Prayer In School, are you against or for prayer in school Options

[*xcaitlinx*]

of course there shouldn't be prayer in school...because a lot of people...including myself...don't bleieve in god or have different beliefs than your typical christians.

[*mipadi*]

this country was made on the principles of christianity and we should always have stuck my them.  sometimes i wish i could go back in time to the Constitutional COnvention of 1787 and make the founding fathers be more specific cause i hate it that people say the constitution says its wrong.  "separation of church and state" haha. dumb people who use that as an excuse.  the people who made the constituion were christians in one denomination or another...they would have been okay with that fact that there are different types of christianity HOWEVER they would not have been okay with other religions especially taking PRAYER out of SCHOOLS.  they might have let the other religions be free to worship on their own but i hardly doubt that they would have wanted prayer out of schools.  this country needs to go back to its christian roots.. im tired of people who try to do otherwise

ALSO WHEN they wrote separation of church and state they meant it in the point that the government couldn't stop a form of the Christian denomination.  they probably would want them to stop the weird religions that has come into this country.

I don't think that's an accurate depiction of our Founding Fathers at all. Keep in mind that many of the first colonists were fleeing religious persecution at home. Pennsylvania, the second state to ratify the Constitution, was created by Quakers who were fleeing religious persecution. The first Pilgrims in the Mayflower were fleeing religious persecution as well. So no, the Founding Fathers were not thinking only of Christianity when they wrote the Constitution. The fact that most of them (not all, mind you) were Christians does not mean that they were militant Christians who wished to remove every other religious order from the face of the earth. Remember, too, that this was shortly after the Enlightenment period, where people were beginning to question religion, or at least believe more in science. Not all the framers were hardcore Christians. Some were even atheists (or, at least, doubted some Christian teachings).

This country really doesn't have "Christian roots." Many things in the Constitution are based on Christian principles because that's what many of the authors were raised on, but they did not intend for everyone to be Christian. It's very noble of you to practice your religion, but there's no reason to make the whole country practice it, too.

As far as religion in school goes, it's not "banned"--it's just no longer mandatory. People are free to pray in schools. Many public schools even have (optional) religious groups operate within them. As a non-Christian, I am fine with that. I just don't think prayer should be forced anyway. I'll be quite honest: I have no interest in praying to some abstract concept that I don't really believe exists.

[waitwaitwait]

No. No. No.
I don't even think saying the Pledge Of Allegiance should be done in school.

[sweetabandon]

no way. maybe if the prayer time was like a quiet time where everyone just prays to themselves i'd be okay with it. i could use that ime to think of other things. group prayers that are verbally spoken seem wrong.

I have this strong belief that the catholic religion especially are based by routines with no meanings. they do them simply because they were told to do it. do it or else suffer the eternal flame of damnation.. No, I don't like the idea of making us believe in something we're not sure of. Why can't they let us make the decision for ourselves?

[KERP1UNK]

school is a place to learn, not a place to pray. if you wanted to pray, you should go to church. plus, not everyone is of the same religion!! if a child wants to pray, let them pray. but dont make everyone else have to pray!! i am totally against prayer in school... ^^ and i agree, they should have a silent time instead of a group prayer..its just not right.

[sammi rules you]

unless it's like a religious school, i'm totally against it. that is against the law. there's this little thing called separation between church and state..if you wanna pray in school, go to a school that's for it. that's why they're there.

[b0st0ngrl]

If someone is religous enough to want prayer in school then they should find time to pray silently to themselves.

[smile4me]

If someone is religous enough to want prayer in school then they should find time to pray silently to themselves.

yep, that's how some of my friends and i are - we pray before we eat lunch and we have Oasis (kinda like a youth group thing)
i dont think it should be required the school for everyone to pray.

[DisneyPrincessKa...]

