Banning Prayer in Public Schools Has Led to America's Demise

I truly believe that this nation is in the mess that it is in because God have been taking out of the school system this nation was built on Gods word, and were God is not being praised and worshiped there will be problems and some don’t seem to understand that, Adam and Eve received from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. so the world took on that understanding, that's why God sent His word to bring us back to the truth of His word not what the government said, it is what God said in His word

Posted by Evangelist James e Chance on 07/08/2008 08:30 PM #

While I agree with the finding of a decline in righteous living, I don’t agree that it has anything to do with plubic prayer in school. Kids and teachers can still prayer in school. The school shouldn’t be responsible for teaching our kids to pray. It is our job as parents. The greatest threat to Christianity is not from the outside it’s from the inside. If we do our job right we will return to a more righteous life . We spend too much time worrying about atheists and agnostics. They are not the problem they are opportunties for us to make converts.

Posted by Lynn on 08/20/2008 08:53 AM #

I too believed that out nation is under a great fall due taking prayer out of schools and attempting to take God out of everything we do. Our country has lost morales and respect for God. This country in now the most liberal county, we allow everything to go. After all that God has done to make this the richest land ever, this is how we show our thanks. But do remember – God is not mocked. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess the Jesus Christ is Lord. There will be reprecusions for the choices that have been made without God.

Posted by Charlene on 08/20/2008 02:00 PM #

I believe that Prayer HAS to be brought back in our Public Schools. It will be our Countries ruin, if this was not to happen. What can we, as Christians do about it. I am willing, if shown the way.

Posted by Melanie Myer-Palcsey on 10/07/2008 02:38 PM #

I am going to use this article to do a paper for my World Religion class: Is America a CHRISTian nation?

Posted by Colleen Myrick on 10/08/2008 01:14 PM #

I really liked this artical. I think its wrong to say god is not allowed in school because he is people wear crosses. I recentl got into trouble for praying over my food and i got reall mad.
Isnt americas rules based on christianity?

Posted by Alicia Wailand on 10/15/2008 04:06 PM #

Since the beginning of Christianity the church and Christ’s followers have faced two major problems: being the victims of persecution and being the persecutor. For the first few centuries following Christ’s life, Christians’ lives were in great danger for claiming such a title. However the faith continued to spread by means of peace despite the persecution. This changed in (I think) the third or fourth century when (I believe) Alexander had a vision which changed his faith. Now instead of killing those who confessed Christ as their savior, he killed those who would not accept his faith. Christianity began to spread by means of violence rather than peace. It became the religion of the state, and “Christians” were became not only those who truly believed, but also those who were forced to pretend to for the sake of their lives. The church became the persecutor. Many consider this time to be the fall of Christianity (but that is only an opinion-you decide what to think of it).
The faith’s role as a state religion and persecutor was carried into the medieval times, when the church became so powerful that it was able to massacre Muslims and Jews in the name of Christ through a series of wars called the crusades. This power made the church so corrupted that its leaders made the common people believe they could buy their loved ones’ salvation from purgatory (and the church leaders pocketed the profit from these indulgences).
Though the reformation helped, the church carried its status into the days of colonizing North America, when among other reasons immigrants fled Europe because of such state-led relgious persecution. In the North American continent, people were allowed to worship as they thought fit for Christ, not as the state forced them to.
Based on this principle, when the United States formed the founding fathers explicitly set forth the separation of church and state within the constitution.
Now we debate the morality of prayer in schools. I sympathize with your belief that the U.S. was founded on Christian principles and ought not to stray. But the more important question us followers of Christ must ask is what is truly best for Christianity? History has shown that when Christianity becomes one with the state, corruption and persecution on the part of the church are soon to follow. So as Christians, let us be in the world but not of it, let us hold ourselves to our own moral standards rather than the state holding all to these standards. If the state is to be responsible for regulating morality, and Christianity is to become, as you wish, a state-religion, then followers of Christ surely face the danger of worldly power corrupting our faith.

Posted by Patrick Fischer on 10/18/2008 01:34 AM #

So you think prayer should be back in school? What about those who don’t pray to “God”? Should they be allowed to pray as well – or not because well, christianity is the only way, and you all are too involved in your fiction to pay attention and respect anyone else’s views…

Posted by Cassie on 10/23/2008 01:24 PM #

I am trying to get a group together at our local public schools to pray every week. Its just a prayer walk which only takes a few minutes, but is so awesome, God Moves I promise! I can’t seem to get more than one person to show up. Do you have any suggestions? Also, I would like more information on getting God/prayer back in our schools. Thank you so much

Posted by Tricia on 10/25/2008 09:58 AM #

prayer should be in public schools. who are they {goverment officials} to tell us what we need to do?

Posted by shantal harvey on 10/30/2008 02:02 PM #

I believe the demise of our schools are solely due in part to the removal of prayer in schools.When you remove God you invite everything that is wicked to come in and destroy.Removal of prayer in schools is not a violation of the third amendmant.

Posted by David Green jr. on 10/31/2008 07:05 AM #

Listen, you can’t soley blame depleting morals based on the removal of God from schools. If one truely believed in God or wanted to, there’s always Church to go to. The U.S. Government cannot inforce or support the church and it’s ways. I have no set religion for I am unsure which is the right one for me. I believe that morals is a family constructed issue. You cannot blame the school for bad morals, blame the household in which the students derive from. If anythinf, there’s still private school out there to send our kids. But I’m still saying, morals is a family touched and tought issue, not the school.

