Okay.... and where in my response did I say prayer must be public and not private? In fact, the quote I gave you is in regard to prayer being a private thing.... even Jesus prayed in private. Unless the prayer, such as blessing a meal, was required under "law."
Prayer is not new to the US, in fact did you know that the colonist often asked for help from G*d, Edward Winslow’s record of the Pilgrims’ experiences, reprinted in Alexander Young’s Chronicles of the Pilgrims (Boston, 1841), stated: “Drought and the like considerations moved not only every good man privately to enter into examination with his own estate between G*d and his conscience, and so to humiliation before Him, but also to humble ourselves together before the Lord by Fasting and Prayer.” The same week Congress passed the Bill of Rights, President George Washington declared, October 3, 1789: “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty G*d, to obey His will...and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty G*d, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness’..." In 1787, prayer was introduced or shall I say enforced in our educational institutions. Yale College had as its requirement, 1787: “All the scholars are obliged to attend Divine worship in the College Chapel on the Lord’s Day and on Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving appointed by public authority.” Going even further back, Massachusetts passed a law requiring compulsory School called the “Old Deluder Satan Law”. This law was passed to assure that children could read their Bibles.
I could go on regarding our history but, I think this will show that the only change in prayer in schools is the elimination not the will to have bible study and consequently prayers in our everyday life, to include our educational institutions.
I see no harm in prayers.... for those that are atheist, it is a joke and of little consequence. For religious people, it has great meaning. As the courts pointed out; "prayers doesn't violate the Establishment Clause as long as no religion is advanced or disparaged, and residents aren't coerced."
Lastly.... regarding special accommodations. There is only one cult that I know of that requires special accommodations for their prayers; muslim. They also demand accommodations in hygiene (place to wash) in the immediate area of their prayer rooms in addition to dietary requirements in the school lunch rooms. Not to mention the exclusion of nonmuslims. Jews, as you may not know have special requirement in dietary...... but, those students who do attend public schools bring their lunches rather than burdening the school districts. Jews are also required under law to pray three times a day; shacharit, minchah and arvith or maariv. None require bowing or kneeling, a cantor singing, or someone to officiate; they are done in a private space and do not draw attention.... most people who witness this think they are "resting their eyes or brain." Ergo, no need to make any special requests. I know of Christian students that meet.... around lunch tables or on the school grounds to study the Bible. They ask only to be left alone during these times; they do no harm and should be allowed to meet, pray, or exchange information. It happens on their regularly scheduled classroom break periods. Unlike muslims who actually demand their curriculum be modified from everyone else to leave class or skip classes for their ritual prayers.
PeterS wrote:
Prayer is not a struggle though. My whole point is--if god exists then whether or not we pray publicly is totally irrelevant--he knows your heart and can hear you equally well publicly or privately. When I was a theist I prayed all the time and never once did I think god didn't hear me because I prayed silently. Before a big test I prayed, during the test I prayed. Never did I think I was being discriminated against because it was expected that my prayers remained between my god and myself. So why the change today? Muslims need to pray several times a day so in here in Texas we accommodate them by giving them their own rooms to pray in. If Jews or Christians need the same accommodation then why don't you petition for the same treatment as Muslims? If everyone has your own room to pray in I think school prayer is just fine. That way no one is bothered by the other persons theological needs and each of you can pray as loudly as you need so that your god can hear you. Not only that, but once again you all can feel wonderful and secure in the illusion that god is once again in our public school system--even though, if he really exists, he was never left the building...
Prayer is not a struggle though. My whole point is... (
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