I go to a catholic school

every morning during convocation (assembly, announcements, whatever you may call it) we pray. Sometimes we do things like the our father, however usually whoever is leading (the principal or dean of students, whoever happens to be there that day) will make it up as they go along and we respond with "Lord Hear our prayer"

A lot of people are not catholic. In fact, only about 35% of the students are. They're not all christians either.

all the school asks is to be respectful during prayer if you don't want to participate. It's like how you can refuse to say the pledge. You're totally allowed to not say it, but you still have to be respectful.

No one at my school has any serious issues with it, no one is offended by it, and it doesn't hurt anyone. I dont understand why they would be offended. Maybe it's me?

[sadolakced acid]

I go to a catholic school

every morning during convocation (assembly, announcements, whatever you may call it) we pray.  Sometimes we do things like the our father, however usually whoever is leading (the principal or dean of students, whoever happens to be there that day) will make it up as they go along and we respond with "Lord Hear our prayer"

A lot of people are not catholic.  In fact, only about 35% of the students are.  They're not all christians either.

all the school asks is to be respectful during prayer if you don't want to participate.  It's like how you can refuse to say the pledge.  You're totally allowed to not say it, but you still have to be respectful.

No one at my school has any serious issues with it, no one is offended by it, and it doesn't hurt anyone.  I dont understand why they would be offended.  Maybe it's me?

i would be quite offended if that were to happen in my school.

and here's why:

i utterly despise jesus. To me, jesus was a fake person who pretended to be god. therefore, everytime i hear someone pray to jesus for help, or pray to 'the lord' (not god, the lord; who is jesus), it is akin to someone praying to osama bin laden (to me).

if i were to go to school and have to listen to a christian prayer, and only a christian pray; it's a message. it's a message that "we're all christian, and we're the right ones, so you should pray with us and become christian."

i feel that if some christians refuse to tolerate other religions, i can refuse to tolerate some christians. namely those who ask me to pray, or pray for me, or ask jesus to save my soul, or those that tell me jesus loves me, or those who believe they are correct and everyone else is wrong.

a christian prayer in a public school is as offensive to me as a satanic rite in a christian school would be offensive to a christian.

[sammi rules you]

well, miss kate, if i went to a catholic school there wouldn't be much i could do, now would there? however, i would be offended if that happened in a public school..there should be no preferred religions of the school if it's not specified.

[fameONE]

If teaching evolution is banned in school, prayer, the pledge and any other state mandate with a religious reference should be too.

[sammi rules you]

^ but teaching evolution isn't banned...

[yycleo]

u know wt?
i hv 2 go to chapel on EVERY SUNDAY morning and this is a school rule
need 2 wear school uniform 7 days a week =.=|||

[sadolakced acid]

^ but teaching evolution isn't banned...

it is in kansas now, i think.

[*not_your_average*]

NO FORCED PRAYER IN SCHOOL!

At least not forced prayer. It's safe to say that I am an agnostic, already unsure of my beliefs as of this moment. Although my school is largely Christian, it is a public school. If they were to say, "Let's pray to Jesus for..." whatever reason, I would be personally offended. Jesus is not my God. I don't even know if I want to believe in God (if there is one.)

If students wish to pray among themselves, they can knock themselves out. But the school praying together? That should not be allowed.

[sammi rules you]

it is in kansas now, i think.

well that's freaking stupid.

[*xcaitlinx*]

well that's freaking stupid.

definitely. Teaching kids the scientific theory on how we were created? NEVER! we cannot allow kids these days to have an open mind and intake theories that are a gainst some of their religions...something that is a hellofa lot more logical than theories taught in christian schools. heh....please. and yet, teaching (sometimes even brainswashing) kids that a holy God above is looking down on us, deciding our fate, who we can't see nor prove exists is allowed? what is WRONG with our government?

