Praying in school?

Lindsey-Loo · Sep 13, 2006

Recently at my school, a bunch of Christian kids got up on the stage near the end of our lunch period to join hands and pray. Our vice-principal told them that they couldn't do that anymore because it was a disruption, and they were saying that he had violated their constitutional rights and stuff. Finally, they took it to the principal who gave them permission to pray before lunch in the kiva area.

I personally felt that the vice principal had every right to tell them they can't pray on stage during the lunch period. We're allowed to pray in school, but we can't just drop everything to do so. What if they decided to pray during fifth period science? Would they be allowed to leave class and do so? Besides, they don't have to be on stage in front of everyone to pray. I'm a Christian, and those are my feelings about it. What do you think?

BFD_Zayl · Sep 13, 2006

heh, i get in trouble for rubbing the pentacle on my necklace...im not praying or anything i just do it when im nervous.

Pah · Sep 13, 2006

Anade said:
Recently at my school, a bunch of Christian kids got up on the stage near the end of our lunch period to join hands and pray. Our vice-principal told them that they couldn't do that anymore because it was a disruption, and they were saying that he had violated their constitutional rights and stuff. Finally, they took it to the principal who gave them permission to pray before lunch in the kiva area.

I personally felt that the vice principal had every right to tell them they can't pray on stage during the lunch period. We're allowed to pray in school, but we can't just drop everything to do so. What if they decided to pray during fifth period science? Would they be allowed to leave class and do so? Besides, they don't have to be on stage in front of everyone to pray. I'm a Christian, and those are my feelings about it. What do you think?

Virginia has a moment of slience at the beginning of each school day. That should be sufficient to satisfy Christ's injunction against public prayer

Gail's high school has a gathering of prayerful Christians around the flag pole before school starts. But no public prayer should be allowed during and in school while it is in session.

Lindsey-Loo · Sep 13, 2006

Virginia has a moment of slience at the beginning of each school day. That should be sufficient to satisfy Christ's injunction against public prayer

Yes, so do we, and that is when I take time out of my morning to pray silently. I just feel that I don't need to be in front of 150 people to talk to my God, and I sort of feel like the students who were, were acting like hypocrites. I mean, it sort of had the attitude of "I'm a Christian, look how pure and special I am." And then those same people would be the ones picking on people and making them feel bad only minutes later.

Lindsey-Loo · Sep 13, 2006

heh, i get in trouble for rubbing the pentacle on my necklace...im not praying or anything i just do it when im nervous.

Yeah, that's crazy. Has the term "religiousphobic" or something similar ever been coined? Cuz that's sort of what this makes me think of.

spacemonkey · Sep 13, 2006

They can pray on stage if they let me sacrafice a goat (on said stage) after they get done.:sarcastic

Lindsey-Loo · Sep 13, 2006

They can pray on stage if they let me sacrafice a goat (on said stage) after they get done.:sarcastic

Awwwww....the poor goat!!!!!!!!!!

As long as we can have a goat barbecue when you're done. (If you haven't tried barbecued goat, I reccomend it!)

Bishka · Sep 13, 2006

Only if they allow every other religious and non-religious group to get up there and make a statement or something else religious.

My short answer, no.

Lindsey-Loo · Sep 13, 2006

Only if they allow every other religious and non-religious group to get up there and make a statement or something else religious.

In my small-town school, there's maybe 5 agnostics, 3 atheists and 1 Muslim, and no other religious groups that I know of, so that might be kind of hard! Especially if they're not talkative people. But for probably the first time, I agree with them when they say that the people who got ticked off because they're not allowed to pray on stage anymore are acting kind of dumb. Well, overeacting. That's a better way of putting it.

spacemonkey · Sep 13, 2006

Anade said:
Awwwww....the poor goat!!!!!!!!!!

[URL="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:-9os2B0hmBVRFM:http://www.m38a1.com/416bbq/1st_goat.JPG"]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:-9os2B0hmBVRFM:http://www.m38a1.com/416bbq/1st_goat.JPG[/URL]

As long as we can have a goat barbecue when you're done. (If you haven't tried barbecued goat, I reccomend it!)

Many people think that goat was the animal that we get the word barbeque from. In french "barbe a queue" means "from beard to tail" referring to fact the whole goat is cooked at once. That is a whole other debate though.

Draka · Sep 13, 2006

This is a little more than ridiculous. Kids go to school to be educated, not to attend church services. And that is what it would resemble the most isn't it?

I agree. It's fine to pray silently to yourself where you are. No one can stop you from that. However getting on stage and praying outloud in front of everyone is beyond. Do you think those students would feel it would be alright for me and some friends of mine to go up on stage during lunch and cast a circle and call the quarters before we eat in front of everyone?