Posted by Erik on 11/11/2008 02:12 PM #

The decline in morals are not a direct factor with the removal of God from public school. You people are running on a one track mind if you believe so. Public school houses many cultures and its our moral duties to tolerate these differences. You’re going against what you preach if you can’t tolerate the differences of others. Aren’t you suppose to respect the rights of others? God is a powerful being that resides in us all, but only if we accept him. Am I right? Not everyone can and therefore we must tolerate that and accept it, not force it upon others. You’ll be like the first spanish settlers who came over here and forced christianity upon the natives. Brutes. Don’t be like them.

Posted by Erik on 11/13/2008 12:36 AM #

True, with the lack of God in public places, chaos has filled in that gap. All the kids in public school are either arrogant to what higher being there is or just doesn’t seem to care. The lose of faith is breaking the support beams holding this country together. Something has to change!

Posted by James on 11/13/2008 09:50 AM #

Being a student in the “religion-free” public school system, I can tell you first hand that it is not as terrible as you seem to believe it is. My friends and I don’t runaround like heathens and we aren’t in need of saving. We have a moment of silence each morning which many people use for prayer. We are allowed to discuss God, even encouraged depending on the situation. We discussed both evolution and creation in my biology class and nothing terrible happened. It is not quite the catastrophe that you seem to envision.

Also I am researching school prayer for a government paper and was going to use this as a source until I realized how incorrect some of your facts are, making me question the validity of your other statements.

Posted by Emily on 11/24/2008 08:00 PM #

I think our country started to go down hill, if you are convinced it is, when ‘under God’ was added to the Pledge of Allegiance or when ‘In God We Trust’ was added to money, you know, in the late 50’s. Look at the data, there is a clear correlation. We “elected” a president who thinks he is ordained by God for his position and we have 9/11. Cause and effect people, cause and effect.

Posted by Tommy on 12/11/2008 01:23 PM #

From most of the comments on this issue, one would think that nothing bad ever happened in school before prayer was banned. Whether prayer is allowed in schools or not shouldn’t determine how “Godly” a person is. Isn’t it the job of parents to teach morals? Isn’t it the job of our religious leaders to teach scripture? When did this become the government’s job?

Posted by J. Michael Knightbridge on 12/12/2008 02:00 PM #

Let’s not blame the lack of prayer in school against the late Madeleine O’hare. She and all of her followers (atheist/agnostics) are still in the minority – there are a lot more Christians (or at least a lot more claiming to be). And when I was in school no one stopped me from praying when I wanted to pray. If all the Christians in America decided to stop at 10:00 AM on Thursday and joined in a collective prayer – who’s going to stop them? How bad do we want to pray in school – that’s the question?

How bad did Daniel in the Bible want to pray? Bad enough that he was willing to put his life on the line. How many Christians “really” want prayer in school? How many are willing to go to prison for standing up? And if they put all the Christians in prison for praying – then who will pay the taxes to support the prisons?

Rosa Parks did not want to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery public bus one day – and was willing to go to jail to support her principles.

Christians need to stop complaining and acting like victims of the “system.” We are victors – not victims. And I can pray anytime I please – anywhere I please – and no one can stop me. They can kill me, they can put me in jail – but they can’t stop me from praying – in the school, on the bus, at the store or in the football stadium.

The government or O’Hare or no one else took prayer out of the school. Christians just simply stopped praying – period!

Christians, stop blaming the government and the atheist for taking prayer out of the schools. Fact: if you’re a “person of prayer” – then no one can stop you from praying unless you give them permission to do so.

Posted by Bruce Blackwell on 01/06/2009 11:43 PM #

I appreciated all the comments on this article. Some great perspectives. Non the less I think that the decision to remove prayer from schools was spiritually significant to our nation. Of course no one really knows what another is praying privately, nor should they. Of course many who pray public prayers in school or anywhere else niether believe what they pray nor live it out in thier daily lives. The significance of this ruling is that it “officially” removes the practice of invocation of God’s presence, power and guidance over us. Our national decline in morality was in place long before this decision made it official. The ruling simply puts an official stamp on our national desire to rule ourselves and not be ruled by the creator of the universe. The key to changing all this, if it even can be done (and I have my doubts) is for those who claim to love God and are called Christians, to look in our own hearts and ask God to forgive our sins. The sins of us Christians are the reason for removal of God’s blessing and the precursor to offical rulings like the one in 1962. If our hearts are broken over sin, and we pray to be humbled, find God, and completely give our wills to Him, then God Himself will reverse these trends. If not, our nation will perish. I expect we are not far from that day.

Posted by Thomas J. McLaughlin on 01/08/2009 08:29 AM #

I believe that prayer being banned from the public school systems was by far the most uneducated and most of all immoral thing that could have been done. Not only has it affected the schools it has also affected the homes and the homes and its inhabitants. Me being a young teen in school, have witnessed first hand to this and i can truly say that prayer should be allowed in schools. Every one does not have to pray if you choose not to then that is your choice. Please don’t let the ignorance of 10 people ruin a nations well being!!!

Posted by Quentin on 01/13/2009 11:26 AM #

Being a former student of The Reverend T. Robert Ingram’s St. Thomas Episcopal School, I have first hand knowledge of the make and meter of this man.

It is truly unfortunate that this John Birch Society member and extremist would be quoted as a viable source.

Couldn’t you find some other source to support your views?

I suggest that in order for your position to have more credibility, that you investigate your sources more thoroughly before you quote them.
Lilly

Posted by Lilly on 01/23/2009 09:08 PM #

America is and always will be America. In God we trust. Prayer should have never been taken out of Americas schools. We do have thankfully a veriaty of people and if they do not want or there parents do not want them to pray in school then don“t. But I feel that certain people they need to remember or be informed that they are here because of our God or whom ever you would like to call him. He is and always will be. Thank you.Me.

