Dear God

[pwd72s]

Dear God:

Why didn't you save the school children at ?. ..

Moses Lake, Washington 2/2/96
Bethel, Alaska 2/19/97
Pearl, Mississippi 10/1/97
West Paducah, Kentucky 12/1/97
Stamp, Arkansas 12/15/97
Jonesboro, Arkansas 3/24/98
Edinboro, Pennsylvania 4/24/98
Fayetteville, Tennessee 5/19/98
Springfield, Oregon 5/21/98
Richmond, Virginia 6/15/98

Littleton, Colorado 4/20/99
Taber, Alberta, Canada 5/28/99
Conyers, Georgia 5/20/99
Deming, New Mexico 11/19/99
Fort Gibson, Oklahoma 12/6/99
Santee, California 3/ 5/01 and
El Cajon, California 3/22/01?

Sincerely,

Concerned Student

-----------------------------------------------------

Reply:

Dear Concerned Student:

I am not allowed in schools.

Sincerely,

God

[widebody911]

Gods are allowed in schools. Think of it like a cell phone: they're allowed, but the school shouldn't be providing them, and the students (or teacher) shouldnt' be using them in class.

Besides, everyone on that list is 'with god' now, right? You should be happy!

[fastpat]

The question should be, "Dear God, why did you allow almost all those parents to drug their children with drugs known to produce suicidal and homicidal ideation in young teenagers?"

I attended schools back when the Lord's Prayer was said by rote. It did nothing for the children, it was just something you did, that and the pledge of allegiance* to the flag.

Meaningless rituals.


*the pledge was written by defrocked baptist minister Francis Bellamy, a self described Christian Socialist in 1892. Bellamy said at the time, "The true reason for allegiance to the Flag is the "republic for which it stands." And what does that vast thing, the Republic mean? It is the concise political word for the Nation-the One Nation which the Civil War was fought to prove. To make that One Nation idea clear, we must specify that it is indivisible, as Webster and Lincoln used to repeat in their great speeches."

[Joeaksa]

Paul,

Good point. I still remember saying the pledge when I was in school when our nation had more sense and less Madalyn Murray O'Hare.

Guess the difference is that it did mean something to most of us then, and a lot more to me now, unlike some other people. Not to worry, hell needs people manning the furnaces and I know several who have a paid up one way ticket there.

Joe

[sammyg2]

The liberals have done everything possible to keep God and religion out of the PUBLIC schools, that's one of the reasons my kids go to a Lutheran school.

I understand the seperation of church and state and don't have a problem with that. To me that means that the government (and schools) shouldn't dictate religion to anyone. it also means that the government (and schools) shouldn't interfere or prevent one's personal choice of religion.
That is the line they crossed.
It has got to the point where students are not allowed to enjoy freedom of religion in schools. A reasonable concept has been taken to an extreme, and to quote an old saying, anything in excess is evil.

[widebody911]

Originally posted by sammyg2
The liberals have done everything possible to keep God and religion out of the PUBLIC schools, that's one of the reasons my kids go to a Lutheran school.

You're all for religion in schools because you're under the assumption that it will be your religion. What if it was decided that public schools would pimp religion, but it would be Islam? Would you be still be so insistent on school prayer?

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by widebody911
You're all for religion in schools because you're under the assumption that it will be your religion. What if it was decided that public schools would pimp religion, but it would be Islam? Would you be still be so insistent on school prayer?

So should we take "In God we Trust" off of our currency? When that movement starts then the revolution will begin and I know what side I will be on.

Am not a Bible thumper but thats not going to happen if I or many of my friends have any say so in the matter.

Personally I am not really for prayer in school but it should be a single persons choice and as it is now they outlaw it period and for me that is not correct either.

[SlowToady]

So should we take "In God we Trust" off of our currency? When that movement starts then the revolution will begin and I know what side I will be on.

The revolution already started, Theodore Roosevelt tried unsuccessfully for many years to get "In God we Trust" removed.

widebody911, I don't think sammy said anywhere he was for schools "pimping" any religion, infact I think he said the opposite, but that students should be allowed to "enjoy freedom of religon."

To me that means that the government (and schools) shouldn't dictate religion to anyone.

Also, maybe I'm just not reading between the lines enough, but he also didn't mention anything about praying in school..

[nostatic]

if a Muslim kid insists on praying towards Mecca 5x a day in the classroom, you guys going to as supportive of "freedom of religion" in the classroom?

It's a slippery slope. And one of the cornerstones of this country is freedom of religion...not freedom of Christianity.

[rcecale]

Originally posted by widebody911
Gods are allowed in schools.

Riiiiight...!

May 22, 2006

Court Order Does Not Stop Students From Saying
the Lord's Prayer and Thanking God

Russell Springs, KY - In protest to a court order issued hours before the Russell County High School graduation last Friday night, about 200 seniors spontaneously stood and began reciting the Lord's Prayer, prompting a standing ovation from a standing-room only crowd. The thunderous applause drowned out the last part of the prayer. The revival-like atmosphere continued when senior Megan Chapman said in her opening remarks that God had guided her since childhood. Megan was interrupted repeatedly during her speech by the cheering crowd as she urged her classmates to trust in God as they go through life.

On Friday, May 19, Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., in a short three-sentence temporary restraining order, barred Russell County High School and senior Megan Chapman from including prayer at the graduation scheduled later that day. Liberty Counsel now represents Megan and will request the court to vacate its ruling.

