Re: Christians getting it wrong

In article <uusjjb$2b8ao$1@dont-email.me>,
 "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

"Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

 

"We've always led attendees in prayer during ceremonies of the public
high school. Why cannot we continue to offer a prayer at the upcoming
graduation?"

 

It's unconstitutional to do so even though those who want public prayer
are restricted from freely exercising their own religion.

 

But the problem comes when they try and censor the valedictorian from
mentioning her faith and how it helped her achieve her goals. (As
several courts have done over the years.) The Constitution does not
prohibit the mere mention of religion in public spaces.

 

As long as she doesn't lead the congregation in prayer, I don't see how
a bright line has been crossed about either Establishment or Free
Exercise.

 

There was also the case of the kid who liked to sit quietly and read his
bible during lunch hour. The rabid separation-of-church-and-staters
running his school had a fit and prohibited him from even possessing his
bible on school grounds. They were given an expensive education by a
federal court on how blinkered their view of the law was.

 
I've given an example from my own life. I once took a bible study class
from Board of Jewish Education at my high school. They kept supplies in
a large closet that didn't have their name on it. It was taught in a
classroom after school. It wasn't the public high school imposing
religion, but there was religion taking place in a public building as a
private activity.
 
In school choir and orchestra, we played religious music. Christian, of
course.

Mozart' Requiem is 'religious music'. So is Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus"
and John Williams' "The Holy Grail" from LAST CRUSADE and his "Star of
Bethlehem" from HOME ALONE. As long as the music is not played as part
of a religious ceremony, there's nothing unconstitutional about a high
school orchestra playing those pieces.

None of this is related to what I was talking about, like opening the
graduation ceremony or football game or homeroom with a prayer. That's
what some Christians want, the ability to impose religion upon the
public that hasn't got a choice but to sit through it.