Posted by Diana Leary on 01/29/2009 01:25 PM #

Why can’t prayer be done at home? Why must prayer ( a private and personal act) be done in public in an institution based on education, not religion. I dont pray, i don’t even believe in god, but i have mostly religious friends and i do not ever try to take away or challenge they’re beliefs and they act the same to me. Having prayer in a public school acts against seperation of church and state, if you want prayer in school go to catholic school! If you want your child to learn with the influence of religion dont put them in public schools. Do not bring personal matters into a public institution.

Posted by Justin on 02/07/2009 11:16 PM #

The biggest problem in public schools are problems that the schools CANNOT solve. The biggest problems in public schools stem from problems in the home. The reason God has been expelled from school is because He has been expelled from more homes than I would like to believe. Many of these kids come to school with absolutely no work ethic, no moral compass, and no sense of respect for anyone including themselves. I find it hard to believe that these kids are being raised in good, God-fearing homes.

To make matters worse, the school districts (who must shoulder their fair share of the blame) do not impose any real behavioral expectations for fear of lawsuits being brought by dysfunctional people who raising their children to be, well, dysfunctional people. The idea of consequences has gone out the window in favor of “self-esteem”. Let me explain why I believe self-esteem is a fallacy. No one on the face of the earth gets to determine the value of any person (including himself/herself). God alone has defined our value and He is NEVER wrong. God has determined that each one of us is worth His coming to earth in human form, dying for all of us, and coming back to life so that we may spend etermity with Him. That’s where the value of a human being is found.

The argument for public funding of schools has always been that it benefits our society to have an educated populace. My question is whether that purpose is being served. Kids who are disciplinary problems are eating up all of the resources leaving the other kids to receive a third rate education. Our high school seniors are, on the average, on par with other developed nations’ 8th graders. Therefore, our tax dollars are being used to subsidize substandard education.

Additionally, the schools are continuously trying to remove the possibility of failure from the equation. Without failure, we have no objective standard by which to measure success (which renders success meaningless). Without God, we have no objective standard by which we can condemn evil (rendering everything, including evil, acceptable).

Posted by gman5284 on 02/08/2009 08:55 PM #

somebody said that they saw America go down hill when we put, In God We Trust on our money. I just think it Started going down hill when they abolished group Prayer in schools in the 60’s. We all have choices if you made yours to stay out or religion or Christianity then that is up to you. I wont tell you your wrong but we all will be judged one day and if you deny Jesus he will deny you in front of the Lord.

Posted by Jeffrey on 02/24/2009 08:16 PM #

Prayer being removed from school is just the leading indicator of a nation that is ‘Falling Away’ from Jehovah. It is just another sign of moral/spiritual decay of the American. And the disasters we see today are simply God’s finger writing on the wall: Mene, mene, Tekel, Upharsin; that is, God has weighed America in the balances, and we’ve been found wanting. No wonder 50 million babies have been aborted since 1973. No wonder hundreds of earthquakes have popped up in ‘divers places’. No wonder Hurricane Katrina smote New Orleans just before a gay rally! No wonder our economy is nose-diving! THink About it! God’s speaking to us. We can ignore Him or listen to Him. Just know He will judge the wicked. Whew! I’m ready.

Posted by Andrew on 03/09/2009 10:16 PM #

Really? This is completely ridiculous. I guess i could play the blame game like most christians do but i won’t. You aren’t a sociologist… you don’t know what causes moral decline…

Posted by Jake on 03/25/2009 10:29 AM #

What I would say is that taking prayer out of schools indicated a social revolution. As a Christian, I believe prayer affects our lives. However, I also recognize that this was part of the moral decline. It was a barometer of the social revolution that began around this time.

Posted by Jay Rogers on 03/25/2009 10:41 AM #

Wow, here we go again. Christians blaming moral decline on prayer being taken out of school. How pathetic. Are we so weak minded? Japan, where no one prays at school, has the lowest crime rate of any developed nation. I mean, c’mon! Even Jesus was against school prayer. Matt 6:5-6 Anyways, children can pray in school if they want to. That right hasn’t been taken away, they merely need to keep it to themselves. It just isn’t fair to have prayer required in schools. What about the other children who believe in a different religion or have no religion? But, of course. These types of Christians only care about themselves and THEIR beliefs. To hell with everyone else. Inconsiderate bigots.

Posted by Oh LORD on 03/29/2009 02:46 PM #

America’s schools have been on the decline ever-since School Prayer was removed in 1962. Our schools now rank near or at the bottom of the industrialized nations of the world. Christian Schools and home school kids rate in the top 98% in college entrance exams. Our government has failed to educate our kids and should get out of the education business.

Removing school prayer was an unconstitutional act of the US Supreme Court. As Ronald Reagan said in 1984, the First Amendment was not to protect the people from religion but to protect the people from the government. Learn more at www.free2pray.info

Posted by Charles Steele on 03/30/2009 12:54 PM #

how can people with different religons practice there belifes but we cant pray in school

Posted by michael on 04/01/2009 11:32 AM #

This article seems to be, like many religious studies, based on belief, rather than fact. There is no evidence to prove anything here. When it comes to things payed by taxes, the commandments have nothing to do with it. Church and state are seperate. The Bill of Rights comes before the commandments. What would you do if your child was forced to go to school and pray to allah and various intervals throughout the day?

Where are the statistics to back this up? Where’s the one about the countries that have had prayer banned from schools for far longer than the United States, yet have a better economy and lower crime rate? How do you know what you’re talking about? Stating opinions as facts isn’t acceptable.

