The new battleground in religious freedom isn’t taking place in the streets, the halls of Congress, or even church pews – it’s at your local school board meeting.
In school boards big and small, the battle of whether to pray (as well as who gets to pray) is playing out across the country.
The most recent front is Arizona, where a bill was introduced in the Arizona legislature that would allow school board members to pray during meetings. And recent discussions for that bill were all over the place, delving into topics such as the Pledge of Allegiance, Satanism, and even land acknowledgements.
Should prayer be allowed at school board meetings? And why does this matter, anyway?
The Arizona Bill
State Rep. Teresa Martinez authored AZ House Bill 2110, which would allow any school board member to pray “during the meeting of a governing body.” The bill was in response to recent challenges to prayers in school boards across the country, which have come under increasing scrutiny from religious freedom watchdogs.
“We pray in the House. We pray in the Senate. We pray in Washington, D.C. We pray in city council meetings. We pray in county meetings,” Rep. Martinez observed. “The only place that we are not allowed to pray – statewide, uniformly – is a school board.”
Martinez stated that school boards directly represent their God-fearing communities – and that means they should pray. And if you’re not a Christian?
“If you don’t love God, you don’t have to pray, you can walk out, you can sit quietly, you don’t have to be there,” she said.
The conversation quickly took some strange turns, however – including into the realm of Satanic prayers and land acknowledgements.
This extended exchange is worth watching:
To Pray or Not to Pray?
What’s happening in Arizona is representative of quiet conversations taking place in small town local government across America.
In California, the Chino Valley Unified School District is fighting a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court which said that opening school board meetings with prayer was a violation of the Establishment Clause. In Prosser, Washington, student representatives pushed back against a school board member who suggested opening meetings with a prayer. And across the country in Cabarrus, North Carolina, two school board members engaged in a heated discussion regarding praying before meetings - prompting one to ask, "How much God do you need?"
As Christians grow more emboldened to insert prayer into school board meetings, other faiths aren't rolling over in the face of their growing influence.
What Type of Prayer is Allowed?
Time and time again, for example, Satanists have sought to take advantage of policies allowing prayers or religious invocations before city council meetings, school board meetings, and even religious displays at state capitols.
RELATED: Satanic Holiday Display Destroyed, Beheaded in Iowa Capitol
And though Rep. Martinez said she was fine with Satanists giving prayers or invocations ahead of meetings, that’s often easier said than done. When Satanists do take up the offer, it’s often to mass uproar – sometimes leading to the decision by the governing body to end the prayer policy altogether.
As debates like this continue to surface at school boards and other local governing bodies, they raise broader questions about how religious freedom is practiced in shared civic spaces, and where the line should be drawn on personal religious expression.
Is prayer at school board meetings a reflection of community values? And if prayers are allowed, shouldn’t minority faiths like Judaism and Islam be represented? What about Satanists, or even secular groups?
What are your thoughts?
94 comments
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Harley Oden Miller
it says in psalms 119 you can meditate on my word day and night and meditation is a form of prayer and you don't have to put your hands together you lay down and pray you can have your eyes open and pray praying is praying if you want put you r hands together and pray and pray wherever whenever Jesus is important.
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Edyth Branscom
No, no prayer for any religious group. Get the points of the meeting done. Pray at home or at your own house of worship.
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Adrienne Scott
A board meeting should be to conduct business. Freedom of religion is a personal right. Honor everyone's choice of religion or lack of religion and leave it out of public business.
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Religion as a Weapon is Wrong
Go ahead. Pray at school board meetings. Make sure that there is a way for all groups to request that they lead the prayer and make sure that no group can be denied. Do not force anybody to participate in that prayer. Get over that 60 second part of the meeting and concentrate on the best way to educate the children you represent. Anyone that feels the need to push one religion in public school should talk to their pastor about forming a free school program through their church.
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Marie Gilbert
Prayer should be private. Jesus spoke about this, and kind of shamed those that made a big display in public. Separation of church and state is important
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Billy Coley
Either all religions are represented, or none are. The founding fathers didn't establish a state religion for a reason
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Minister for the Kingdom
Prayers are great in all parts of life. Years ago I look forward to school because the school started it's day in prayer. Everyday we pray. I believe that God hears our prayers. So if you wish to pray in any portion of your life. I'm sure God almighty will hear you. Minister for the Kingdom. I love you all.
