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Sorry Westwend!!
Got you on the age "thing". I was born 19 months before Pearl Harbor. I even have a couple of memories of ration books. Now there is something that might benefit the last couple of gererations, including my two sons. Makes them appreciate things more. Ha!
God Bless!
posted by
RosieV
on November 9, 2004 at 9:09 AM
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I don't want oral prayer in schools.
Every person is free to pay silently, inside themselves, at any time, 24/7. Leading oral prayer provides the opportunity for teachers, staff, and even other students to impress their beliefs on young people. That should not be part of the public school systems.
Parents who want a more religious atmosphere for their children should send them to parochial schools. Many of the traditional ones are faltering in the area where I live because parents seem to prefer public schools. I know it costs money for parochial schools, but many of them will make arrangements for a child who wants to attend but cannot afford tuition.
By the way, I am also against school choice programs. I have no intention of my tax dollars going to support children attending private schools. According to the way school systems around here are crying the blues about federal money cuts, every possible penny needs to go to the public school systems.
In this day of "No Child Left Behind," when there is apparently a problem with our children not learning enough, time shouldn't be wasted on oral prayer. Parents can teach their children (new concept, here) to pray whenever and wherever they wish, in their own hearts and heads. That is religious freedom, i.e., freeing the rest of us from your beliefs. 
posted by
Witchflower
on November 6, 2004 at 10:30 AM
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Saying you don't need to participate is fine...
..but think about how you would feel if you or your child was the one choosing to skip the group prayer to Allah.
Religion is such a personal thing that I think it should be left out of all public life.
posted by
Dnace
on October 30, 2004 at 11:49 AM
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Westwind
If you agree that majority wins, then one person in a classroom not wanting to pray or hear a pray is simply that and nothing more. There is surely someone who does not want to conjugate verbs in English, tough. This stuff of one surviving a life time without their feelings being hurt or hurting someone's feelings is like living in Alice’s' Rabbit Hole. I don't have to like what you do or what you believe but if I have civility I will not oppose your right to believe that or act that unless it is oppressive to a majority.
posted by
Justi
on October 29, 2004 at 6:31 PM
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...
"Congress shall make no law..."
posted by
Reaganesque
on October 29, 2004 at 3:06 PM
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oh, very similar
to how kids who don't participate in halloween are made fun of?
On another thought, if it is so imperative to you that we keep religion out of government, why is it not imperative to you that we keep government out of religion? For example my 501c3 information, or as another example, why are they using churches as polling places to vote? It all seems rather hypocritical to me.
posted by
PastorB
on October 29, 2004 at 12:30 PM
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the problem with steel's
proposal -- the kids who don't participate then are the "outsiders" -- and probably pointed out as "different" -- remember high school? -- how many kids that were different were basically "outcasts"? -- kids are cruel, admit it, and a situation that separates can lead to problems.
posted by
Xeno-x
on October 29, 2004 at 5:50 AM
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I Have...
no comment on westwend's comment about not praying over his kids. No comment at all.
posted by
RedStatesMan
on October 28, 2004 at 7:40 PM
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Which Prayer?
You simply have a moment of silence for each student to pray to whomever they pray to. If someone is an atheist then they can sit and do nothing or leave the room if they wish for that period of time. Everyone has then been given their right to do whatever they want. GEEESH, this is ridiculous.
posted by
RedStatesMan
on October 28, 2004 at 7:39 PM
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Kids can pray anytime they want in school. I pray wherever I go. Nobody notices it. Why do we need to push it farther? Outside a church or a religious gathering or a worship service or family (I probably missed something) prayer is a private thing. There's no need for it to be led in school. Unless you want to provide a room for each one of the different religions.
posted by
roofpig
on October 28, 2004 at 3:59 PM
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sorry
didn't mean for the comment to post twice, having connection failure error messages all day and it does that.
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 3:58 PM
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westwend
you need to point out to me where in my comments on Rachel post that I called anyone a name? You clearly did not read the comment correctly and I expect an apology for being accused of such.