Posted by Ariel on 04/13/2009 04:52 PM #

I am indeed a Christian, and I do believe that the removal of prayer in public schools has effected our society today. Think about it….if we really did have our “freedoms” then I would not have been told that I can only hold my prayer group once a week now as oppossed to every day like we used to. My school principals told me that it was because it had grown to be too big. All in all I thought that was the point in the first place,to reach my fellow peers. My parents and I fought it for a while, but we never could really get enough support for any change to really happen and I don’t want to drive a wedge between my family and the school board so that prayer will be totally removed,because I still have two younger brothers to think about here.So,I really do not appreciate one of the comments made earlier about how we CAN pray whenever and wherever we want, beacause I (unlike that person apparently)honestly have been down that road.

Posted by Kierstin on 04/15/2009 11:52 AM #

To all you known belivers who fail to acknowledge the word of God, I feel so sorry for your soul because oneday, it will be judged and if you have not accepted God in your life and repented for all sins, Hell will be your eternity and Hell is a non- stop burning show. Prayer is what gives us strength to communicate with God and shame on anyone who thinks their help comes from anything else besides Him. God gives us life and He is the only one that can take it away. Once you’re lying flat on your back in a coffin, then all chances are over to make it right with God. God gives us all choices and we as human beings must make the right choices because everyone doesnot get a second chance at life. Look around the world today, it’s truly falling apart. It’s falling apart because some people are doing their own sinful things not giving an account to God. Time is winding down and He is soon to come. If your soul isn’t right when He comes, then that will be a sad day indeed. So all of you non- belivers, you have a chance now to get it together. Don’t let death catch you creeping. Be blessed!!

Posted by Melissa Hudson on 04/21/2009 02:21 PM #

Amen brother. AMen

Posted by joe on 04/23/2009 10:05 AM #

I am an atheist. In my opinion, if someone wants to pray, let them. As long as they aren’t a distraction. But forcing children to pray is ridiculous.

Posted by jordan on 05/11/2009 03:17 PM #

I know first hand that prayer in public schools is not dead. I am a christian but I attend a public, secular college university. I attended a sports awards banquet last night. Before the meal we had and the ceremony, an athletic staff member got up and delivered a public invocation, or blessing, for the meal and the ceremony. Surprisingly enough, nobody stood up in anger or hatred. Nobody got up shouting pleas of detest. those who wanted to participated in the prayer, and those who didnt simply sat there in silence and showed respect for those who did participate. As hard as the government tries, they will never full banish religious practices in schools. God is too powerful and so are his believers

Posted by Zack on 05/15/2009 11:46 AM #

Correlation does not equal causation.

Posted by Randall on 05/16/2009 11:13 PM #

If a 5 min prayer in our schools was so powerful as to have made such a differance in our nation then how powerful would it be if families committed to at least 5 minutes of prayer together in their homes daily?
2 Ch.7:14 says “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Posted by dodie on 06/06/2009 10:12 AM #

I Don’t believe Prayer should be banned from school. yes it is a private and personal thing but students should have the ability to do it when they wish. Look at it from not a religious point. For instance sports, people dont have to play the sport but some sign up. Prayer should be an option but not completly banned from schools.

Posted by Emma on 06/10/2009 10:46 AM #

Prayer should be back in school to give these kids that are going up a sense of belief, trust and fear of God, because kids these days think they could do anything they want to and get away with it.

Posted by Entzy Martelly on 06/17/2009 11:17 PM #

Prayer is NOT banned from public schools. Read some laws before snap-judgements are made.The staff of the school cannnot force or deny anybody the ability to pray.As for moral decline, maybe bible-bashing your child caused rebellion. Children should have the right to meet God on their own terms.

Posted by Drex Williams on 07/08/2009 12:31 AM #

Who are you all to say that we need God in our lives. This entire article is ridiculous. You are still allowed to pray in school as long as it doesn’t affect the education that the school system is trying to give our children. You can pray quietly whenever you want and does the bible not say in:

Matthew 6:5-8
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing
in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth,
they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close
the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is
done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like
pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

You can pray whenever you want. Church may also be a good time for that kind of stuff.

You cannot expect to hold up class time and such and force other people of other religions to listen to Christian prayers, Jewish prayers, Hindu, Muslim whatever it is not right to force people who do not share the same feelings about religion as you to sit there and listen to you pray is insensitive to the beliefs of others. You cannot be so ignorant to say that your religion no matter what it is, is the correct religion there is no proof that it is the correct one. If there was a correct religion and we knew about it then everyone would most likely be it, don’t you think. Why are there so many religions in the world. Because no one knows what the right one is. Look at it this way. How many religions have been founded or made off the words of one man. All one man has to do is get people to follow him and how does he do that. He instills fear into people. People are always afraid. Always thinking of death and what could or won’t happen next. Now if your scared enough and all of a sudden in what seems like coincidence, someone comes up to you and says hey you know what. I can save you I can save you from what’s to come. But you must donate so that I can build a better platform to get the word out that I can save people you must help me you must donate and don’t forget, don’t do this … this and this… or else you will not go anywhere remotely nice when you die. You know this sort of thing gets to me when people think that they are right about they’re religion or topics. Ignorance is truly bliss. Now in lieu of that last statement I am not saying that I am right in anyway shape or form. I believe that everyone should be allowed to believe whatever they want to believe and pray to whomever they want to pray. But what does bug me and what I do feel is unacceptable is when people try to impose they’re religious beliefs FORCFULLY on someone else. Who do you think that you talking to a non-religious person is going to get them to change or believe what you believe. Last time I checked you were supposed to let God do that kind of work. You know about 60 % of religious people that I have personally met are hypocrites they preach about this and they preach about that and then once they are done putting on there Sunday best they go home drink a fifth and beat their kids. Now I understand that there is GOOD and BAD in everything. Not all religious folks are good people. Not all prisoners are bad people. Hell not all bad people are BAD people. Maybe just a bad choice or two has led them down a path that they did not intend to be on. I highly doubt most bad people as kids are thinking to themselves, “ You know what, when I grow up I don’t want to be a fireman, I want to hurt people”. That is the kind of thing that parents are supposed to be teaching their kids not to do. Parents are the ones that are supposed to be teaching they’re kids values and morals and what is right and wrong. O’ and side note all those parents that think that “Angry Music & Video Games” are the root of all evil and its what’s causing your children to become evil and lash out at society. YOU ARE IDIOTS. I apologize, but your child may be playing violent video games and what not, but when they go out and rape or shoot someone. It will not be because of the video game it will be your lack of parenting, maybe you should have hit them those last few times. And if any of you are saying “Well what about the belt?” there is a difference between getting a belt to the butt and physically assaulting your child multiple times with your fists.

