I truly believe that this nation is in the mess that it is in because God have been taking out of the school system this nation was built on Gods word, and were God is not being praised and worshiped there will be problems and some don’t seem to understand that, Adam and Eve received from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. so the world took on that understanding, that's why God sent His word to bring us back to the truth of His word not what the government said, it is what God said in His word

While I agree with the finding of a decline in righteous living, I don’t agree that it has anything to do with plubic prayer in school. Kids and teachers can still prayer in school. The school shouldn’t be responsible for teaching our kids to pray. It is our job as parents. The greatest threat to Christianity is not from the outside it’s from the inside. If we do our job right we will return to a more righteous life . We spend too much time worrying about atheists and agnostics. They are not the problem they are opportunties for us to make converts.

Lynn

I too believed that out nation is under a great fall due taking prayer out of schools and attempting to take God out of everything we do. Our country has lost morales and respect for God. This country in now the most liberal county, we allow everything to go. After all that God has done to make this the richest land ever, this is how we show our thanks. But do remember – God is not mocked. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess the Jesus Christ is Lord. There will be reprecusions for the choices that have been made without God.

I believe that Prayer HAS to be brought back in our Public Schools. It will be our Countries ruin, if this was not to happen. What can we, as Christians do about it. I am willing, if shown the way.

I am going to use this article to do a paper for my World Religion class: Is America a CHRISTian nation?

I really liked this artical. I think its wrong to say god is not allowed in school because he is people wear crosses. I recentl got into trouble for praying over my food and i got reall mad.
Isnt americas rules based on christianity?

Since the beginning of Christianity the church and Christ’s followers have faced two major problems: being the victims of persecution and being the persecutor. For the first few centuries following Christ’s life, Christians’ lives were in great danger for claiming such a title. However the faith continued to spread by means of peace despite the persecution. This changed in (I think) the third or fourth century when (I believe) Alexander had a vision which changed his faith. Now instead of killing those who confessed Christ as their savior, he killed those who would not accept his faith. Christianity began to spread by means of violence rather than peace. It became the religion of the state, and “Christians” were became not only those who truly believed, but also those who were forced to pretend to for the sake of their lives. The church became the persecutor. Many consider this time to be the fall of Christianity (but that is only an opinion-you decide what to think of it).
The faith’s role as a state religion and persecutor was carried into the medieval times, when the church became so powerful that it was able to massacre Muslims and Jews in the name of Christ through a series of wars called the crusades. This power made the church so corrupted that its leaders made the common people believe they could buy their loved ones’ salvation from purgatory (and the church leaders pocketed the profit from these indulgences).
Though the reformation helped, the church carried its status into the days of colonizing North America, when among other reasons immigrants fled Europe because of such state-led relgious persecution. In the North American continent, people were allowed to worship as they thought fit for Christ, not as the state forced them to.
Based on this principle, when the United States formed the founding fathers explicitly set forth the separation of church and state within the constitution.
Now we debate the morality of prayer in schools. I sympathize with your belief that the U.S. was founded on Christian principles and ought not to stray. But the more important question us followers of Christ must ask is what is truly best for Christianity? History has shown that when Christianity becomes one with the state, corruption and persecution on the part of the church are soon to follow. So as Christians, let us be in the world but not of it, let us hold ourselves to our own moral standards rather than the state holding all to these standards. If the state is to be responsible for regulating morality, and Christianity is to become, as you wish, a state-religion, then followers of Christ surely face the danger of worldly power corrupting our faith.

So you think prayer should be back in school? What about those who don’t pray to “God”? Should they be allowed to pray as well – or not because well, christianity is the only way, and you all are too involved in your fiction to pay attention and respect anyone else’s views…

I am trying to get a group together at our local public schools to pray every week. Its just a prayer walk which only takes a few minutes, but is so awesome, God Moves I promise! I can’t seem to get more than one person to show up. Do you have any suggestions? Also, I would like more information on getting God/prayer back in our schools. Thank you so much

prayer should be in public schools. who are they {goverment officials} to tell us what we need to do?