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Dorothy Hawkins
In public secular settings, I'd say no.
In religious settings, it would be up to the leaders to decide for themselves.
We do have a separation of church and state in this country, even if that wall seems invisible at times.
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Edward E Jackson
The question of being 'allowed' is the key. Yes it should be allowed but not required. Prayer is a chosen activity and should be decided by the individual. Not every individual on earth is a Christian and religion should never be forced but encouraged.
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Matthew L. Feinberg
Prayer at public meetings does not bother me a great deal. More importantly is what business is conducted at the meeting. I think governmental meeting should start with the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
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Joseph E Perry
Is Prayer different today than it was 2000 years ago?
We need to find what Jesus has to say about Prayer.
Matthew 6:5-8 Pray “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words \ So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. How closely do you follow the Words of Jesus? What are you praying for?Matthew 6:9-13 A Guide for Prayer. “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]Footnotes: Matthew 6:14 Gr anthropoid Matthew 6:15 Gr anthropoid
Anthropoid: Taken from www.compellingtruth.org How does the Bible use anthropomorphism to talk about God? The word anthropomorphism comes from the Greek words anthropos (man) and morphe (form). In theology, the term anthropomorphism includes the idea of referring to God by human characteristics. Though God is Spirit, Scripture sometimes speaks of Him in human terms to describe some of His actions in ways humans can understand.
The Lord’s Prayer is a guide for prayer; it is intended to provide you with the structure for your prayers, not to be used for what you want, but for what you need. Consider a study of Prayer.
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Daniel Todd Kamm
And, the Church Lady would say "... isn't that special?" Peace Out... tk
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Daniel Todd Kamm
No.
Prayer is a private affair. It is not the Super Bowl. If anyone cares to pay attention, even the christian's Jesus told people to keep it at home.
Apparently no one was listening... now we have big ugly mega churches of all kinds polluting the urban and suburban landscapes...
Bill the Cat would say "Ack!" The christian's Jesus would probably flip a brochure table and collection box or two and piss-off the congregants.
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JT Sunrise
Prayer Does Not Belong to Power
The question “Does prayer belong at school board meetings?” misunderstands what prayer is and what public authority is for.
A school board meeting is not a sanctuary. It is a site of governance. It exists to decide budgets, policies, and rules that bind people who do not share the same beliefs. When prayer is made part of that process, it stops being prayer and becomes an assertion of metaphysical authority by an institution that does not possess it.
Prayer functions properly when it is voluntary, interior, and humble. It fails the moment it is procedural.
Attendance at civic meetings is not optional for those affected by their decisions. When a governing body opens with prayer, it places subtle pressure on everyone present to conform, participate, or quietly endure someone else’s theology. That is not freedom of religion. That is the misuse of sacred language to frame power.
This is not hostility to faith. It is fidelity to it.
Sacred speech loses integrity when it is used to pre-authorize authority instead of to examine conscience. God does not require a podium. Justice does.
Public institutions belong to believers, nonbelievers, the uncertain, and the wounded alike. Silence honors that reality. Silence allows each person to orient inwardly without assumption or coercion. Silence does not claim agreement where none exists.
Prayer belongs in kitchens, on sidewalks, in churches, and in private moments of fear and gratitude. It belongs to people, not institutions. When prayer is used to steady governance, governance has already confused itself for something sacred.
Prayer survives by refusing capture. So does conscience.
—Rev JTSUNRISE
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George Stuart Leddy
This country is awash in religious fanaticism. Prayer means Christian prayer. The so called "Christian" right is not about Jesus Christ; it's about domination and cultural war. Would the pious ones allow Muslims to do their prayers four times a day in public places and events? How about Buddhist meditation? Jewish recitations from the Torah? No. Only conservative "Christian" prayer which sound more like political exhortation to me.
Religious people are destroying this country.