SOCIETY SIDE NOTE:
The reason that society is bad today is not because of the lack of Fear for God. It is because of what our society has become. Our society has become so concentrated on how people FEEL. That if someone is FEELING bad and they don’t FEEL like going to work today then they don’t. In today’s society it has become acceptable to avoid all sense of responsibility. I know that more than half of you remember when you were young if you didn’t do what your father told you, you were going to get the belt, and you know what you sure never made that mistake again. Now, you even show your child a belt with the intention of hitting him/her and your own child can sue you. People today are basically in my mind, for a lack of a better word soft. I remember my Grandfather telling stories of the horrible things that he was forced to do in WWII things that no one should ever have to go through, NO ONE (at 19 mind you). Yet you walk down the street or listen to the 18-24ish yr olds today and they are complaining about having to work more than 6 hours at a decently paying job.

Ok if anyone has actually read this entire thing I thank you for your time and I apologize if I have jumped around a lot.

In conclusion, I personally believe that forcing prayer upon our children in the class room is wrong. If you want prayer forced send your child to a religious specific school. If it is a public school it should be a place where all cultures and all religions and all people should be able to come and feel comfortable in order to do what they are there to do which I’m sorry is not to learn about religion. It is to learn and become educated and become the successful people that we all know they can be. Forcing your religion on someone else is wrong and if your faith is not strong enough to withstand any of the statements above without you becoming frustrated or enraged, then maybe you should visit your local religious establishment and pray for open mindedness and patience. Thank you for your time.

-Mick

Posted by Mick on 07/12/2009 11:16 PM #

Prayer is NOT banned from public schools.The catch is that school staff members can’t lead prayers.Bible verses CAN be taught in school, but there has to be equal references to other religious faiths.I do believe in God, and I do pray, but how I choose to communicate with him is no one else’s business, and it should be the same everywhere.Prayer, on the other hand should not be enforced or denied in schools.Go ahead and let the children pray, as long as its not disruptive to the learning process.That’s what they are ther for, right?

Posted by Drex Williams on 07/15/2009 01:06 AM #

Individual prayer is not banned from schools, but school-sanctioned group prayer is, and for a damn good reason.

Not permitting group prayer sessions in schools is not the same as kicking god out of schools. Not at ALL. And you are all doing a huge disrespect to people that have actually been put through pain and killed over their religious beliefs in other less-free nations, and in other places in the past. To play this debate off as some kind of religious persecution only weakens your message to anyone with a shred of common sense.

There’s absolutely nothing stopping kids from bringing God into schools with them in their hearts and minds. But public schools are an open, secular institution. If you feel that your kid isn’t getting enough of God, you need to stop blaming schools and instead step up to the plate yourself.

Posted by David on 08/04/2009 12:47 AM #

It is the parents and church’s job to teach children about beliefs and religion.

Posted by Mark Pogue on 08/07/2009 07:17 PM #

This is a very interesting topic. @ The person who posted as “Oh Lord” you are taking that verse out of context those verses were referring specifically to the religious sect of that time who use to love doing these things in public so that they would be seen and recognize by men. This was an issue about “motive” an issue of the heart. If the issue was about doing things in public then why did Jesus and his disciples performed miracle’s in public. He even prayed to the father in public when he was about to raise lazarus from the dead. So it’s vey important not to take scriptures out of context thats how we end up in trouble and form all these wierd doctrines. Now you mentioned about Japan. Yeah they might have all these things going for them that you mentioned but you fail to include one piece of information that they have one of the highest suicide rate to the point that the government is helpless and they don’t know what to do. read it here http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-05-29-japan-suicide_N.htm , And this whole thing about Christian being weak minded I find it interetsing that you say such harsh words and yet you read a book that is only designed for christians and you gave a scripture makes me wonder but I will say this there is nothing weak minded about a christian because we have the mind of Christ (1 corinthians 2:16) and there is nothing weak about him. Judge not(matthew 7 v1) and you won’t be Judged

Posted by K on 08/13/2009 08:53 AM #

I don’t think just because there is some kids that don’t believe in God at school that God and prayer should be taken out of them

Posted by SAKI on 08/20/2009 05:13 PM #

I believe that jesus is the son of god,and I believe that god sent his only son to die on the cross for your sins. I really don`t care what you think,or if you believe or not.You,who does not believe live your life your way. You will be judged one day,wether you believe that or not.I will keep spreading the word of GOD,and if you don`t like it,well thats OK with me .I`m not even going to feel sorry for you.As you get older and lay on your death bed,I bet you`ll be asking for GODS forgivness,but if he doesn`t,I will not feel sorry for you.It wouldn`t hurt you to at least give a little thought to God and his son. It may be your last chance.If you don`t want to acknowledge me ,thats fine,but at least I tried.