I think not.

Booko · Sep 13, 2006

Anade said:
Recently at my school, a bunch of Christian kids got up on the stage near the end of our lunch period to join hands and pray. Our vice-principal told them that they couldn't do that anymore because it was a disruption, and they were saying that he had violated their constitutional rights and stuff. Finally, they took it to the principal who gave them permission to pray before lunch in the kiva area.

I doubt they got up on stage because it was the only space available.

The NT doesn't have a lot good to say about people who are "show offs" about their prayer, for that matter. That may be something worth pondering, just from a strictly religious angle.

Besides, they don't have to be on stage in front of everyone to pray. I'm a Christian, and those are my feelings about it. What do you think?

I agree.

I used to sit with a group of people in HS and one Protestant and one Mormon always prayed before they ate. No one was upset by that, not even me the atheist at the time. I stopped eating until they were done, just out of good manners.

Bishka · Sep 13, 2006

Anade said:
In my small-town school, there's maybe 5 agnostics, 3 atheists and 1 Muslim, and no other religious groups that I know of, so that might be kind of hard! Especially if they're not talkative people. But for probably the first time, I agree with them when they say that the people who got ticked off because they're not allowed to pray on stage anymore are acting kind of dumb. Well, overeacting. That's a better way of putting it.

I'm saying if they allow Christians, they should allow others.....but basically no. School and Church are seperate.

Mercy Not Sacrifice · Sep 13, 2006

I just don't see why school prayer is that big of an issue. Classroom behavior and teacher leadership abilities, IMO, rank as far more important issues than whether or not students have the right to organize and pray. I mean, if students want to pray, even during school hours, whatever. If not, so be it. But this just isn't nearly as big a deal as our society makes it out to be.

Now discriminating based on which particular religion a student practices, that's a whole different ballgame.

sparkyluv · Sep 13, 2006

If they wanna pray on stage, let them pray on stage. There's a law against forced prayer, there' s no law that says they can't pray on their own accord and whenever they feel like.

Bishka · Sep 13, 2006

sparkyluv said:
If they wanna pray on stage, let them pray on stage. There's a law against forced prayer, there' s no law that says they can't pray on their own accord and whenever they feel like.

Out loud, in front of a secular school?

There is a law seperating Church and State -- which includes schools as they are part of the state government systems.

If they can pray, then the atheists at the school should be able to fight against that and say they shouldn't.

Peace4all · Sep 13, 2006

Just to make my answer short i think kids should pray in school only if it's absolutely necessary. As a Muslim kid In High School we have our Jummah prayer (kind of like Sunday church) in the auditorium with a quick speech and prayer. We only do this because in Islam its absolutly necessary to pray Jummah.

Peace4all · Sep 13, 2006

sparkyluv said:
If they wanna pray on stage, let them pray on stage. There's a law against forced prayer, there' s no law that says they can't pray on their own accord and whenever they feel like.

I know but if kids can pray whenever they feel like it then I KNOW that there are going to be a bunch of gothic kids that beleive in witch craft to start doing their prayers on stage. Im pretty sure they would do it just for attension too.

Kids SHOULD be able to pray in private places though. I mean as long as ,"there not causing distractions" then thats fine.

Bishka · Sep 13, 2006

Peace4all said:
I know but if kids can pray whenever they feel like it then I KNOW that there are going to be a bunch of gothic kids that beleive in witch craft to start doing their prayers on stage. Im pretty sure they would do it just for attension too.

So 'gothic kids' always practice witchcraft? And they always do it for attention? How do you justify this broad accusation?

Booko · Sep 13, 2006

sparkyluv said:
If they wanna pray on stage, let them pray on stage. There's a law against forced prayer, there' s no law that says they can't pray on their own accord and whenever they feel like.

At every school I went to, people did not hang out on the stage unless they had a valid reason for being there, like setting up scenery or the keys for the jazz band or that sort of thing. For any other reason, the stage was off limits.

And frankly, if I'm sitting in the cafeteria, I don't see why I should have to put up with someone else's daily religous floor show while I'm trying to eat.

Tell me, will there be a sign up sheet? Will the Wiccans and Luciferians get their turn as well?

If kids want to sit at the cafeteria table like anyone else and say grace, well sure, that's a normal and non-intrusive practice of their religion and I wouldn't dream of denying anyone that.

And like I've said elsewhere, out of common courtesy, I'd stop eating and talking long enough not to disturb them. Good manners are always free.

Having said that, can you please explain to me how standing up showing off piety on a stage is consistent with the Bible's stand in the NT, which criticizes that sort of practice?

Matthew 6:5-6

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Praying in school?

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