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Ronnie Rozier
from some of the comments I see here, America is in a world of trouble. Young children need guidenace and Christianty gives them that. So this whole thing about to allow prayer in schools or not to allow it is just nonsense to me. Ask yourself a simpe question, what can it hurt?
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Ahmed Abduljabar Al-Hujazi
Here's a simple answer: Everything. People can feel isolated and excluded when one religion (here Christianity) is favored over other faiths. Excluding people does not foster the sense of community that make a body, like a school board, cohesive; merely divisive. It is not a far leap to consider that favoring one religion over another can lead to family, community, and national divides. The point of not favoring one religion over another is to keep our United States united. A further leap takes us to the point of religious wars over differences in faith, which still happen today. Last thing we need is a bunch of crusaders looking for differences by which they can isolate, repress, and expunge a portion of our society.
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ServantOfJudgement
Christian friends, let's not put atheists through a prayer session they don't want to hear. It's uncomfortable for them. It wastes their time. It diminishes any chance they may one day see things differently and decide to change course.
Consider if we would have to endure a Muslim prayer session or some other offering of words to something we didn't believe. The Satanist who don't worship Satan would love to issue a prayer to Satan, whom they don't worship. We wouldn't like that very much. I would not endure such a prayer. I would interrupt it on the spot, especially if it were an Islamic or satanic prayer.
Let school be board meetings be about reading and writing. Math and science. History and geology. The wise use of tax dollars. Not Christianity, islam, lgbtqia++ or any other religion that comes along.
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Jason L James Sr
I do pray regularly at public (quasi-governmental) meetings. I always keep the prayer general, referencing no particular religion or G(g)od); I do say "Christ" during the prayer (Christ is universal). I have received no objections from believers nor "non-believers.
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Ronald A Sherwood
Prayer should never be mandatory - what good comes from someone repeating empty words that mean nothing to them.
Prayer should always be allowed - for all religions - but I don't believe they need or even should be part of public meeting arenas outside of church events. (Matt. 6:5-6, 'Avoid praying like the hypocrites who love standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Go into your inner room, close the door and pray in secret.)
If you're not praying morning, noon and night (I don't, so I'm not pointing fingers) a two minute prayer to open a meeting is going to make no difference. If you are praying morning, noon and night, a two minute prayer to open a meeting is unnecessary.
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Johan H Akkerman
No , prayers belong, and other areas not in public services or public schools
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Cameron Lewis
Oh hell no, prayer of any form doesn't belong at any and I mean any public funded activity. Its how the country was designed, keep church and state seperate.
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Maria
Prayer is a very personal thing between God and you unless you are atheist. It should remain private and be practiced in private as not all of us share the same beliefs! Religion has caused so many wars and deaths throughout history and since we don't all believe in the same thing, it should be kept in the home and not in public. The only thing I believe we should do in public (schools, government buildings, township meetings, etc.) is recite The Pledge of Allegiance! Living in America is something we all have in common and need to embrace that to keep us strong and not divided. And if you live in America you should have allegiance to it and not the country you came from. However, what you do in the privacy of your own home is your business as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.
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Wayne L Christensen
I believe God, Jesus and others faith should be in their lives, and they should grow from the good they sew. I don't believe any religion has a right to dictate the beliefs of another. I do not believe religion should be part of any government dictates, unless it is I to carry it within them to manage their own behavior as laws are being made for all people and protecting them from zealots who want to dictate religious values we, the public, must follow. Be true---Be Honest---Be compassionate---Do not lie, cheat, or steal, even if you think you can justify your actions because you have narrow and selective values.
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James Austin
The late and great Jimmy Carter said "I've always been fully committed to (the) separation of church and state. I didn't permit worship services in the White House as had been done earlier. I was careful not to ever promote my own Christianity as superior in America to other religions, because I feel all religious believers should be treated carefully." Sandra Day O'Connor: "Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?" Thomas Jefferson: "Erecting the wall between church and state is absolutely essential for a free society."
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Juliette Pedlar
We all serve one God despite our religions. Our nation was in a much better place when there was prayer in schools. I always hear "Lets pray for them" meaning praying for our children and the government. So, which is it, to pray or not to pray?