I believe the demise of our schools are solely due in part to the removal of prayer in schools.When you remove God you invite everything that is wicked to come in and destroy.Removal of prayer in schools is not a violation of the third amendmant.

Listen, you can’t soley blame depleting morals based on the removal of God from schools. If one truely believed in God or wanted to, there’s always Church to go to. The U.S. Government cannot inforce or support the church and it’s ways. I have no set religion for I am unsure which is the right one for me. I believe that morals is a family constructed issue. You cannot blame the school for bad morals, blame the household in which the students derive from. If anythinf, there’s still private school out there to send our kids. But I’m still saying, morals is a family touched and tought issue, not the school.

The decline in morals are not a direct factor with the removal of God from public school. You people are running on a one track mind if you believe so. Public school houses many cultures and its our moral duties to tolerate these differences. You’re going against what you preach if you can’t tolerate the differences of others. Aren’t you suppose to respect the rights of others? God is a powerful being that resides in us all, but only if we accept him. Am I right? Not everyone can and therefore we must tolerate that and accept it, not force it upon others. You’ll be like the first spanish settlers who came over here and forced christianity upon the natives. Brutes. Don’t be like them.

True, with the lack of God in public places, chaos has filled in that gap. All the kids in public school are either arrogant to what higher being there is or just doesn’t seem to care. The lose of faith is breaking the support beams holding this country together. Something has to change!

Being a student in the “religion-free” public school system, I can tell you first hand that it is not as terrible as you seem to believe it is. My friends and I don’t runaround like heathens and we aren’t in need of saving. We have a moment of silence each morning which many people use for prayer. We are allowed to discuss God, even encouraged depending on the situation. We discussed both evolution and creation in my biology class and nothing terrible happened. It is not quite the catastrophe that you seem to envision.

Also I am researching school prayer for a government paper and was going to use this as a source until I realized how incorrect some of your facts are, making me question the validity of your other statements.

I think our country started to go down hill, if you are convinced it is, when ‘under God’ was added to the Pledge of Allegiance or when ‘In God We Trust’ was added to money, you know, in the late 50’s. Look at the data, there is a clear correlation. We “elected” a president who thinks he is ordained by God for his position and we have 9/11. Cause and effect people, cause and effect.

From most of the comments on this issue, one would think that nothing bad ever happened in school before prayer was banned. Whether prayer is allowed in schools or not shouldn’t determine how “Godly” a person is. Isn’t it the job of parents to teach morals? Isn’t it the job of our religious leaders to teach scripture? When did this become the government’s job?

Let’s not blame the lack of prayer in school against the late Madeleine O’hare. She and all of her followers (atheist/agnostics) are still in the minority – there are a lot more Christians (or at least a lot more claiming to be). And when I was in school no one stopped me from praying when I wanted to pray. If all the Christians in America decided to stop at 10:00 AM on Thursday and joined in a collective prayer – who’s going to stop them? How bad do we want to pray in school – that’s the question?

How bad did Daniel in the Bible want to pray? Bad enough that he was willing to put his life on the line. How many Christians “really” want prayer in school? How many are willing to go to prison for standing up? And if they put all the Christians in prison for praying – then who will pay the taxes to support the prisons?

Rosa Parks did not want to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery public bus one day – and was willing to go to jail to support her principles.

Christians need to stop complaining and acting like victims of the “system.” We are victors – not victims. And I can pray anytime I please – anywhere I please – and no one can stop me. They can kill me, they can put me in jail – but they can’t stop me from praying – in the school, on the bus, at the store or in the football stadium.

The government or O’Hare or no one else took prayer out of the school. Christians just simply stopped praying – period!

Christians, stop blaming the government and the atheist for taking prayer out of the schools. Fact: if you’re a “person of prayer” – then no one can stop you from praying unless you give them permission to do so.

