Prayer in Schools

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know, I know, I’m ranting about religion again. But if it didn’t cause so many goddamn issues in the United States maybe I wouldn’t have to! The subject here is prayer in public schools. People want it back in. Why? Because it’ll make kids more moral? Well those kids who shot up Columbine were church-goers, so I don’t think that’s it. Actually, there really isn’t a good reason to reinstate prayer in schools after they’ve been fine without it for the last 4 decades. The only argument people seem to be able to think of in favor of it is: "Why not? It’s harmless."

Is it? When people say "prayer" they really mean Christian prayer. Sure no one has a problem with that, but what if someone suggested Shinto prayer? Buddhist prayer? Hindu prayer? Wiccan prayer? Why, parents would be in an uproar! So why is it when anyone gets in an uproar over the notion of Christian prayer in schools they’re painted as overreacting to something "harmless" and "good"? Well it’s not harmless. And it’s not good either. Freedom of Religion doesn’t apply to just Christians, it applies to all of us, and indoctrinating other people’s children with your religion is definitely a violation of that.

Look, as it stands right now a kid can pray in school. If a child wishes to sit with their hands clasped and their eyes closed praying silently to themself at lunch or recess or something then who’s stopping them? No one. People have suggested a "prayer time" where kids can pray, meditate or take naps, whatever they want. Okay, what’s the use of that other than to waste time in the middle of the day that could be spent learning? And it definitely doesn’t stop opprotunistic teachers from whipping out a Bible and drawing the kids into a little prayer circle. 

The people who advocate prayer in public schools don’t say it right out but what they really want is a time in class where a teacher recites a prayer. And how is that fair to the non-Christian children? Won’t peer pressure alone encourage kids who aren’t Christian to join in, and encourage the ones who do join in the ostracize the ones who don’t? If it’s that important to you for your kid to have a class-lead recited prayer every day in school, shell out the cash for a private school. If you can’t do that: suck it up.

But of course that’s not what this is really about. To most of these advocates it’s not about their kids getting prayer-time, it’s having the opprotunity to convert other people’s children in an environment where their parents aren’t readily accessible to them. More little lambs for the flock!  Now again, imagine this was any other religion than Christianity: people would be angry, insulted, and feeling like this violates both their rights and the rights of their children. So why then, since it’s Christianity, do people actually consider this to be feasible?

And lastly, here is a quote all Christians should know and should pay attention to and if they listened to it wouldn’t be advocating prayer in schools at all:

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.

You know who said that? JESUS! (Matthew 6:5 - 6 [NIV])

Jesus hates you for praying in public. So please stop advocating prayer in schools, please take down all the mega churches, cancel all the televangelists and for god’s sake stop carrying "the end is near" signs around on the street corners. Thankyou and goodnight!