Posted by gaetano on 08/22/2009 09:56 AM #

“Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.”—Thomas Paine

Posted by H on 08/25/2009 09:16 AM #

It is amazing to me how we separate “learning” from “faith”. How/why is there a separation. Speaking to the Christians out there: of course those who don’t know the Lord reject what is from Him -= = the Word says that will happen. Of course public school doesn’t want prayer/God in school – - it is against its belief system (which is separation from God). It is our jobs to teach the faith of our kids – - why do we keep sending them to public school. Why do we continue to have them taught every day secular humanism (which is a religion that opposes Christ). But, we separate learning & faith??? This should not be!!! We need to be able to take our money and raise our kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord. OUR MANDATE!! There is not an educational system that is neutral – -it either lifts up the Lord or puts down/provides conflict to the truth.

Posted by Allen on 09/30/2009 12:55 AM #

well if taking prayer out of school isn’t helping then maybe some parents need to get off the pot and take control of their kids.

Posted by barbara on 10/16/2009 05:39 PM #

Dear sir,

Though your article is twenty years old or thereabouts, it is no excuse for such a blindsighted argument. Christianity SHOULD be incorporated, but not in such a way as you prescribe. (Incidentally, your article was tl;dr).

Posted by Com. Video on 11/02/2009 09:34 PM #

the problem is that people judge Christ based upon his “Christians”. Firstly, you are NO in position to judge Christ at all. You take Him in entirety.

Posted by Ashleigh on 11/03/2009 10:27 PM #

As you know, We’ve been working real hard in our town to get prayer back in our schools. Finally, the school board approved a plan of teacher-led prayer with the children participating at their own option. Children not wishing to participate were to be allowed to stand out in the hallway during prayer time. We hoped someone would sue us so we could go all the way to the supreme court and get the old devil-inspired ruling reversed.

Naturally, we were all excited by the school board action. As you know, our own little Billy (not so little, any more though) is now in the second grade. Of course, Margaret and I explained to him no matter what the other kids did, he was going to stay in the classroom and participate.

After the first day of school, I asked him, “How did the prayer time go?”

“Fine.”

“Did many kids go out into the hallway?”

“Two.”

“Excellent. How did you like your teachers prayer?”

“It was different, dad. Real different from the way you pray.”

“Oh? Like how?”

“She said,‘Hail Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners…’”

The next day I talked with the principal. I politely explained I wasn’t prejudiced against Catholics but I would appreciate Billy being transferred to a non-Catholic teacher. The principal said it would be done right away.

At supper that evening I asked Billy to say the blessings. He slipped out of his chair, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, raised his hand palms up in the air and began to hum.

You’d better believe I was at the principal’s office at eight o’clock the next morning. “Look,” I said. ‘I don’t really know much about these Transcendental Meditationists, but I would feel a lot more comfortable If you could move Billy to a room where the teacher practices an older, more established religion.

That afternoon I met Billy as soon as he walked in the door after school.

“I don’t think you’re going to like Mrs. Nakasone’s prayer, either, Dad.”

“Out with it.”

“She kept chanting Namu Amida Butsu…”

The following morning I was waiting for the principal in the school parking lot.

“Look, I don’t want my son praying to the Eternal Spirit of whatever to Buddha. I want him to have a teacher who prays in Jesus’ name!”

“What about Bertha Smith?”

“Excellent.”

I could hardly wait to hear about Mrs. Smith’s prayer. I was standing on the front steps of the school when the final bell rang.

“Well?” I asked Billy as we walked towards the car.

“Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“Mrs. Smith asked God to bless us and ended her prayer in Jesus’ name, amen just like you.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we’re getting some place.”

“She even taught us a verse of scripture about prayer,” said Billy.

I beamed. “Wonderful. What was the verse?”

“Lets see…” he mused for a moment. “And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.”

We had reached the car. “Fantastic,” I said reaching for the door handle. Then paused. I couldn’t place the scripture.

“Billy, did Mrs. Smith say what book that verse was from?”

“Third Nephi, chapter 19, verse 18.”

“Nephi what?”

“Nephi,” he said. “It’s in the Book of Mormon.”

The school board doesn’t meet for a month. I’ve given Billy very definite instructions that at prayer time each day he’s to go out into the hallway. I plan to be at that board meeting. If they don’t do something about this situation, I’LL sue. I’LL take it all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. I don’t need schools or anybody else teaching my son about religion. We can take care of that ourselves at home and at church, thank you very much.

Posted by Robin on 11/18/2009 08:54 AM #

Yeah, cause kids in public schools are all Christian all right, none have different religons, Favoritism, that’s the way to go.

Posted by Magnus on 11/23/2009 11:19 PM #

I agree with the writer that said it is not the schools responsibility to teach prayer, it is the parents. I also believe that removing prayer is one of the major factors in the decline of education and society. You can’t just toss God to the side and then expect Him to keep hanging around. It is the fault of parents primarily that schools have become what they are. Too many have sat aside and just let secular humanism take over. When the legislation supported the removal of prayer from the school, parents should have went to the capital the schools and anywhere else they could be scene and made a scene.

Posted by Denise on 01/31/2010 07:28 AM #

who gives a crap if we can or can’t pray in schools, im a student in high school and i pray whenever i want even thoe we aren’t supposed to… I don’t care they can’t stop me and like they would say anything they can’t put me in jail for it anyway there is a freedom of speech and i will exercise it to talk with god just because its talking with god doesn’t mean it isn’t talking.

Posted by Slade on 02/12/2010 09:44 AM #

I am using this website to do a paper in my public speaking class, I am an adult student and I attend a Christian College, and firmly believe that removing our Father from our children’s schools is part and the start of the decline morality of our country/ and the school system. Only or Fathter knows when Jesus will be return for us. This can happen any day, and Jesus did state in the book of Matthew that all things like this will happen in the Last Days!!

Posted by John Roberts on 02/16/2010 01:07 PM #

Matthew 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.

