[Z.Hobbs]

"What puzzles me is - why do those that pray need to to it verbally & in public so that others hear them?"

Why is it that families who meet other family members at the airport have to hug them so that everybody sees? Why do parents dare embracing their freshmen college students as they say good-bye on state funded property? Don't they know that this offends anti-familyists? When you making it illegal to acknowledge God publicly you are enforcing the public practice of athiesm. You can't make everybody happy, but the will of the majority must prevail in public practice.

An honest assessment of the impact of acknowledging God in our military academies is that it is a good thing. What do athiests have that causes them to not lie, cheat or steal for fear of God's judgment? Or is peer pressure and one's own sense of morality all that is needed?

[familyofman]

"What do athiests have that causes them to not lie, cheat or steal for fear of God's judgment? Or is peer pressure and one's own sense of morality all that is needed?"
I don't need the fear of your god's judgement/rath to make me do what is right. It doesn't seem to deter criminals and white-collar theives very well. It is my own sense of morality that is all I need, and probably for almost everyone else too.
Mores come from a lot more than reliogion, or any one specific religion, as can be ascertained from studying other societies - both contemporary and historic to realize this.
I am no more offended by people praying out load than I am of cellphone talkers. If the military required everyone to talk on their cellphone at an appointed time everyday - would that offend you?