Real quick. My friend Heather posted this poem thing on myspace, and, of course, I had to respond.
Original post:
Since the Pledge of Allegiance and
> The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most
> public schools anymore
> Because the word 'God' is mentioned....
> A kid in Arizona wrote the attached
> NEW School prayer :
> Now I sit me down in school
> Where praying is against the rule
> For this great nation under God
> Finds mention of Him very odd.
>
> If Scripture now the class recites,
> It violates the Bill of Rights.
> And anytime my head I bow
> Becomes a Federal matter now.
> Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
> That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
> The law is specific, the law is precise.
> Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
>
> For praying in a public hall
> Might offend someone with no faith at all.
> In silence alone we must meditate,
> God's name is prohibited by the state.
> We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
> And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
> They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
> To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
> We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
> And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
> It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
> We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.
> We can get our condoms and birth controls,
> Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
> But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
> No word of God must reach this crowd.
>
> It's scary here I must confess,
> When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
> So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
> Should I be shot; My soul please take!
> Amen
My response:
I'm sorry sweety, but you know I can't read stuff like this and not reply. The Lord's Prayer was never banned because it mentioned God - it's not like it was a secret that it was a prayer to God. It was banned because in America, especially in public, government-funded facilities, people of any and every religion are allowed and encouraged to attend and feel safe and comfortable. It was never because America hates God - it would simply be inconvenient and take way too much time to do a Christian prayer, then a Jewish prayer, then a Muslim prayer, then a Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Zoroastrianistic, and Jainistic, and those are just the major religions. So what did we do? Created a moment of silence, which the majority of public school's do abide by. It's a moment for students of any faith to worship their God privately and to themselves, which many argue is the way religion should be practiced in the first place. Even in the Bible, it says that those who pray in public pray so others will think they're good and lose focus on God. And as for that kid, either he deserves to be shot, or he needs to go to a damn private school.