Posted by James Lehman on 02/16/2010 07:37 PM #

I Believe Religion Should Not be Allowed In School…Our Teachers These Days Anyways Are To Lazy To Do Anything To Help Us Learn About Prayer And Religion So Honestly Who Gives A Shit

Posted by Jake Perdew on 03/23/2010 11:48 AM #

hi.i am a 35year old lady who would love to see prayer back in the schools. i am writing a paper for my college writing class about the situation. only God himself can turn this world around and i believe He is tired of all the corruption caused by man. He is soon to return so we all need to be ready when He comes. prayer should be done openly and privately. please lets get prayer back in the schools to eliminate all the violence. invite the Lord in and watch the transformation.

Posted by shae l. on 03/23/2010 08:09 PM #

Prayer to Stop School Violence,and the Boycott I all ways love it when I read stories as this and some people jump around and say Oh, there is nothing that can be done about it. Prayer was never forced when I went to school, it was a freedom of choice for a child. Did you know that when the first Laws against Prayer in Schools came about, it was all most unchallenged in Court? As for women,a lot of men do not understand how a woman feels and I wish to share a short short, As we advance into the 22nd century, a lot of woman are so connected to the past of a day that the sense of valuer for her is becoming lost and the respect in that concept will be only ancient in origin. Before I share, try to understand that I am of a time and a race of people that have faith in that which has become lost. What we are doing will only be a pin prick against the system, but it will….
Please allow me to show you how deep this issue is within a Matrix {of days of the past} that some do not understand. One must be of a time before the Laws created against God through the prayer in school, and to see what has took place for 30 years because of this Law of no prayer at school,and now look where we are at today. I have watched for over 40 years children die in school and this is not a myth. As a child and to feel protected by God, a myth that some seem to say I need to prove He lives.
Because of the diversity between different Faiths, it is important to remember that the goal is to bring back only that 10 second moment of silence, of Prayer. To bring in different Faiths and Bible teachings will only cluster the goal.
On page 20 the Pay It Forward Petition is our little views…..
All so, Join us in the;
“International Boycott Of The Arabic Drug Empire” What does this Boycott have to do with this, nothing and yet, “everything”, drugs, guns and death. When I wrote my first “ Boycott” I just wanted to see the trickle effect it would have, with out stepping into a forth dimension and having my in site lost. To bring Life to hope where there is none in our schools through a Boycott and words of truth.To give a child room for thought, a new directive for in site…
The Arabic Drug Empire is the only one in the world that seeks to kill every last man woman and child in the world in order for their chosen few can repopulate the world….
Our goal is for our words to go around the world, to be heard in the streets to the country until it reaches the White House and shakes the very foundation of this Government Institution. It is not what we say that counts in as much as, it is what we do not say that builds words of truth.
Some say that a Boycott is a waist of time, but it would depend on what is said and how to merge this Boycott into the Violence At Our Schools, to understand we wish to live and we fight with words of truth to in force our right, because we face inhalation through the miss use of a faith.
Henry Massingale
FASC Concepts in and for Pay It Forward covers the web.
Drop by and see why we built a anti crime / war form in a Health Care Reform Concept. To strategically Rebuild America
www.fascmovement.mysite.com on google look for page 1 american dream official site.

Posted by Henry Massingale on 04/26/2010 02:46 PM #

You’re severly missing the point of those trials and using it for your own religious propaganda. The fact of the matter is that America was not formed to conform to how you see things, it was formed as a way to let everyone see things the way they want. The trials in which you cited were ruled as such to protect and uphold the Bill of Rights, not to conform to the Ten Commandments, which have no place in government or judicial rulings.

On another note, the Courts are taking prayer out of schools in the sense that it is mandatory for everyone, not forcing it out of anyone. The Courts have ruled that everyone is free to pray as they see fit as long as it does not interrupt the learning process taking place. Your argument is breaking the Bill of Rights by infringing on the rights of those who do not wish to pray, or at the very least do not wish to pray in a public place in such a way.

You say morality in America is declining. That may be your opinion, by my opinion is that we, as a nation, are advancing in our intellect and becoming better because of our increasing curiousity and logical thinking.

Posted by Chris T on 04/27/2010 12:11 PM #

I am using this passage to help support my persuasive essay. everyone is doing reports on things like abortion and gaymarriage but i think “should prayer be allowed in schools?” is an issue we need to address before going on to bigger things. we need to start on things we experience dailey than things we only see on the news every other week…thank you for this artical

Posted by TAYLOR on 04/27/2010 06:19 PM #

When my niece was in 5th grade, she and four of her friends, sat down in a circle on the playground one day, held hands, bowed their heads, and prayed before lunch. They did not impose their beliefs on anyone else. After doing this for a few days, a teacher noticed and alerted the principal. All were suspended for 3 days and my niece’s mother was told to keep her daughter home until she understood that she was NOT ALLOWED to pray at school. Being only 10 years old, she did not understand what she did WRONG.

I remember saying The Lord’s Prayer every morning after The Pledge of Allegiance. I remember feeling safe and unified. We, all of us together, were a ONE. I remember when prayer stopped. I no longer felt that oneness.

I thoroughly believe taking prayer out of the schools began our moral decay. Not all parents take their children to church, but they celebrate Christmas and Easter. In this day and age of both parents working and everything moving so fast, Sunday has become a much looked forward to day to sleep in. Saturday is not just enough anymore.

We need prayer back in school. Not just a “moment of silence.” We need prayer spoken out loud, all together. If anyone is not Christian, then they should sit quietly and be respectful. If there are children of any other religion, then they should be allowed to have the same time to worship.

This country was founded with God’s blessings. We are “One Nation Under God.” If people don’t like it, they have the choice to live somewhere else.

