!


Celebrate Jesus in 2002!

Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of Me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father."


If you are not ashamed, pass this on, but only if you mean it.

Yes, I do Love God. He is my source of existence and Savior.

He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I will be nothing, but with Him, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

Phillipians 4:13

See the problem is like this. Others have no problems with religion. But when others force it upon others that is where a problem is. Here in Virginia our school has a thing called the minute of silence. You can tell that our school has a high population of Christianity. So Va is trying to fight this bill, saying it is promoting prayer. The court came back and said "No its one used to reflect on your day” which is total BS.

I have no problem with people praying and worshipping god, but when you try to push it on me or try to enlighten me on the subject I get irritated

JaYsin

[caddmannq]

There are a lot of offensive things in this world. I don't usually find public prayers to be one of them, even when they are not the prayers of my faith.

[geekgrl]

JaYsin, I agree.
I shouldn't be forced into a prayer.
I will do a minute of silence though.

[NoCtrl]

The problem as I see it is that only one religion use to be taught in our schools. I remember my elementary school teacher reading from the Bible every day. This was public school and not everyone was a Christian. Therein lies the problem.

We are a diverse country with many different religions. Some people do not believe in God. I think that parents should teach their beliefs to thier children. I also think that schools should make students aware of all the different religious beliefs or lack there of, as a matter of fact, and not teach a particular belief as the right or wrong one. Clergy from all religions should be invited to the classroom to provide inlightenment. At what age this should be done is debatable (as is everything I'm saying). Well, that's my opinion.

[TonTo]

I aggree, if you want too, go for it, do NOT force it on me though. Here at work, when all these bible bangers want to pray, THEY go elsewhere... they do NOT interupt my work.

For me, prayer and religion is a very private thing, I do not want to share it publicly with others.

well its funny because in a public school the have the fellowship of christian altheles. AKA FCA and thats really big in our school. also this had the pray at the flag pole before school starts. i thought sponsoring anything with religion in public schools was not allowed?

[Knothead]

Hmm...Principal McLoud needs a lesson in Christianity...particularly the part about "judge not, lest ye be judged." Anybody notice his sarcasm towards others, who may have other beliefs and lifestyles?

Other people matter, Mr. McLoud, and I'm sure God made every one of them, as well. He misses this point especially in ridiculing the Supreme Court (well, I ridicule them too, but for entirely different reasons! )

The Supreme Court isn't qualified to rule on secular matters (religion) ...they can only make rules about PEOPLE. And when you have such a diversity of beliefs like we have here, well, people get P.O.ed when they get somebody else's religion shoved down their throat. The Court hardly ruled that you can't be religious, not at all. All they're saying is, you can't go around bandying one or the other in PUBLIC, on public time.

Aside from that, I have no problem with a moment of silence, as Geekgrl pointed out.

[fatal xception]

Mmmm...apparently the principal need to review the actual function of the Supreme Court. It is not their purpose to judge right or wrong of an issue or to discuss the morality of it. Their purpose is to determine the constitutionality of an issue...that's it. This decision was based on separation of church and state, something our founding fathers were very clear on. The interesting thing is if I remember correctly, this was approved by a relatively conservative court.

[Knothead]

Plus (and I don't mean this as a cheap shot,) but I have never understood why our Savior should be concerned about the outcome of a football game.