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Federal Judge Prohibits Prayer at Texas Graduation Ceremony
FOXNews.com ^ | June 2, 2011 | By Todd Starnes

Posted on 06/02/2011 5:48:40 PM PDT by metmom

A federal judge has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer at a high school graduation ceremony.

Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order against the Medina Valley Independent School District also forbids students from using specific religious words including “prayer” and “amen.”

The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Christa and Danny Schultz. Their son is among those scheduled to participate in Saturday’s graduation ceremony. The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the school district is in the process of appealing the ruling, and his office has agreed to file a brief in their support.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: antitheism; arth; atheism; atheists; christophobia; graduation; medina; misotheism; prayer; tolerantleft; tx
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To: presently no screen name; 1000 silverlings; Alex Murphy; bkaycee; blue-duncan; boatbums; caww; ...

Dontcha love when trolls actually use the Scripture they disdain to bludgeon the faith that is founded on it?

Instead of just taking the typical atheist stand, they pretend that they are Christians or believers and quote Scripture thinking that Christians will fall for their misinterpretation and be cowed into submitting. The perception is that Christians are such wusses that they melt into a puddle if they are accused of being a *bad* Christian.

So the atheists and God haters have learned to quote Scripture under the delusion that Christians can be manipulated with it. Like Christians say to themselves, “Oh! It’s in Scripture. I have to listen to it.” not realizing that Christians actually know how to correctly interpret Scripture and recognize when someone is misusing it as a manipulation technique.


161 posted on 06/02/2011 9:53:55 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: Doe Eyes
even though the Bible is pretty clear that God don't need input from "pagans" on how to manage the world.

Here's your shot at obeying it, not just reading it.
162 posted on 06/02/2011 9:54:38 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: metmom

Even Satan can quote Scripture. Why would atheists be any different?


163 posted on 06/02/2011 9:54:59 PM PDT by HushTX (I make libs rage quit.)
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To: namvolunteer

How can the police arrest someone if no crime has been committed?

It’s not illegal to pray in public (yet).

A judge can claim that disobeying his ruling is contempt of court, but that is not settled yet either. If the judge is going to make a decision contrary to the Constitution, is it legally binding?

The judiciary is not in the position of having the authority to make laws, only to determine if a law has been violated. Making laws is the responsibility of the legislature.

If the boy and his parents don’t want public prayer at the graduation, then they should petition to have the law changed, through the proper channels. They can spend their time and money to advocate for this change and see what the Texas State legislature or the federal legislature decide.

And maybe the best thing to do would be to have a bunch of people get arrested and take it to court. It’s well past time the issue was forced to be dealt with. I don’t think it would stand a snowball’s chance. There would be far too much outcry.


164 posted on 06/02/2011 10:02:05 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom

Very true. Thank you for sharing your insights, dear sister in Christ!


165 posted on 06/02/2011 10:02:47 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: HushTX
Even Satan can quote Scripture. Why would atheists be any different?

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

166 posted on 06/02/2011 10:03:32 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom
not realizing that Christians actually know how to correctly interpret Scripture and recognize when someone is misusing it as a manipulation technique.

I laugh at their attempt. They read words with no knowledge what is behind the words. God's great design.

This TX situation is a case for Jay Sekulow - a winnable one at that but not for this graduation.
167 posted on 06/02/2011 10:20:07 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: metmom

“A judge can claim that disobeying his ruling is contempt of court, but that is not settled yet either. If the judge is going to make a decision contrary to the Constitution, is it legally binding?”

If our history and founding fathers are a guideline, we as Americans are duty-bound to ignore any unconstitutional ‘law’ or ruling, just as our military are duty-bound to ignore unlawful orders. Men have given their lives for far less.


168 posted on 06/02/2011 10:20:17 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: metmom; angryoldfatman

Is halal food available in Medina Valley district schools? What do the feds and atheists have to say about that?


169 posted on 06/02/2011 10:35:57 PM PDT by Ethan Clive Osgoode (<<== Click here to learn about Evolution!)
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To: acapesket; metmom

I agree, ‘We the People’ stand up and pray and that will be an ‘don’t you know who we are?’ to the judge besides a history lesson to the wuss kid.