I appreciated all the comments on this article. Some great perspectives. Non the less I think that the decision to remove prayer from schools was spiritually significant to our nation. Of course no one really knows what another is praying privately, nor should they. Of course many who pray public prayers in school or anywhere else niether believe what they pray nor live it out in thier daily lives. The significance of this ruling is that it “officially” removes the practice of invocation of God’s presence, power and guidance over us. Our national decline in morality was in place long before this decision made it official. The ruling simply puts an official stamp on our national desire to rule ourselves and not be ruled by the creator of the universe. The key to changing all this, if it even can be done (and I have my doubts) is for those who claim to love God and are called Christians, to look in our own hearts and ask God to forgive our sins. The sins of us Christians are the reason for removal of God’s blessing and the precursor to offical rulings like the one in 1962. If our hearts are broken over sin, and we pray to be humbled, find God, and completely give our wills to Him, then God Himself will reverse these trends. If not, our nation will perish. I expect we are not far from that day.

I believe that prayer being banned from the public school systems was by far the most uneducated and most of all immoral thing that could have been done. Not only has it affected the schools it has also affected the homes and the homes and its inhabitants. Me being a young teen in school, have witnessed first hand to this and i can truly say that prayer should be allowed in schools. Every one does not have to pray if you choose not to then that is your choice. Please don’t let the ignorance of 10 people ruin a nations well being!!!

Being a former student of The Reverend T. Robert Ingram’s St. Thomas Episcopal School, I have first hand knowledge of the make and meter of this man.

It is truly unfortunate that this John Birch Society member and extremist would be quoted as a viable source.

Couldn’t you find some other source to support your views?

I suggest that in order for your position to have more credibility, that you investigate your sources more thoroughly before you quote them.
Lilly

America is and always will be America. In God we trust. Prayer should have never been taken out of Americas schools. We do have thankfully a veriaty of people and if they do not want or there parents do not want them to pray in school then don“t. But I feel that certain people they need to remember or be informed that they are here because of our God or whom ever you would like to call him. He is and always will be. Thank you.Me.

Why can’t prayer be done at home? Why must prayer ( a private and personal act) be done in public in an institution based on education, not religion. I dont pray, i don’t even believe in god, but i have mostly religious friends and i do not ever try to take away or challenge they’re beliefs and they act the same to me. Having prayer in a public school acts against seperation of church and state, if you want prayer in school go to catholic school! If you want your child to learn with the influence of religion dont put them in public schools. Do not bring personal matters into a public institution.

The biggest problem in public schools are problems that the schools CANNOT solve. The biggest problems in public schools stem from problems in the home. The reason God has been expelled from school is because He has been expelled from more homes than I would like to believe. Many of these kids come to school with absolutely no work ethic, no moral compass, and no sense of respect for anyone including themselves. I find it hard to believe that these kids are being raised in good, God-fearing homes.

To make matters worse, the school districts (who must shoulder their fair share of the blame) do not impose any real behavioral expectations for fear of lawsuits being brought by dysfunctional people who raising their children to be, well, dysfunctional people. The idea of consequences has gone out the window in favor of “self-esteem”. Let me explain why I believe self-esteem is a fallacy. No one on the face of the earth gets to determine the value of any person (including himself/herself). God alone has defined our value and He is NEVER wrong. God has determined that each one of us is worth His coming to earth in human form, dying for all of us, and coming back to life so that we may spend etermity with Him. That’s where the value of a human being is found.

The argument for public funding of schools has always been that it benefits our society to have an educated populace. My question is whether that purpose is being served. Kids who are disciplinary problems are eating up all of the resources leaving the other kids to receive a third rate education. Our high school seniors are, on the average, on par with other developed nations’ 8th graders. Therefore, our tax dollars are being used to subsidize substandard education.

