-Caveat Lector-
LOL
re: articles about prayer in public schools
It always amazes me that the terminology "Prayer in the Schools" gets so
much attention. Don't people realize that Christian prayer does not have to
be formalized? People who choose to pray, can do so anywhere anytime,
privately, or among themselves, without it having to be a group assembly
and public impression that oppresses those who choose not to believe as they
do. Group prayers get no more priority than private prayers... Christians
*always have the option to say prayer*. Why it has to manifest itself with
public acknowledgment of an entire congregation regardless of where they are
gathered, totally baffles me. It only adds fuel to an already smoldering
fire, and attracting fire from those who like to throw it, i.e.
antichristian, antigod facsimiles...
Actually, there is really no place for any kind of religion in the public
schools for that matter. A Christian's walk of life should be patterned
after the one it's named after... Christ. He did not carry on big prayers
in public places, but rather taught those who chose to come and listen. If
people did not gather in these public places to listen to the words of
Christ or prayers, they should not be subject to listen to it.
Christ taught to pray in private, not like the heathen do and make long
prayers in the pata, (streets, i.e. even to say, in the arena).
If one is a true Christian, they would not be begging to "be seen" praying,
but rather about doing as they were taught by Christ throughout the gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul.
eagle 1
----- Original Message -----
From: CobolMage <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 12:31 AM
Subject: [CTRL] Fw: AANEWS for Monday, September 6, 1999
> -Caveat Lector-
>
> from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
> subject: AANEWS for September 6, 1999
>
> A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
> #635 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9/6/99
> http://www.atheists.org
> ftp.atheists.org/pub/atheists/
> http://www.americanatheist.org
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS
> "Leading The Way For Atheist Civil Rights
> And The Separation Of State and Church"
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In This Issue...
> * Prayer and hoopla in Texas: Judge OKs invocation
> * American Atheists press release on "See You At The Pole"
>
> JUDGE OK'S FOOTBALL INVOCATION IN TEXAS
> "Moment of Silence" Replaces Prayer At Some Games
>
> The sound of Christian prayer echoed at a Houston area football game
> on Friday night following a temporary restraining order barring the
> school district from punishing any student for leading an invocation.
> Marian Lynn Ward, daughter of a local Baptist pastor, was elected by
> fellow students to deliver what Associated Press described as
> "inspirational remarks" prior to kickoff. Santa Fe School District
> officials, though, said that they would enforce a ruling from the 5th
> Circuit Court of Appeals which had allowed school prayer at certain
> events such as graduation ceremonies, but prohibited the practice
> during athletic contests, and dismiss any students attempting to
> organize or lead an invocation.
>
> Kelly Coghlan, a Houston attorney who has represented parents and
> students in a legal effort to allow school prayer, filed an appeal
> with the local U.S. District Court late Thursday. Judge Sim Lake
> then issued his temporary restraining order, saying that the threats
> by school board officials violated the constitutional right to free
> speech. He said that district guidelines based upon the Circuit Court
> ruling "clearly prefer atheism over any religious faith."
>
> At Friday's contest between Santa Fe and Crosby high schools, the
> crowd cheered as Ms. Ward was accompanied by the school principle to
> an announcer's booth. "Since a very good judge that was using a lot
> of wisdom this afternoon ruled that I have freedom of speech tonight,"
> Ward declared, "I'm going to take it..."
>
> According to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram newspaper, Ward then "asked
> God to keep the players safe, and prayed that players and fans would
> show good sportsmanship and that God would bless the evening."
>
> "God, thank you for this evening," added Ward. "Thank you for all the
> prayers that were lifted up this week for me. I pray that you'll
> bless each and every person here tonight, In Jesus' name I pray.
> Amen."
>
> Ward later described the experience of leading the prayer as
> "surreal," saying that she was "overwhelmed."
>
> At other high school games throughout the state, there were
> disingenuous moments of "silence." The crowd booed at the
> Richland-Stephenville game when it was announced that there would be
> no pre-game invocation. An unidentified announcer then implored,
> "Let's join in a moment of silence for player safety and
> sportsmanship.." A similar announcement was made at the
> Halstrom-Crowley face-off at Birdville Stadium, according to the Star
> Telegram.
>
> Players held an end zone "prayer huddle" at Mustang-Panther Stadium in
> Grapevine; officials there said that no formal pregame prayers had
> been planned for the current athletic season.
>
> Reacting to the District Court restraining order, attorney Frank
> Colosi of the ACLU said that school districts can still be sued for
> resisting the appellate court ruling. He added that attempts to have
> cheerleaders or other students lead a prayer during the official game
> would be turning the athletic field into a public forum. "The (Santa
> Fe) school district is setting a precedent," Colossi said. "Now
> they're going to have to allow anyone to say anything they want --
> whether it's religious, political or satanic."
>
> "When another student says, 'Hey, I want to say something,' and the
> school district refuses, they are discriminating and could be sued."
>
> (For further information on the "Texas prayer wars," visit the Texas
> American Atheists State Director web site at
> http://www.atheists.org/tx/
>
> **
>
> AMERICAN ATHEISTS CHALLENGES "STUDENT LED'" SYATP PRAYER
>
> (The following press release is being sent to national media tomorrow
> in anticipation of this year's "See You At The Pole" prayer event
> slated for September 15, 1999 -- Ed.)
>
> AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
> PRESS RELEASE
> Sept. 7, 1999
>
> http://www.atheists.org
> http://www.americanatheist.org
>
> Atheists claim "See You At The Pole" event is "Majority Rule Religion"
> "Free Speech" claim is a ruse - event is violation of First Amendment
> Bill of Rights should be posted in classrooms instead of
> "commandments"
>
> 1999's "See You At The Pole" (SYATP) event, a yearly exercise by which
> Christian students use specific flagpoles, those located only on
> public school property, for religious exhortations, "is not, as some
> would have you believe, an issue of free speech or free association,"
> noted Ron Barrier, National Spokesperson for American Atheists.
>
> The mass usage of public school flagpoles is scheduled for Wed., Sept.
> 15, 1999.
>
> "Although the American Center for Law and Justice, a law firm started
> by television preacher Pat Robertson, claims that this event is
> 'student-led and student-initiated,' this is simply not the case. It
> is a premeditated attempt at child recruitment in the public schools -
> spearheaded and instigated by adults, pastors, churches and other
> outside evangelical organizations," he added.
>
> "Evangelical groups are attempting to control the public school forum
> by attempting to coerce students to publicly identify their religious
> inclinations. Not only is this type of 'loyalty oath' illegal, it is
> 'majority-rule religion' which is the type of sectarian harassment our
> Bill of Rights is designed to discourage," Mr. Barrier noted.
>
> Mr. Barrier added that "TV shows, interviews and reading the SYATP
> materials make it very clear that free speech is not the issue.
>
> "It's a show of force, not a show of faith," he said.
>
> According to Mr. Barrier, "Common Ground, a series of pamphlets
> distributed in churches by Search Ministries, Inc., gives explicit
> instructions to parents as to how to train their children to
> evangelize and recruit in the schools. The instructions include 'bait
> & switch' tactics as well as various 'confidence' schemes."
>
> Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, noted that "the real
> agenda of SYATP officials is to target young people for evangelism.
> They want access to school children in an environment where parents
> are liable to exercise the least amount of control over their child's
> welfare and ethical upbringing."
>
> "American Atheists suggests that the Bill of Rights be posted in
> classrooms across the country, instead of the so-called commandments,"
> stated Ms. Johnson.
>
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