This morning, on the way in, one of the radio stations was having a discussion about the battle to allow prayer - speciffically group-oriented prayer for all students - in the classroom. One caller stated that it should be allowed because we need to bring "morality" back into the classroom via a "belief in something bigger then ourselves" and that we need to remember "but for the grace of god go I." I'm sorry, I have to strongly disagree.
The words "morality" and "religion" are NOT synonmous. The idea of religion - especially organized relgion - has been the opposition for morality as long as there's been a "church" structure. I don't think it take a theologian or a historian to see the sheer level of pain, destruction and suffering organized religion has wrought amoung the years (centuries, millenia). To me, it is as the pot calling the kettle black. They scold school's lack of "morality" on it's oversight of a majority-ruled mandatory worship, all the while lacking the morality themselves to simply co-exist in harmony with other faiths. (afterall, wound't want us "heathens" to go around and spread our "lies" of Paganism now would we? And this is just one tiny example in a world full of 'non-majority' religion. By the way, majority may rule, but it does not mean it's right.)
It just vexed me that the caller actually had the nerve to claim that through forced classroom worship we'd have peace in our troubled schools. No, what we'd have it a breakdown of the fundamental rights of the Constitution of the United States. It's not up to some relgious figure to preach to me - in a place meant to be for the learning of fact, where faith has no fact by it's definition - about what's right and wrong. That's the role of the parents. Let's put the blame where it belongs, and more importantly, address an acceptable soloution: parents need to parent.
Some shoved-down-your-throat worship isn't going to do anything but deteriorate this country further away from it's foundation. (not to mention anger people further away from the self-same religion) Civil liberties and rights are not just in force when "convienent." They need to exist at all times and in all places. The minute we loose that, we've defeated the whole point. Ridecule, hatred, and oppression already occurr to those of us who's faith is not "mainstream" - yet no less valid I need to add - and we do not need to compound this further with the Church taking over our schools. Think it's bad now? Wait until the lynching starts again. That's what you'll get. Not morals and not decency, but hatred. Where's the "good" in that?
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 3/4/2002 08:39:39 AM ~
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