Additionally, the schools are continuously trying to remove the possibility of failure from the equation. Without failure, we have no objective standard by which to measure success (which renders success meaningless). Without God, we have no objective standard by which we can condemn evil (rendering everything, including evil, acceptable).

somebody said that they saw America go down hill when we put, In God We Trust on our money. I just think it Started going down hill when they abolished group Prayer in schools in the 60’s. We all have choices if you made yours to stay out or religion or Christianity then that is up to you. I wont tell you your wrong but we all will be judged one day and if you deny Jesus he will deny you in front of the Lord.

Prayer being removed from school is just the leading indicator of a nation that is ‘Falling Away’ from Jehovah. It is just another sign of moral/spiritual decay of the American. And the disasters we see today are simply God’s finger writing on the wall: Mene, mene, Tekel, Upharsin; that is, God has weighed America in the balances, and we’ve been found wanting. No wonder 50 million babies have been aborted since 1973. No wonder hundreds of earthquakes have popped up in ‘divers places’. No wonder Hurricane Katrina smote New Orleans just before a gay rally! No wonder our economy is nose-diving! THink About it! God’s speaking to us. We can ignore Him or listen to Him. Just know He will judge the wicked. Whew! I’m ready.

Really? This is completely ridiculous. I guess i could play the blame game like most christians do but i won’t. You aren’t a sociologist… you don’t know what causes moral decline…

Wow, here we go again. Christians blaming moral decline on prayer being taken out of school. How pathetic. Are we so weak minded? Japan, where no one prays at school, has the lowest crime rate of any developed nation. I mean, c’mon! Even Jesus was against school prayer. Matt 6:5-6 Anyways, children can pray in school if they want to. That right hasn’t been taken away, they merely need to keep it to themselves. It just isn’t fair to have prayer required in schools. What about the other children who believe in a different religion or have no religion? But, of course. These types of Christians only care about themselves and THEIR beliefs. To hell with everyone else. Inconsiderate bigots.

America’s schools have been on the decline ever-since School Prayer was removed in 1962. Our schools now rank near or at the bottom of the industrialized nations of the world. Christian Schools and home school kids rate in the top 98% in college entrance exams. Our government has failed to educate our kids and should get out of the education business.

Removing school prayer was an unconstitutional act of the US Supreme Court. As Ronald Reagan said in 1984, the First Amendment was not to protect the people from religion but to protect the people from the government. Learn more at www.free2pray.info

how can people with different religons practice there belifes but we cant pray in school

This article seems to be, like many religious studies, based on belief, rather than fact. There is no evidence to prove anything here. When it comes to things payed by taxes, the commandments have nothing to do with it. Church and state are seperate. The Bill of Rights comes before the commandments. What would you do if your child was forced to go to school and pray to allah and various intervals throughout the day?

Where are the statistics to back this up? Where’s the one about the countries that have had prayer banned from schools for far longer than the United States, yet have a better economy and lower crime rate? How do you know what you’re talking about? Stating opinions as facts isn’t acceptable.

I am indeed a Christian, and I do believe that the removal of prayer in public schools has effected our society today. Think about it….if we really did have our “freedoms” then I would not have been told that I can only hold my prayer group once a week now as oppossed to every day like we used to. My school principals told me that it was because it had grown to be too big. All in all I thought that was the point in the first place,to reach my fellow peers. My parents and I fought it for a while, but we never could really get enough support for any change to really happen and I don’t want to drive a wedge between my family and the school board so that prayer will be totally removed,because I still have two younger brothers to think about here.So,I really do not appreciate one of the comments made earlier about how we CAN pray whenever and wherever we want, beacause I (unlike that person apparently)honestly have been down that road.