Posted by Robin Stevens on 05/07/2010 08:09 PM #

We need to do something, this has to be changed, please lets get a big rally together and let it be taken care of,, one woman had it taken out, how do I!!! get started on getting back in? please tell me, I want to do this!!

Posted by Robin Howell on 05/14/2010 12:11 PM #

Japan probably does have a lower crime rate but Japanese parents raise their children discipline that would make most American children scream, “ABUSE!”

Posted by GMAN5284 on 05/14/2010 12:50 PM #

I really do believe in reinstating prayer in public schools. Just a short acknowledgement of God’s hand on our children and teachers and nation, as stated in the article. As for those who do not pray to the Trinitarian God, they can just sit through it or ask to be dismissed. This country was founded on Christian principles. Other nations hold other religions sacred and smaller sects just tolerate it. That should be the case in this country.

Posted by Devin Ligtelyn on 05/24/2010 02:22 AM #

Prayer should not be allowed in schools! There is no problem if kids want to pray silently to themselves but to publically display it is a little much. If we resort back to the ways of the 60’s and we have bible readings every day over a loudspeaker, kids can get offended and hurt. America is so religiously different that there is no way having a strict way of prayer would work. Me, being a high school student would not appreciate it. I am not religious, but have no problem with people that are. If you want prayer every day in schools…GO TO A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL!!

Posted by Magnolia on 05/24/2010 01:46 PM #

A little prayer never hurt anybody.

Posted by GMAN5284 on 05/28/2010 03:46 PM #

I wrote an article entitled “Put Prayer Back”. Since prayer has been taken out of the school system we have seen a decline in our children with perversion, gangs, homosexuality and murder to name a few. Satan nows if he can attack our childern he has attacked our future. Satan knows how powerful prayer is (remember he is a fallen angel). We need prayer back. How can I get started? I am ready.

Posted by Debra A. on 05/31/2010 02:56 PM #

I believe that there should be an alloted time for prayer for those who wish to do so during school. School age children face so many problems and trials and if they are of a Christian faith, they need God’s guidance and protection. Yes, we can all pray at home, but the Bible even says “where two or three are gathered in my name, there will I be also”. If, let’s say 70% of the students are Christian and they all are given time to pray during the school day, on campus, God can move so much for those students and teachers. I also do not feel that prohibiting teachers from being involved in the religious meetings is right. I am studying to be a teacher and I am also a Christian, and I do not see, if there is a student led religious meeting on campus, why I would not be allowed to participate. Or even better, why could I not lead a religious meeting, bible study, etc, on campus, after hours? The removal of prayer from school, has removed all aspects of God from school for both teachers and students. I have relatives who are teachers and they cannot even proclaim their faith in desk ornaments or shirts or pictures, for fear that it will offend a student. I find that is a direct violation of freedom of speech. The display of such items of faith is not imposing that faith on the students, but rather a mere action of the teacher proclaiming his or her beliefs. Also, if science can teach evolution an equal balance of creation as it is known from the Bible should be allowed. I pray for His quick return as I am so discouraged by the societal decline of our nation, so much that I fear for my children as they grow and I long for the day that all the world’s problems will be no more and we all be in heaven with our Lord and King.

Posted by CJ on 06/18/2010 06:53 PM #

I’m quite surprised at the complete ignorance of our nation’s past in this article and the comments, all this talk of how God made America great and rich and before the 60’s morality was strong. Need I remind everyone of Native American genocide, enslavement of African-Americans, the attendant hidden/ignored sexual and physical abuse, segregation, imperialism, the greed of the Gilded Age, among others. In some ways America is more moral than in the past.

I am a committed Christian, yet I also believe in secular government. God gave us free will, people should not be forced to follow one religious sects view on morality. We have rights to pray in school, I do it all the time, its just that the faculty and staff cannot enforce it, being government institutions, in order to respect people of all beliefs. We have come far as a nation, and although immorality exists, it seems that the several (but not all) the people who decry the loss of morality are quite selective in what they choose to point out, homosexuality, abortion, while being often oblivious to war, divorce, poverty, greed, discrimination and the like.

Posted by AV on 07/25/2010 04:43 AM #

Our nation is doomed to fall if we the Christians do not start to fall on our knees and humble ourselves before the Almighty God. Throwing prayer out of the public school is one of the biggest mistakes that this country, the United States of America that was founded not so long ago by our Godly Forefathers has done. We think we are so much wiser, yet we cannot even have some of the freedoms that some other countries have today. A nation without God cannot survive longer then the generations that put Him out do. We are headed for a great judgement and it is scary. We Godly Americans today must turn our eyes towards the cross with great conviction and pray with full reverance and respect before we fall into a Communist Regime. It can happen. Pray without ceasing.

Posted by Heather Rochelle on 07/26/2010 04:09 PM #

I will be using this article for my school assignment as well. Not because I am pro prayer in school but because I got stuck with the topic. Honestly i think that if people want to pray on their own time let them. But why must we have a mass function to pray? What about those who don't believe? Do you really need the whole school to pray at one time to reinforce your beliefs. If morality is declining its because of religion not getting taught in the home well. School has nothing to do with it

Posted by Shay on 08/10/2010 10:49 AM #

Keep religion out of public schools. If you want your children to pray in school send them to a religious based schools and not on tax payers back. Not everyone believes in your fairy tales.

Posted by Lidia on 08/27/2010 11:55 PM #

I believe you are completly wrong. First, religion and the state are not suppose to be together. second i do not belive in god so why do i have to pray to him? thrid which god are you praying to? there are so many religions you are segregating people because of this. i am 16 and go a public school. sorry about my spelling.

Posted by Bob on 08/29/2010 05:44 PM #