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Wayne L Christensen
You can and should pray privately as many times as you choose each day, and understand that your pray is for God's ears and not the community at large. It is not a show we are to present for the satisfaction of others, but words from each of us to God.
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Ronaldo
The 1st Amendment permits free speech and the free exercise of religion, so if someone wishes to pray to their god, our Constitution clearly says the government cannot stop it. The problem comes in with the definition of "prayer". Our dictionaries and most religions define prayer as petitioning or talking to God or other object of worship. Since the great majority of Satanists do not actually worship the devil, or any other deity, their words really cannot be defined as prayer, so they can be prohibited. If someone just decides to make up a religion and claim to worship something no one else has ever encountered, the laws could limit public prayer to established religions, and then let the Supreme Court decide whether or not it's valid.
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Michael Hunt
It also prevents the government from passing laws that favor one religion over another. If a school board is opening their civic meetings with a Christian prayer, they are government officials favoring one religion over others.
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James Austin
Absolutely NOT for ANY taxpayer funded school. Why it's even up for "debate" is just wrong of it to be asked.
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Rev. Kev
From the article: “If you don’t love God, you don’t have to pray, you can walk out, you can sit quietly, you don’t have to be there,” she said.
That's a rather confrontational way to frame the issue. It also oozes an unwarranted sense of privilege. If people want to pray, we first cannot assume that everybody prays to the same god, or version of "God". Since God is said to know all, even what's in our minds, why not just have a moment of silence for each person to pray or do whatever during that time. God should hear those prayers the same as when someone speaks out their version of a prayer.
Unless the real purpose of the prayer is not about one's faith and offering a sincere prayer to God and more about being the person who prays in public to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5-6).
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Rev. Kev
A follow-up to my previous comment. I know people in church or church activities pray in public. But those prayers concern a body of people who affirm same beliefs and community. It serves the effort of what is called corporate worship. Which is entirely different from a public meeting outside of the belief community and includes a wide variety of people who have other beliefs, or none at all.
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obere mchugh
will never endorse any sort of public prayer as there shouldnt be any even before city hall, or any government establishment local,state or federal.
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Tom Herman
I think meetings of all publicly elected groups should eliminate prayer from their official agenda. This would include all meetings of publicly elected groups like Congress, State Legislatures, etc. The United States Constitution provides of the practice of all religions or to refrain from practice. The separation of church and state has a long history that is only confused by the centuries old traditions of prayer in these public meetings. It is long past time to stop hypocritical practices in our elected public forums. Religion and thus prayer is a personal and private matter, should remain so and be left out of the public meeting venues.
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Bernetta Denise Minter
I feel my need to pray is very important. Everyone else maybe against a prayer life before a meeting. Spiritual growth is very necessary in this life season; look at the world around us all. The world today need change and spiritual guidance. I say personally, pray amongst yourself because other people's beliefs maybe on a different level from where they use to be in their up bringing. God watches over his own as believers in the Christian Worldview. I am blessed to be a believer.
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James Austin
Pray silently. Anything paid for by the taxpayers must remail free from all forms of religion.
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Amber Fry
If a person wishes to pray that is up to them. Any time, any where, as long as they are not disrupting whatever else may be going on. Now if we are talking led prayer then no. That should be kept to church and home. Religion should be a personal and private thing. A person should never be persecuted for being religious but neither should they be pushing their religious ideals onto everyone else. Live your religion. Don't force others to live your religion.
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Kevin Joseph Kervick
The solution is nations. Nations have one culture, one religion. They allow for minority expressions, but those expressions do not infringe on the national culture.
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James Austin
That doesn't fit America.
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Gerald Lindsay
I think the majority of people attending would have no interest in prayer at these meeting and some would even be offended by it. Though it's a great idea to have a prayer when the meeting starts most people not being believers would be angered by it. It's sad but that's way it is.
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Robert David Hayes
Bob
Silent prayer should be allowed anywhere. A moment of silence to pray would be fine. Individuals would be able to say a prayer regardless of their religion.
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James Austin
As long as it isn't announced at any taxpayer funded place.
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James Austin
As long as it isn't announced at any taxpayer funded place.