To all you known belivers who fail to acknowledge the word of God, I feel so sorry for your soul because oneday, it will be judged and if you have not accepted God in your life and repented for all sins, Hell will be your eternity and Hell is a non- stop burning show. Prayer is what gives us strength to communicate with God and shame on anyone who thinks their help comes from anything else besides Him. God gives us life and He is the only one that can take it away. Once you’re lying flat on your back in a coffin, then all chances are over to make it right with God. God gives us all choices and we as human beings must make the right choices because everyone doesnot get a second chance at life. Look around the world today, it’s truly falling apart. It’s falling apart because some people are doing their own sinful things not giving an account to God. Time is winding down and He is soon to come. If your soul isn’t right when He comes, then that will be a sad day indeed. So all of you non- belivers, you have a chance now to get it together. Don’t let death catch you creeping. Be blessed!!

Amen brother. AMen

I am an atheist. In my opinion, if someone wants to pray, let them. As long as they aren’t a distraction. But forcing children to pray is ridiculous.

I know first hand that prayer in public schools is not dead. I am a christian but I attend a public, secular college university. I attended a sports awards banquet last night. Before the meal we had and the ceremony, an athletic staff member got up and delivered a public invocation, or blessing, for the meal and the ceremony. Surprisingly enough, nobody stood up in anger or hatred. Nobody got up shouting pleas of detest. those who wanted to participated in the prayer, and those who didnt simply sat there in silence and showed respect for those who did participate. As hard as the government tries, they will never full banish religious practices in schools. God is too powerful and so are his believers

Correlation does not equal causation.

If a 5 min prayer in our schools was so powerful as to have made such a differance in our nation then how powerful would it be if families committed to at least 5 minutes of prayer together in their homes daily?
2 Ch.7:14 says “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

I Don’t believe Prayer should be banned from school. yes it is a private and personal thing but students should have the ability to do it when they wish. Look at it from not a religious point. For instance sports, people dont have to play the sport but some sign up. Prayer should be an option but not completly banned from schools.

Prayer should be back in school to give these kids that are going up a sense of belief, trust and fear of God, because kids these days think they could do anything they want to and get away with it.

Prayer is NOT banned from public schools. Read some laws before snap-judgements are made.The staff of the school cannnot force or deny anybody the ability to pray.As for moral decline, maybe bible-bashing your child caused rebellion. Children should have the right to meet God on their own terms.

Who are you all to say that we need God in our lives. This entire article is ridiculous. You are still allowed to pray in school as long as it doesn’t affect the education that the school system is trying to give our children. You can pray quietly whenever you want and does the bible not say in:

Matthew 6:5-8
“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. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like
pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

You can pray whenever you want. Church may also be a good time for that kind of stuff.

You cannot expect to hold up class time and such and force other people of other religions to listen to Christian prayers, Jewish prayers, Hindu, Muslim whatever it is not right to force people who do not share the same feelings about religion as you to sit there and listen to you pray is insensitive to the beliefs of others. You cannot be so ignorant to say that your religion no matter what it is, is the correct religion there is no proof that it is the correct one. If there was a correct religion and we knew about it then everyone would most likely be it, don’t you think. Why are there so many religions in the world. Because no one knows what the right one is. Look at it this way. How many religions have been founded or made off the words of one man. All one man has to do is get people to follow him and how does he do that. He instills fear into people. People are always afraid. Always thinking of death and what could or won’t happen next. Now if your scared enough and all of a sudden in what seems like coincidence, someone comes up to you and says hey you know what. I can save you I can save you from what’s to come. But you must donate so that I can build a better platform to get the word out that I can save people you must help me you must donate and don’t forget, don’t do this … this and this… or else you will not go anywhere remotely nice when you die. You know this sort of thing gets to me when people think that they are right about they’re religion or topics. Ignorance is truly bliss. Now in lieu of that last statement I am not saying that I am right in anyway shape or form. I believe that everyone should be allowed to believe whatever they want to believe and pray to whomever they want to pray. But what does bug me and what I do feel is unacceptable is when people try to impose they’re religious beliefs FORCFULLY on someone else. Who do you think that you talking to a non-religious person is going to get them to change or believe what you believe. Last time I checked you were supposed to let God do that kind of work. You know about 60 % of religious people that I have personally met are hypocrites they preach about this and they preach about that and then once they are done putting on there Sunday best they go home drink a fifth and beat their kids. Now I understand that there is GOOD and BAD in everything. Not all religious folks are good people. Not all prisoners are bad people. Hell not all bad people are BAD people. Maybe just a bad choice or two has led them down a path that they did not intend to be on. I highly doubt most bad people as kids are thinking to themselves, “ You know what, when I grow up I don’t want to be a fireman, I want to hurt people”. That is the kind of thing that parents are supposed to be teaching their kids not to do. Parents are the ones that are supposed to be teaching they’re kids values and morals and what is right and wrong. O’ and side note all those parents that think that “Angry Music & Video Games” are the root of all evil and its what’s causing your children to become evil and lash out at society. YOU ARE IDIOTS. I apologize, but your child may be playing violent video games and what not, but when they go out and rape or shoot someone. It will not be because of the video game it will be your lack of parenting, maybe you should have hit them those last few times. And if any of you are saying “Well what about the belt?” there is a difference between getting a belt to the butt and physically assaulting your child multiple times with your fists.