[sadolakced acid]

definitely. Teaching kids the scientific theory on how we were created? NEVER! we cannot allow kids these days to have an open mind and intake theories that are a gainst some of their religions...something that is a hellofa lot more logical than theories taught in christian schools. heh....please. and yet, teaching (sometimes even brainswashing) kids that a holy God above is looking down on us, deciding our fate, who we can't see nor prove exists is allowed? what is WRONG with our government? 

that's it's run by someone who only 51% of the country approves of, yet he runs it as if everyone loves him.

that's what's wrong with the government- lack of a strong middle.

[baller30]

I think having a seperate time just for prayer during school hours is useless, because not everyone follows the same religion. I personally pray before I eat my lunch in school, and it's totally upto the people whether they want to pray or not.

I agree whole heartedly. It is a person's choice to pray. You can't force anyone to pray and it would be really pointless to force them. Forcing a person to pray would be totally against what God created us with(i.e. freedom of choice). Of course, people are different religions so to force them to pray to one specific God or gods would be violating their right as a citizen of the US to practice their own religion.

And on the issue of science, and Evolution vs. Creationism, I think that each person should be allowed to chose their view. Both views should be presented to students. To have a school system that is biaised towards one side is unfair and very un-American. Many people believe in Creationism, but do not believe in the God of Chritianity. Some people are Diest and believe God created the world and then let it to be. And even some scientists believe that there is Intelligent Design, but are not "religious."

[sadolakced acid]

And on the issue of science, and Evolution vs. Creationism, I think that each person should be allowed to chose their view. Both views should be presented to students. To have a school system that is biaised towards one side is unfair and very un-American. Many people believe in Creationism, but do not believe in the God of Chritianity. Some people are Diest and believe God created the world and then let it to be. And even some scientists believe that there is Intelligent Design, but are not "religious."

it is not unfair nor unamerican that only evolution is presented in the classroom. evolution has been proven via scientific study, while creationism has not.

[baller30]

actually both theories cannot be really proven unless there are time machines... that is the man reason of the debate... theories unlike scientfic facts cannot be proven
each theory has holes that require a person to believe that in something without full proof the evidence is basically cirumstatial for both

trust me on this i have studied both so in depth through out my life

each theory is really just left for you to believe because no matter how much "scientific fact" there is there will never be enough to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that either theory is true or false

[*mipadi*]

actually both theories cannot be really proven unless there are time machines... that is the man reason of the debate... theories unlike scientfic facts cannot be proven
each theory has holes that require a person to believe that in something without full proof the evidence is basically cirumstatial for both

trust me on this i have studied both so in depth through out my life

each theory is really just left for you to believe because no matter how much "scientific fact" there is there will never be enough to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that either theory is true or false

The difference between a scientific theory and a religious belief, however, is that a scientific theory is testable, and has been tested using the scientific method.

[baller30]

theory i repeat is not testable, the evidence can not be seen in current nature, right? so it is a theory. if it cannot be tested at this point in time it cannot be proven, it is a theory. evry single science teacher and science expert i have talked to is forced to admit that no matter which theory they support, neither can be tested.

also some people believe in evolution as a religious belief... then does that disqualify it as a theory of course not, what makes that an different than creationism?

[XoJennaoX]

^ so no theory can ever been proven true or false? don't think so. Any theory (if it is in fact a theory) is testable and while it may not be PROVEN right now, it has the possibility in the future. This fact does not hold true for creationism.

Evolution is not a belief so i don't know why you say some people think it is. Unless you are referring to the belief that God created evolution, but that does not change what evolution is. Science is never based on a belief, you can believe that God created evolution, but evolution does not hold its truth because i believe that's the way it happened.

About prayer in school, No - you pray in your heart, you pray because you want to, not because you are forced to at this exact moment. You pray when the time and the place suites you and your mind is clear and spiritually ready. Above all it is a personal connection. Thats means NOT a group effort, and not everyday at a specific time and place, that is completely unnecessary. Having prayer in school takes away the value that is suppose to be special and sincere about praying. Any school that says it is best for students are simply using prayer as a "tool", that is NOT what it is meant for.