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James Austin
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Thomas J Kasprik
Pray all you want, if you feel the need to do something useless in public I will not be joining you
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Walter Abington
They pray everywhere and it makes no difference.
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Gerard J Babin
It does make a difference brother; maybe not to the seen, but being christian means thanking the creator for all things especially for the ability to gather.
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Shannon Scott Huckabee
I believe that prayer should be allowed at all functions weather it be governmental or anything else
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Merlin
Your rights end where mine begin. That is the foundation of a free society. The separation of church and state exists for this reason: religion, more than any other force in history, has been used to persecute, control, and divide humanity. Faith is a personal choice, not a governing authority. Government must stay out of religion—and religion must stay out of government—so that no one’s beliefs are imposed on another by force of law.
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Joseph Grieco
Prayer? OK, as long as equal time is given for other religious beliefs. If they arrange a monthly schedule with a minister of a different faith for each meeting, great! If they are going to stick with one specific denomination/faith, then no. This is one problem I have with most governmental bodies with their single "Chaplain". By accepting only one, it flies in the face of the Establishment Clause.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Chaplains, however, when properly trained are not ministers of a certain faith tradition, and support/respect interfaith and interdenominational differences. They are there for moral and spiritual support of people going through a particular trauma or crisis, and their training mandates them calling in appropriate clergy of a particular faith when the situation is out of their expertise level.
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Patricia Ann Gross
My vote would be for allowing a few minutes for private meditation/centering before the meeting begins.
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Marie Grace Elmore
That's the most sensible solution, which means that it won't be adopted.
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Tom Acierno
Thanks Patricia, for offering the best possible solution.
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Patricia Ann Gross
In this country, because the first amendment gives us the freedom to express our religion as we choose, prayer should never be forced on anybody in a public setting. Private meetings are a different story, and that is at the discression of the organization/people hosting the event. Even within Christian circles the protocol of prayer differs significantly. Things like who can pray (for some, only men can, and women are excluded from communal prayers), what things are approrpriate to pray for, and personal affect (standing, kneeling, facing a certain direction, arms and head raised or bowed, etc.).
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Sir Lionheart
If it helps them, everyone is entitled to talk to a wall, floor, or ceiling with the thoughts that something is listening to them if they so wish, but they shouldn’t make it mandatory for others to embark upon a similar mythical practice.
🦁❤️
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Shannon Scott Huckabee
Prayers to God in the name of Jesus is not a mythical practice and should never be looked as so if you are a true minister you would know that
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Sir Lionheart
I can see you are referring to the Christian god. Please don’t forget that this is basically a multicultural blog consisting of people who worship many mythical gods, and some don’t worship any gods at all, especially by many that don’t believe in prayer due to its lack of efficacy, but thank you for your comment.
🦁❤️
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Ellen B. Wentzel
Prayer only belongs to the person/persons praying. Not to be forced on anyone. It is very personal unless in church or most where public prayer takes place.
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Shannon Scott Huckabee
God is not only in a churches and prayers were done by Jesus in all areas in the Bible in front of all people!
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Gerard J Babin
Your prayers and the ability to pray belongs to the Creator.
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Cyndi McReynolds
I'm a boomer who was raised at a time when the pledge of allegiance had not yet contained the words "under God". At the elementary school I attended, before we ate lunch we were told by the teacher to bow our heads and recite the "God is great" prayer.
I remember how so many parents were concerned about the insertion of God into the pledge and yet no one seemed to be bothered about our lunch prayer.
I suppose I was fortunate enough to have parents who held two different beliefs because they taught me that my beliefs were entirely my own. They exposed me to as many different beliefs as was possible in my small town.
They encouraged me to dive as deeply as I could until my questions were answered. They guided me to people who could explain things I was confused about, but I was in charge of my own religious education.
I spent a couple of my younger years with my head bowed but my mouth silent because I had not yet decided who or what God was and so I was therefore unable to give thanks. I placed my hand over my heart but was unable to include God in the new version of the pledge that we were then required to perform every day before our first classes.
Everyone including myself was taught to show kindness to our neighbors and friends and to be tolerant of their different customs and beliefs.