The court's order is invalid, wrong, and limited. First, the court had no authority to order Megan to refrain from prayer as she was never made a party to the case. Moreover, a temporary restraining order which restricts a person's speech cannot be issued without first providing the affected person notice and an opportunity to be heard. Second, the court order runs contrary to the best legal precedent established in Adler v. Duval County School Board, a case successfully litigated by Liberty Counsel. Finally, the order was limited because it only addressed prayer. It did not, nor could it, prohibit Megan from thanking God or sharing her religious viewpoint during her speech.

Megan began her speech by saying that God has guided her since she was a child. The students repeatedly interrupted her with applause as she gave thanks to God throughout her message. Megan said the ceremony turned out better than it would have without the controversy. "More glory went to God because of something like that than if I had just simply said a prayer like I was supposed to."

Anita L. Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "Students have the right to include religious viewpoints during their graduation speeches. It is inappropriate for a school to censor religious viewpoints from a student's personal graduation message. Our country was founded upon prayer. Our currency acknowledges God. Our legislatures begin each session with prayer. Our students have the right to voluntarily pray during graduation. It is insensitive and unconstitutional to silence student-initiated, voluntary prayer."

Source: Source

Been hearing a lot of stories like this lately, and yet you say God is allowed? Hmmm, the way you put it, it sounds more like, "God is allowed, bit no one is allowed to notice!"

Randy

[SlowToady]

I'd support it. You know, that whole "freedom of religon" thing.

There should be a seperate area for prayer though so as not to disturb the learning of the other students.

[widgeon13]

You have done away w/ the family unit, removed God from schools and no longer have the Pledge, so what do kids have to believe in? Drugs, school shootings and video games. The problem is children have created their own system of beliefs and it's not good.

Unfortunately, it will get worse before if gets better. They believe that anything is OK as long as they don't get caught. If you don't think that is the case why do we have so many corporate officers playing outside the lines. It's because they think they draw the lines and kids have the same set of beliefs.

Leading by example, BAD EXAMPLES.

[widebody911]

Originally posted by widgeon13
You have done away w/ the family unit, removed God from schools and no longer have the Pledge, so what do kids have to believe in? Drugs, school shootings and video games. The problem is children have created their own system of beliefs and it's not good.

So, the reason we have gangs and drugs is because kids don't say the plege or pray in schools?

Pass the pipe, please...

You could have saved a lot of work by instead typing "We need madras schools"
[/B]

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by nostatic
if a Muslim kid insists on praying towards Mecca 5x a day in the classroom, you guys going to as supportive of "freedom of religion" in the classroom?

It's a slippery slope. And one of the cornerstones of this country is freedom of religion...not freedom of Christianity.

I want freedom for religion, ethics, morals and honest debate.

What I most want is the federal government out of schools. Then, perhaps, this debate gets local, where locals decide.

[cashflyer]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
So should we take "In God we Trust" off of our currency? When that movement starts then the revolution will begin...

Really?? That's going to be the tipping point?
Personally, I stand by the belief that so long as there's 200 channels of crap on the TV, the "average american" will sit on his ass and let the whole country go to hell around them. There's more of a chance of a comet striking the earth than there is of a revolution.

[Flatbutt1]

and just what does any of this drivel have to do with people shooting children? do you really think believing in god will stop this? keep dreaming!

[nostatic]

if "local" means state, then I'm all for it. I'm not sure how granular you want to go with control. I think there need to be some standards, but I'm not clear where they should lie.

On thursday I gave a talk and made the apocolyptic prediction that in 25 years 90% of the colleges and universities would be bankrupt and/or out of business. Not sure that I totally believe that, but digital has changed everything. It is true that kids learn from games. So we need to embrace that. I can't believe the short-sightedness of some colleges...shutting off wireless in the classroom because "kids don't pay attention to the lecture." Well, maybe its becuase your lecture sucks and is irrelevant. Those who can harness the technology will win. Those who fight it will lose. Look at the recording industry. The storm is coming...just depends if you'll be ready:

http://nostatic.com/work/diyTimed-web.mov

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by nostatic
if "local" means state, then I'm all for it. I'm not sure how granular you want to go with control. I think there need to be some standards, but I'm not clear where they should lie.

State...where all influence should reside.

I'll work on the rest of your insights (not quoted) later. Interesting.

[Rick Lee]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the whole prayer in school thing is not even close to what pwd72 had in mind when posting that.

In Neil Peart's latest book, he lists all the church signs he sees each day while riding his motorcycle across the US. One of my favorites was:

God is dead - Nietzsche
Nietzsche is dead - God

[Moneyguy1]

And we come full circle, back to the effect of the family unit. Where is the stay-at-home mom who, in the past was there to maintain control over junior? Answer? She is out there working since it now takes two incomes for the family to keep up with the Joneses. So, junior gets all the the "things" he wants as gifts of guilt rather than personal involvement in his life. Mom and Dad, too tired from a day at the office find it easier to just let junior do whatever he wants, so few if any limits are placed on behavior.

You want God in the equation? That should be the parent's job as well. How many modern parents (bible belt excluded) show good example by regularly attending some organized religious institution?

Let's stop blaming the government, the schools and all the other strawmen and put the responsibility where it belongs.