[fight_truth_decay]

DailyPress:Last year, a federal judge ruled that seniors at Plainview High School in eastern Colorado could say a prayer at their ceremony. But a federal judge in West Virginia ruled that students at St. Alban's High School could not pray at their ceremony. About 100 students did so anyway, reciting the Lord's Prayer.

Just last week in Winnecone, Wis., school officials gave 18-year-old Rachel Honer the go-ahead to sing "He's Always Been Faithful," by Christian recording artist Sara Groves. Honer agreed to substitute "He," "Him" and "His," in place of God in the lyrics.

The key U.S. Supreme Court decision on the issue came down in 1992, said Davison Douglas, a law professor at the College of William and Mary. A Rhode Island school district asked a rabbi to pray at graduation. The court said in a 5-4 decision that the prayer coerced students into religious exercise and violated the First Amendment.

[smith288]

Separation of church and state? Where is the school teaching religion? These people are Nazis. Plain and simple. They hate faith...

[Xenalyte]

Any school that wants to ban Celine Dion is okay by me.

[mom4kittys]

"The Prayer" is written by David Foster, whose amazing protege Josh Groban has also recorded this song with Charlotte Church.
David's wife Linda Thompson writes lyrics and has written about faith in other songs such as To Where You Are sung by Josh Groban. If you haven't heard of Josh Groban you missing out!

Lyrics:
To Where You Are
Music: Richard Marx
Lyrics: Linda Thompson

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memories so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
'Cause you are mine
Forever love
Watching me from up above

And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

I know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

It is surprising whith Foster's ties to liberals like Streisand.

[Eustace]

My understanding of separation of Church and State comes from Churches being TAX FREE , preventing government intrusion. But since the 1950's many of our Churches have been "incorporated". Incorporation goes back to 600 BC in Greece , Rome made good use of it and still does today.

An incorporated church CANNOT speak against government policy or candidates without the threat of losing their "tax exempt" status granted by Caesar. That means that many of our churches cannot say what Christ would say about us , our society or our government. Which means they no longer speak for Christ , but the state.

The States DID NOT give the federal government control over religion in America , that's why it's not mentioned in federal documents. But check out State Constitutions and YOU will see quite a different story.

Hitler said "Tell a lie long enough and people will believe it."

The Truth

Christians in this country better decide who they worship , Jesus Christ or the state.

Stand up with Christ.

He did for us..................

[Maigrey]

Good Grief! Banning all songs because students want to sing something inspirational that has a reference to God? Sheesh. Maybe next time, the female students should all wear burkas and quote from the Qu'ran. I bet the ACLU would stand up and applaud that!

I bet these are the same affiliated people who said that a marine couldn't wear his dress uniform at graduation.

And for those who don't like a certain singer, that's fine. It leaves more for us who do appreciate her God-given talents.

[breakem]

...........ruled that students at ST. ALBANS High School could not pray at their ceremony.

Ironic!

[Hot Tabasco]

McPherson then passed the lyrics along to the attorney

That was their main mistake......

[Noumenon]

They should sing the song anyway and force the hate-filled spiral-eyed liberal idiots to expose themselves for all to see. Open defiance of this sort of nonsense is the order of the day.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP - I am singing this song myself next Sunday.

[lilylangtree]

Remember singing in the choir at my brother's graduation. We sang "In the Garden." The community was rural too. Sorry that ACLJ couldn't do anything because of the cowardice of the school officials to face the repercussions of their decision.

[happygrl]

I guess that means that songs such as
America the Beautiful
God Bless Amrierica
My country 'Tis of Thee
The Battle Hymn of the Rebublic
can no longer be sung at school functions since they all reference God or Chrsit in the lyrics.

[Michael2001]

I find Celine Dion to be incredibly annoying, but this is a terrible decision nonetheless. What happened to freedom of speech.

[WOSG]

"McPherson then passed the lyrics along to the attorney for the school board who said allowing the song would violate the requirements for separation of church and state"

What we really need to read is:

Attorney fired for mis-stating Constitution and Bill of Rights

[lavaroise]

I guess she should have sung praise to Mao.

People have a complete misunderstanding of the role of religion and ideology in public life.

If it is a personal faith expressed in a song, it can be expressed. If it is a faith advertised and sponsored from the outside, it is no more faith but state religion or ideology.

but of course that does not prevent liberals from indoctrinating our youth with ideas from the outside instead of letting them express themselves and care for themselves.

[BlessedBeGod]

When the ACLJ threatened school officials with federal litigation, the school responded by issuing a complete ban on singing at the ceremony, forcing the ACLJ to give up its fight.

Oh now that's a really adult way of handling it. How petty!

[xrp]

RAAAAAAAAAAAWR, Uglycat does not like mindless school administrators that try to slam Christianity!

[xm177e2]

''The Prayer'' mentions God once and speaks of faith and the presence of a higher power. ''Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace. Give us faith so we'll be safe,'' the lyrics say.

This is primarily and overtly religious. Therefore it is unacceptable for an official event at a public school.

What if some atheists wanted to take five minutes to sing a song about how God didn't exist and about how we have to do everything on our own? Fundie Christian freepers would be going batsh-t over the poor Christian kids who would be forced to be exposed to such godless hate. And half of the posters would suggest the football players find the atheists after the ceremony and beat their faces in.

Of course the first amendment gives us freedom from religion. We have freedom from government-mandated burqas, for instance. We have freedom from the government forcing us to sit through religious (or anti-religious) ceremonies at secular events like high school graduations.

[jjm2111]

Cultural diversity means not Christian.

[Aquinasfan]

I think "School's Out" by Alice Cooper might be more apropos. Seriously.

[Bill Davis FR]

can we sing god bless america????