170 posted on 06/02/2011 10:45:41 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: Doe Eyes; metmom; Gene Eric; HushTX; Norm Lenhart; pnh102; Cvengr; presently no screen name; ...
I can read the Bible, and Jesus Christ does not support public prayer. Matthew 6:5-6 King James Version (KJV)
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. [Doe Eyes, post #100]

You really need to read the Bible. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [Doe Eyes, post #115]

Sorry, Doe Eyes, but I don't think Jesus' disciples would have practiced something that their Master disapproved or frowned upon.

Examples:

The "heading" for Acts 7 is "Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin" It was a public speech. Now granted, we don't know if Stephen opened with prayer or not...but he certainly closed his speech -- and very life -- with it!

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:59-60)

We know the resurrected Jesus also hand-picked the apostle Paul by appearing to him. What did this apostle tell the Thessalonians? To pray without ceasing! (1 Thess. 5:17) If you pray without ceasing, you're going to at times pray in public places. And you can't assume that this is always going to be unspoken prayer.

I mean, we wouldn't even have John 17 in the Bible if Jesus didn't deliberately choose to pray in front of others -- out loud, for crying out loud!

No, even though the prophet Daniel was in his upstairs room praying when he was thrown into the lion's den for breaking the new law of praying to God...the fact is that men's edicts cannot stop us from assuming obvious prayer postures.

Did Daniel break man's law of not praying to God? (Yup) See. Daniel 6:7-9, 12

Were the men who "caught" Daniel praying "technically" correct that Daniel broke man's law? Not really. V. 24 of Dan. 6 specifically says these men "falsely accused Daniel" -- and they and their wives & children paid for it dearly by being tossed in the lions' den!

Finally, if you're going to literally interpret Matt. 6:6 as some sort of condemnation of praying outside your "closet" in front of others, then you're essentially concluding that Jesus condemned Daniel when the following occurred: ...he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. (Dan. 6:10-11)

Doe Eyes, you really need to read your Bible more completely.

171 posted on 06/02/2011 10:54:40 PM PDT by Colofornian (Key Q for Romney & Huntsman: Show us your spirit-birth certificate from Kolob)
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To: Norm Lenhart

I’m with you - I hope these parents have a plan to stand up and exercise their rights and it will plus plus to their kids education. The best graduation present they could give them and, also, to the nose picking kid.


172 posted on 06/02/2011 10:57:22 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: angryoldfatman

““The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.”

That prayer thing must be some powerful stuff! ;-)”

Like a vampire to the Holy Cross...

Maybe if we get a Southern Baptist Minsters down there to preach the word of God, he just might be able to Purge the Devil from their blacken atheist heart!

I suspect once we melt away all that evil which has been developing there we might just find a good soul at the center that can be saved.


173 posted on 06/02/2011 11:07:24 PM PDT by Monorprise
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To: Colofornian; Doe Eyes

Nice work, Colofornian.

Contrary to the charges of atheist and troll, I suspect Doe Eyes is simply a go along, get along Christian. Regrettably, the times do not permit the luxuries of Ga Ga Christianity.


174 posted on 06/02/2011 11:13:13 PM PDT by Gene Eric (*** Jesus ***)
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To: silverleaf

A girl from the school is already counter-suing the federal employee in a black robe for his constitutional usurpation of her rights.

If you ask me your right asking the Federal employee in black robes to correct themselves while nice is no different then asking a criminal to give back the property they stole from you.


175 posted on 06/02/2011 11:15:36 PM PDT by Monorprise
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To: Monorprise

Is there an article regarding the girl who is counter suing?


176 posted on 06/02/2011 11:19:10 PM PDT by HushTX (I make libs rage quit.)
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To: Doe Eyes

You are flat out an idiot and a contrarian for the sole sake of synthetic of validation of your fake view point.


177 posted on 06/02/2011 11:59:20 PM PDT by Vendome ("Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it anyway")
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To: Lancey Howard

Hmmmm

Perhaps there are some cynical similarities, too. LOL.


178 posted on 06/03/2011 12:02:17 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: metmom

Sounds like a reasonable exhortation, to me.


179 posted on 06/03/2011 12:06:01 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Doe Eyes
"Christian is not mentioned in the Constitution."

Jesus Christ, our lord is most certainly mentioned in the Constitution.

180 posted on 06/03/2011 2:05:38 AM PDT by circlecity
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