SOCIETY SIDE NOTE:
The reason that society is bad today is not because of the lack of Fear for God. It is because of what our society has become. Our society has become so concentrated on how people FEEL. That if someone is FEELING bad and they don’t FEEL like going to work today then they don’t. In today’s society it has become acceptable to avoid all sense of responsibility. I know that more than half of you remember when you were young if you didn’t do what your father told you, you were going to get the belt, and you know what you sure never made that mistake again. Now, you even show your child a belt with the intention of hitting him/her and your own child can sue you. People today are basically in my mind, for a lack of a better word soft. I remember my Grandfather telling stories of the horrible things that he was forced to do in WWII things that no one should ever have to go through, NO ONE (at 19 mind you). Yet you walk down the street or listen to the 18-24ish yr olds today and they are complaining about having to work more than 6 hours at a decently paying job.

Ok if anyone has actually read this entire thing I thank you for your time and I apologize if I have jumped around a lot.

In conclusion, I personally believe that forcing prayer upon our children in the class room is wrong. If you want prayer forced send your child to a religious specific school. If it is a public school it should be a place where all cultures and all religions and all people should be able to come and feel comfortable in order to do what they are there to do which I’m sorry is not to learn about religion. It is to learn and become educated and become the successful people that we all know they can be. Forcing your religion on someone else is wrong and if your faith is not strong enough to withstand any of the statements above without you becoming frustrated or enraged, then maybe you should visit your local religious establishment and pray for open mindedness and patience. Thank you for your time.

-Mick

Prayer is NOT banned from public schools.The catch is that school staff members can’t lead prayers.Bible verses CAN be taught in school, but there has to be equal references to other religious faiths.I do believe in God, and I do pray, but how I choose to communicate with him is no one else’s business, and it should be the same everywhere.Prayer, on the other hand should not be enforced or denied in schools.Go ahead and let the children pray, as long as its not disruptive to the learning process.That’s what they are ther for, right?

Individual prayer is not banned from schools, but school-sanctioned group prayer is, and for a damn good reason.

Not permitting group prayer sessions in schools is not the same as kicking god out of schools. Not at ALL. And you are all doing a huge disrespect to people that have actually been put through pain and killed over their religious beliefs in other less-free nations, and in other places in the past. To play this debate off as some kind of religious persecution only weakens your message to anyone with a shred of common sense.

There’s absolutely nothing stopping kids from bringing God into schools with them in their hearts and minds. But public schools are an open, secular institution. If you feel that your kid isn’t getting enough of God, you need to stop blaming schools and instead step up to the plate yourself.

It is the parents and church’s job to teach children about beliefs and religion.

