Terri Schiavo's Parents Seek Divorce on Her Behalf

[vsp]

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

The anti-christian zealots aren't worried about religious tenets being codified into US law. They throw a fit anytime God is mentioned, whether it be a schoolkid praying at lunch or a cross on a roadside memorial on a federal highway.

Horseshit. When I was in school, I could sit in the lunchroom and pray if I wanted to pray. Who could stop me even if they wanted to do so? Who could get into my head, figure out what I was thinking about and somehow prevent me from having a little private chat with God?

What _couldn't_ and _shouldn't_ have happened was for my day to begin with the loudspeaker saying "Let us now stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by our daily prayer."

Religion practiced on an individual basis is one thing. Religion specifically endorsed in public forums, such as public schools and courthouses, is a _very_ different concern.

[OnyxCougar]

Originally Posted by vsp

Horseshit. When I was in school, I could sit in the lunchroom and pray if I wanted to pray. Who could stop me even if they wanted to do so? Who could get into my head, figure out what I was thinking about and somehow prevent me from having a little private chat with God?

What _couldn't_ and _shouldn't_ have happened was for my day to begin with the loudspeaker saying "Let us now stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by our daily prayer."

Religion practiced on an individual basis is one thing. Religion specifically endorsed in public forums, such as public schools and courthouses, is a _very_ different concern.

They had a "moment of silence" in my schools every morning. If you wanted to pray you could, but most kids just stood there and were bored.

[mrnoodle]

Time for links!

I was trying to find the story from my hometown where one of our local atheists defaced a memorial to a kid lost in the mountains because it was on state forest land. I can't find it at the moment. But it's silly for me to have do to that. You know good and well that the anti-god people aren't concerned about state-run religion. They're after EVERYONE who practices Christianity, trying to force them into little boxes where it's "acceptable" to practice their faith.

[vsp]

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

You know good and well that the anti-god people aren't concerned about state-run religion. They're after EVERYONE who practices Christianity, trying to force them into little boxes where it's "acceptable" to practice their faith.

I _am_ one of those "anti-god" people, one of those dirty heathen atheists you read about in the news. Don't tell me what I want to do and what I don't.

Let's see...

Link one: a case that ended up being decided correctly, where the kindergarten girl _was subsequently allowed_ to say Grace on an individual basis. This was personal religious expression, not school endorsement, and thus the court came down on the individual's side.

Link two: a case of abused and vandalized crosses that even the article assumes wasn't due to disgruntled atheists (who probably wouldn't have jumped to use Satanic or KKK imagery), a cross removed by a self-identifying Christian, and the ACLU spokesman saying "If you allow roadside crosses, you'll have allow atheist roadside memorials as well" -- as if _that_ would be such a horrible fate.

Link three: a controversy over whether a church pastor (accused of "indoctrination" and evangelism, true or not) could lead a school-endorsed discussion group about Bible study on school grounds and on school time. Those last two clauses are important.

I don't see anything in any of those links worth getting upset about.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

You know good and well that the anti-god people aren't concerned about state-run religion. They're after EVERYONE who practices Christianity, trying to force them into little boxes where it's "acceptable" to practice their faith.

I know nothing of the sort. In fact, I know the opposite. Though I do know that that is the boogieman that is dangled in front of the faithful to get them to vote for government entanglement with religion.

Lets run down some of the poular issues:

Having "In god we trust" on money is not practicing the faith. Even if you are a Christian: the one time Jesus got angry was when religion and commerce were mixed. So removing the phrase from money does not hinder the practicing of anyone's faith.

Likewise the pledge of alleigance - You can pray any time you like. Not mentioning God in the pledge doesn't stop you from mentioning Him before or afterwards. Nobody's faith would be hindered by its removal.

Removing organized prayer in schools doesn't stop anyone from practicing their faith. It is not an article of anyones faith that the principal of your school must dictate the time and/or form of your prayers.

Likewise prayers in legislative sessions.

The availability of gay marriage doesn't affect those who don't believe in gay marriage in any way whatsoever, except giving them something to cluck over.


So even if every single one of those hot button issues occurred, not one Christian would be hindered in any way from practicing their faith.