This was all happening during the Civil Rights Era and it was what got us through. As kids we grew up believing that our differences make us stronger. They teach us things we wouldn't have learned on our own.
So many sacrificed so much to make change happen. I sacrificed nothing but the time it took to march a mile or two. The ridicule I received for standing up against bigotry was nothing compared to the violence and oppression others were experiencing just because they looked, worshipped or thought differently from myself.
I am surprised and dismayed that our country is so divided that this argument is once again rearing it's ugly head.
When did we start teaching our kids that it's OK to disrespect others? When did kindness, tolerance and respect for others become obsolete?
If I find myself in a situation where people are worshipping in a way that is unfamiliar or even contrary to mine, I'm perfectly capable of standing/sitting patiently until such time as those aspects of my encounter are over.
I don't feel the need to argue over who's right or wrong. I don't try to convert them to my way of thinking. Being raised as I was, I can't for the life of me understand why it's so hard for so many others to just live and let live.
I know this post won't change the politics of this debate, but if it can help one person understand that other people's beliefs don't affect their own; that peaceful coexistence is not only possible but it can be beautiful, then it will have been worth writing.
Love and peace to you all.
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Messenger
Matthew 6: 5 and 6 the Messiah instructed the believers to pray in private entering a closet or in a room and shut the door rather than praying publicly to impress others. What more do we need to add to cause conflict in the spiritual walk? Let the drama fight drama and the spiritual separate themselves from the worldly.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
“All that “is” is God; and the entirety of how, when, why, and to what purpose, Nature does what Nature does, can be determined by the scientific method— in other words, the better our understanding is of Nature, the more knowledgeable we are of God. If there is any discussion of prayer related to public education— it should only be to explain why prayers have been rendered obsolete— because whatever’s going to happen will, so prayers are a waste of time. Ergo, anyone reliant on prayers— should never been on a school board in the first place.
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Gerard J Babin
For a "BISHOP"; I would have expected a very different statement. We are all dependent on prayer and worship.
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Cindy L Edgar
No I do not believe that religion belongs even in schools that is something outside the schools but not in the school system or at a school meeting that is against a constitutional right which is called segregation because not everybody believes in one religion and you can't legally make it mandatory that somebody pray.
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Nicholas J Page
In my opinion prayers are a private conversation with God and should be kept private and if its at a school board it should be respected
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Rev Ned
Anyone can pray, anywhere, SILENTLY, to whichever of the thousands of “gods” they chose. FFRF.org
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Dylan Tuatha Le Danaan
What goes on between you and your God is between you and your God it is a private affair and the whole world doesn't need to see it. School is for education, and should be focused on education if you choose to send your child to a religious school then of course you may spend as much time praying as you like but a secular School is a secular School and there is a very large wall between Church and secular life under the rules of the Constitution.
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Joseph Grieco
Except the question does not directly address the school. It addresses the governing body for the school. This is a body elected by the people, not appointed by City Hall, a county government, or a church body. I agree about the individual school prayer mandate. For most of my El-Hi education I attended Catholic schools. For three years, I attended a public school. In my class, there was one Greek Orthodox kid, one Protestant and the rest of us were Catholics, as were our teachers. Hey, it was a big Catholic town - you said your "neighborhood" by what was the closest Catholic Church! However, we never had prayer in that school. We did have the Pledge of Allegiance, though, as we did in the Catholic Schools.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Prayer belongs in private, between god and the supplicant. The bible says that the Pharisees pray in public, and outward recognition is their reward. Those who pray in private are seen by their father in heaven…maybe if christians read the bible…
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Rev Ned
Put Christ back in Christmas?!? How about educating “Christians” on Christ’s teachings??
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Barbara Harris
You do realize that Christmas wasn't established until around 336 AD. The Pagan holidays that occur at that time predate that decision in 336 AD. So, maybe we should put the Pagan back in Paganmas. :)
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Ben
Or we can honor both the Christian tradition of this holiday as well as its pagan origins.
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Rev Ned
Yup. My point is that a lot of “evangelical” seem to be totally against or ignorant of Jesus teachings.
