1st Amendment Survey (school prayer)

Said freshman | 12 March 2003 | MD high school freshman

[Bella_Bru]

"So are you saying that Jews, Muslims, Bhuddists etc. need not apply in the U.S.? We need prayer in the schools but only Christian prayer?" Yes, that is what I am saying. Either there is only one G-d or there is not.

I bet you really like Pat Buchanan. He doesn't like Jews either.

[Bella_Bru]

Answer my question. Why do you want to force Jewish kids to pray to Jesus Christ?

[Lord_Baltar]

" Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I will not back down from that."

No one has suggested that you should.

However, you are suggesting that others should back down from their beliefs at your dictate because you believe that only your Religion should be observed in Schools.

Why do you think that would be acceptable to others, and not acceptable to you?

[sauropod]

Again, I reject your premise and your line of reasoning.

I have no problem with a Rabbi conducting a prayer service, as long as he acknowledges who Jesus Christ is.

This mythical "wall of separation" between church and state has come about because of a letter from a certain Founder to the Danbury Baptists in (i think) 1803.

This same Founder cut out of his personal bible any references as to the deity of Christ. The Smithsonian has his bible.

Again, nice try. Try learning some history...

[sauropod]

"This country is not a theocracy. Never has been."

Okies my FRiend. So equating homosexual "civil unions" to the sanctimony of Marriage is ok with you i s'pose.

I s'pose you have no problem with 41 MILLION aborted babies either?

I'll take the theocracy thank you very much.

[Lord_Baltar]

"Okies my FRiend. So equating homosexual "civil unions" to the sanctimony of Marriage is ok with you i s'pose.

I s'pose you have no problem with 41 MILLION aborted babies either?

I'll take the theocracy thank you very much."

OK that's enough...

Thanks for Playing Sauro...

"Only a Fool tries to argue with a Fool"

[sauropod]

This has nothing at all with respect to "liking Jews." Shame on you.

Your smears do not become you.

[sauropod]

I don't care if they pray or not. I would not shrink from what I believe to be true. Either Jesus Christ is Lord or He is not.

Why is this so hard for you to understand?

Look at where our country is today. Many many people have taken your view to heart.

Shame on you. SHAME!

[sauropod]

Read your history.

[sauropod]

Paraphrasing... "Those who know the Lord appear as Fools to others"

Thanks for the compliment.

[Bella_Bru]

I have no problem with a Rabbi conducting a prayer service, as long as he acknowledges who Jesus Christ is

So you don't mind the Rabbi, as long as he basically converts, eh?

Guess what....you aren't going to win. You are not going to succeed in forcing Americans to forget they have Freedom of Religion.

[sauropod]

Everyone has the Freedom to be wrong. What I object to is when the wrong Freedom has been excercised so that it results in a degradation of our society, degradation of morals, and death to 41 million + innocent lives.

You can keep your "freedom of religion."

[Lord_Baltar]

You got that right Bella!

I guess I fall into a weird camp, because I'm not opposed to Religion being taught in schools. I'm of the honest belief that a good study of the varied and diverse world of Religion and belief systems of our world would be a good thing.

Only someone who is not entirely certain of their own beliefs would be afraid of his children learning about other Religions. Each one has things it can teach, and to shun them doesn't serve anyone.

[Sloth]

I do not see the questions as particularly biased, though a couple are unclear.

1) Can state mandated laws requiring any type of religious practice violate the terms of the 1st Amendment and undermine America’s foundation of having no established religion? (yes) (no)

Yes, certainly. Such is contrary to the clear wording of the 1st Amendment.

2) Could having regulated/optional prayer in schools have a negative outcome on student performance? (yes) (no)

I suppose it "could" in some conceivable fashion, though offhand I don't see how it would have any significant effect.

3) Could the issue of prayer in schools be solved by the government giving vouchers to students who want to go to a religious school opposed to a private one? (yes) (no)

I support vouchers, but that would NOT resolve the issue of prayer in public schools.

4) Would making prayer in schools optional cause a backfire from surrounding communities? (yes) (no)

Not even sure what this means... 'Optional' as opposed to what? And why is this relevant?

5) Do activists for state regulated school prayer have a justifiable argument to override the 1962 Supreme Court ruling that public schools would not incorporate a prayer? (yes) (no)

As someone earlier stated, I don't even knw of any such activists. I am unfamiliar with the SCOTUS decision, and don't particularly care about it. No activists can justifiably override the 1st Amendment, unless they pass another Constitutional amendment.

6) Does having a state regulated prayer in public schools violate the 1st amendment? (yes) (no)

Yes, certainly.

I am male between 20 and 35.

[MattAMiller]

1) Yes

2) Yes

3) Yes

4) Yes

5) No

6) Yes

Age: 26
Sex: male

[An.American.Expatriate]

STOP! We went from a discussion of the First Amendement, through some intense questions about beliefs, and now you actually want to teach religion(s)....

It is not the job of the "public school system" to teach ethics, morals, religion or anything else in these fields. That is the job of the family / church.

Schools need to teach the 3R's and History (including the principles that this country was founded on). Everything else (right & wrong, good & evil) expands into the domain of beliefs. While you may "feel" that it would be good to have the kids "exposed" to other religions, who decides which ones and what to teach about them? Who is qualified to do so? Do we need to have some Satanists come in for a two week seminar? How about the Scientologist's. The list would never end . . .

[Lord_Baltar]

AMEN GW.

As my Grandfather said repeatedly "Until your Garden is Perfect, you have no right to run about giving Gardening Tips"

[An.American.Expatriate]

Abortion is not thei issue in this thread so let's not go there, okay??

[Bella_Bru]

Yes, and I will continue being Jewish. I would give up my life before I'd convert away. Especially to some petty wannabe tyrant.