This is a very interesting topic. @ The person who posted as “Oh Lord” you are taking that verse out of context those verses were referring specifically to the religious sect of that time who use to love doing these things in public so that they would be seen and recognize by men. This was an issue about “motive” an issue of the heart. If the issue was about doing things in public then why did Jesus and his disciples performed miracle’s in public. He even prayed to the father in public when he was about to raise lazarus from the dead. So it’s vey important not to take scriptures out of context thats how we end up in trouble and form all these wierd doctrines. Now you mentioned about Japan. Yeah they might have all these things going for them that you mentioned but you fail to include one piece of information that they have one of the highest suicide rate to the point that the government is helpless and they don’t know what to do. read it here http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-05-29-japan-suicide_N.htm , And this whole thing about Christian being weak minded I find it interetsing that you say such harsh words and yet you read a book that is only designed for christians and you gave a scripture makes me wonder but I will say this there is nothing weak minded about a christian because we have the mind of Christ (1 corinthians 2:16) and there is nothing weak about him. Judge not(matthew 7 v1) and you won’t be Judged

I don’t think just because there is some kids that don’t believe in God at school that God and prayer should be taken out of them

I believe that jesus is the son of god,and I believe that god sent his only son to die on the cross for your sins. I really don`t care what you think,or if you believe or not.You,who does not believe live your life your way. You will be judged one day,wether you believe that or not.I will keep spreading the word of GOD,and if you don`t like it,well thats OK with me .I`m not even going to feel sorry for you.As you get older and lay on your death bed,I bet you`ll be asking for GODS forgivness,but if he doesn`t,I will not feel sorry for you.It wouldn`t hurt you to at least give a little thought to God and his son. It may be your last chance.If you don`t want to acknowledge me ,thats fine,but at least I tried.

“Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.”—Thomas Paine

It is amazing to me how we separate “learning” from “faith”. How/why is there a separation. Speaking to the Christians out there: of course those who don’t know the Lord reject what is from Him -= = the Word says that will happen. Of course public school doesn’t want prayer/God in school – - it is against its belief system (which is separation from God). It is our jobs to teach the faith of our kids – - why do we keep sending them to public school. Why do we continue to have them taught every day secular humanism (which is a religion that opposes Christ). But, we separate learning & faith??? This should not be!!! We need to be able to take our money and raise our kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord. OUR MANDATE!! There is not an educational system that is neutral – -it either lifts up the Lord or puts down/provides conflict to the truth.

well if taking prayer out of school isn’t helping then maybe some parents need to get off the pot and take control of their kids.

Dear sir,

Though your article is twenty years old or thereabouts, it is no excuse for such a blindsighted argument. Christianity SHOULD be incorporated, but not in such a way as you prescribe. (Incidentally, your article was tl;dr).

the problem is that people judge Christ based upon his “Christians”. Firstly, you are NO in position to judge Christ at all. You take Him in entirety.

As you know, We’ve been working real hard in our town to get prayer back in our schools. Finally, the school board approved a plan of teacher-led prayer with the children participating at their own option. Children not wishing to participate were to be allowed to stand out in the hallway during prayer time. We hoped someone would sue us so we could go all the way to the supreme court and get the old devil-inspired ruling reversed.

Naturally, we were all excited by the school board action. As you know, our own little Billy (not so little, any more though) is now in the second grade. Of course, Margaret and I explained to him no matter what the other kids did, he was going to stay in the classroom and participate.

After the first day of school, I asked him, “How did the prayer time go?”

“Fine.”

“Did many kids go out into the hallway?”

“Two.”

“Excellent. How did you like your teachers prayer?”

“It was different, dad. Real different from the way you pray.”

“Oh? Like how?”

“She said,‘Hail Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners…’”

The next day I talked with the principal. I politely explained I wasn’t prejudiced against Catholics but I would appreciate Billy being transferred to a non-Catholic teacher. The principal said it would be done right away.

At supper that evening I asked Billy to say the blessings. He slipped out of his chair, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, raised his hand palms up in the air and began to hum.

You’d better believe I was at the principal’s office at eight o’clock the next morning. “Look,” I said. ‘I don’t really know much about these Transcendental Meditationists, but I would feel a lot more comfortable If you could move Billy to a room where the teacher practices an older, more established religion.