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Joseph Grieco
Jesus? Oh, he was just a convenient front for them. They ignore the sermon, the beatitudes, the miracles and parables and jump right to Leviticus and Revelations for their theology, completely (and conveniently) ignoring the rest of the Bible.
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Rev Ned
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Barbara Harris
Unfortunately many don't. I have probably read the Bible and it's history more than many of the Christians that I know. I studied the Old Testament and it's history with a rabbi and set with several Catholic nuns going over the New Testament. Everyone of them knew I was a Pagan and none tried to save my soul but were eager to share. God and the individual share in private.
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Ipsissima: Leonora
IMO: Unless the school is part of a specific religious group and therefore has its preferences openly known, if prayer is allowed at all, then all Faiths and Practises represented within the board should be able to offer their prayers at the meeting if they want to.
If the school is specifically aligned with a particular religion or philosophy, then it's up to the board to decide what they are prepared to allow according to their Doctrine.
Strength Heart and Wisdom to you..
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Robert J Giammarco
Unbelievable... and I bet some of these are the same people, should tragedy strick their family, are the first to pray, and ask for prayers.. Yet, some of these people claim to be members of the cloth.....Just as the Faith Leaders in MN. are rallying their flock to demonstrate.
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Stacey Owens
Prayer is done in secret, not in the open.
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Rev. Russ Macomber
God is everywhere. I talk to him all the time, but on my time, that’s my special time with him. However… We must maintain the separation of church and state.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Fully agree. You a fully entitled to your beliefs. Saw a meme just recently that said….
You’re allowed to believe in God. You’re allowed to believe unicorns live in your shoes, for all I care. But the day you start telling me how to wear my shoes so I don’t upset the unicorns, I have a problem with you. The day you start involving unicorns in making decisions for this country, I have a BIG problem with you.
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Sir Lionheart
How do you know your particular god is male?
🦁❤️
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Ellen B. Wentzel
English. How do you know what he knows about "his" god? This post is for opinion. God has a capital "G." Let's be respectful here.
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Sir Lionheart
Thank you for your grammatical suggestion, but as all of the god creations are human constructs I’ll refer to these mythical creatures in the way they deserve to be referred to.
Thank you for allowing me my opinion, and for commenting with yours.
🦁❤️
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Najah P Tamargo
Najah Tamargo-USA
Adults can do whatever they want. But, unless your child attends a parochial school, leave the praying for home.
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Dominique D Sweat
i think they should reinstate if thery desire too. But at the same time we have to remember the line between Church vs. State. Like when they took the Holy Bible out the schools in Illnois, but left the other bible in the sschool libriaries we need to be on one accord
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Christopher Jones
Prayer belongs everywhere!
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
As long as you are keeping those delusional thoughts to yourself, go for it.
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Sir Lionheart
Do you take your prayer mat everywhere you go? Did I get the right religion?
🦁❤️
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Nope. No way. Not at all. Not under any circumstances whatsoever. And where I live, it just doesn’t happen. Politicians don’t talk about their personal delusions.
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Ben
Considering that this country isn't supposed to be a theocracy then the answer to that is no. At least not in public schools that are funded by the taxpayers that is. What private schools do is their own business.
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Joseph Grieco
I would say yes, IF they had a rotating slate representing all religious groups in town.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Ahhh, give them ALL another inch, huh? Religion does not belong in public schools or government organizations. Not at all.
I’ll repeat what I said above….
You’re allowed to believe in God. You’re allowed to believe unicorns live in your shoes, for all I care. But the day you start telling me how to wear my shoes so I don’t upset the unicorns, I have a problem with you. The day you start involving unicorns in making decisions for this country, I have a BIG problem with you.
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With meditation as prayer it is never lost on this topic, I pray at will and need, the most opposition I get is where did you go, hey, your spaced out there, come back to earth...all good and correct assertions to what I was doing, I think there asking if your prayer needs a stage or acknowledgement, if it's a production or a silent vigil to a testament of faith and a language only a God hears...that's a good question, did God ask us to make prayer a production or did the leader of faiths ask us to make a show of it...there is a lot of pushing faiths into the public eye today...and if faiths resides in a heart...how much of the other heart matters do we press upon our public? Good question ULC.