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 3:54 PM
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westwend
you need to point out to me where in my comments on Rachel post that I called anyone a name? You clearly did not read the comment correctly and I expect an apology for being accused of such.
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 3:54 PM
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rosie
i'm probably older than you are
i never had prayer in school.
i also remember when "under God" wasn't in the Pledge of Allegiance.
nobody missed prayer as far as I could tell.
evrybody was happy
posted by
Xeno-x
on October 28, 2004 at 12:36 PM
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odd i didn't pray over my kids
and they both turned out fantastic
take Kooka, for instance
could you ask for a better son?
and my daughter
she's married to a bank president
and one of the nicest most generous persons you'll ever meet.
someone's saying that prayer does it
but lack of prayer doesn't do it? is that what they're saying?
my kids aren't into drugs and aren't criminals and aren't mental cases or anything like that.
you think something's going to happen down the line?
posted by
Xeno-x
on October 28, 2004 at 12:33 PM
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ha ha aardy
aardy har har
one part inspiration nine parts persperation
posted by
Xeno-x
on October 28, 2004 at 12:28 PM
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I agree prayer in school is not a right, but I would hope to retain the privelege, especially during tests!
posted by
aardvark
on October 28, 2004 at 12:23 PM
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UNICORN
Thanks for your comments, and don't worry about what people call you, just hold on to what you believe and ignore them. My mom used to say that when others didn't agree with your beliefs, that was fine, but when they started calling you names, to remember that "their smart" was showing! I've remembered that all my life.
When my children started to school, there was no prayer in schools, so I prayed over them every single day before they left. It worked too, because I have 3 wonderful children, not perfect, but strong and independent and live true godly lives without being obnoxious.
Take care and I hope you are very blessed by God!
posted by
RosieV
on October 28, 2004 at 9:31 AM
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I have no problem with people being allowed to pray at school. The school itself just should not be leading it. And it should not interfere with the learning.
And Rosie, prayer being taken out os school had is no the cause of our problems. It was a sign of the time when our country lost its innocence through many, many other factors. It was shown that we had to start showing respect for other's belief because we could no longer sit back pretend that everyone agreed with the Christian ideas. Since you have lived through those changes you should know all of what was happening back then.
posted by
kooka_lives
on October 28, 2004 at 8:57 AM
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RosieV
Very good points! I agree, when they officially took God out of schools in June of 1962, they started a downward spiral, but of course when I said that in one of my posts I was accused of being an alarmist and liar, go figure. Being born in 1961, I don't remember the days of prayer in school, but I do remember when we couldn't say the pledge of allegiance anymore in our public school.
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 8:31 AM
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I am so amazed when I read all the anti-prayer comments. Not only that, they make my heart hurt for all of you.
Sounds like most of you are younger and do not remember when prayer was in our schools. Well I remember!! I even took my turn on the loud speaker in the Principal's Office. NO ONE was ever forced to pray - NOT EVER!! One short prayer was said at the beginning of the school day and the prayer generally asked for safety for all the kids, blessings for all and that was it. What a horrible, horrible thing huh????
Take a look at our schools, the young people, murder, sex, etc, since 1963. Not much to brag about huh? That does not mean all youth are bad! I know and understand that. You cannot lump all in one group, but things aren't looking too good right now.
NO ONE will ever take my right to pray, because prayers during my work day and at home are silent prayers between God and myself. Just in case you didn't know, He hears those too. It's been that way since I was a child and will continue.
May you be blessed.
posted by
RosieV
on October 28, 2004 at 8:22 AM
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my son asked a good guestion the other day,
'how come I can't pray in school, but other people can come to school dressed up as a devil or a witch?'
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 8:16 AM
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o.k., what about this prayer:
"I pray for peace in my heart, to live one day at a time. I pray for the courage to look within MYSELF, I pray for the wisdom and strength to walk in balance"
posted by
PastorB
on October 28, 2004 at 7:48 AM
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I don't understand it, but I don't want
anything shoved down my or my kids throats.
posted by
TARZANA
on October 28, 2004 at 6:30 AM
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