That afternoon I met Billy as soon as he walked in the door after school.

“I don’t think you’re going to like Mrs. Nakasone’s prayer, either, Dad.”

“Out with it.”

“She kept chanting Namu Amida Butsu…”

The following morning I was waiting for the principal in the school parking lot.

“Look, I don’t want my son praying to the Eternal Spirit of whatever to Buddha. I want him to have a teacher who prays in Jesus’ name!”

“What about Bertha Smith?”

“Excellent.”

I could hardly wait to hear about Mrs. Smith’s prayer. I was standing on the front steps of the school when the final bell rang.

“Well?” I asked Billy as we walked towards the car.

“Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“Mrs. Smith asked God to bless us and ended her prayer in Jesus’ name, amen just like you.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we’re getting some place.”

“She even taught us a verse of scripture about prayer,” said Billy.

I beamed. “Wonderful. What was the verse?”

“Lets see…” he mused for a moment. “And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.”

We had reached the car. “Fantastic,” I said reaching for the door handle. Then paused. I couldn’t place the scripture.

“Billy, did Mrs. Smith say what book that verse was from?”

“Third Nephi, chapter 19, verse 18.”

“Nephi what?”

“Nephi,” he said. “It’s in the Book of Mormon.”

The school board doesn’t meet for a month. I’ve given Billy very definite instructions that at prayer time each day he’s to go out into the hallway. I plan to be at that board meeting. If they don’t do something about this situation, I’LL sue. I’LL take it all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. I don’t need schools or anybody else teaching my son about religion. We can take care of that ourselves at home and at church, thank you very much.

Yeah, cause kids in public schools are all Christian all right, none have different religons, Favoritism, that’s the way to go.

I agree with the writer that said it is not the schools responsibility to teach prayer, it is the parents. I also believe that removing prayer is one of the major factors in the decline of education and society. You can’t just toss God to the side and then expect Him to keep hanging around. It is the fault of parents primarily that schools have become what they are. Too many have sat aside and just let secular humanism take over. When the legislation supported the removal of prayer from the school, parents should have went to the capital the schools and anywhere else they could be scene and made a scene.

who gives a crap if we can or can’t pray in schools, im a student in high school and i pray whenever i want even thoe we aren’t supposed to… I don’t care they can’t stop me and like they would say anything they can’t put me in jail for it anyway there is a freedom of speech and i will exercise it to talk with god just because its talking with god doesn’t mean it isn’t talking.

I am using this website to do a paper in my public speaking class, I am an adult student and I attend a Christian College, and firmly believe that removing our Father from our children’s schools is part and the start of the decline morality of our country/ and the school system. Only or Fathter knows when Jesus will be return for us. This can happen any day, and Jesus did state in the book of Matthew that all things like this will happen in the Last Days!!

Matthew 6: 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

I Believe Religion Should Not be Allowed In School…Our Teachers These Days Anyways Are To Lazy To Do Anything To Help Us Learn About Prayer And Religion So Honestly Who Gives A Shit

hi.i am a 35year old lady who would love to see prayer back in the schools. i am writing a paper for my college writing class about the situation. only God himself can turn this world around and i believe He is tired of all the corruption caused by man. He is soon to return so we all need to be ready when He comes. prayer should be done openly and privately. please lets get prayer back in the schools to eliminate all the violence. invite the Lord in and watch the transformation.

Prayer to Stop School Violence,and the Boycott I all ways love it when I read stories as this and some people jump around and say Oh, there is nothing that can be done about it. Prayer was never forced when I went to school, it was a freedom of choice for a child. Did you know that when the first Laws against Prayer in Schools came about, it was all most unchallenged in Court? As for women,a lot of men do not understand how a woman feels and I wish to share a short short, As we advance into the 22nd century, a lot of woman are so connected to the past of a day that the sense of valuer for her is becoming lost and the respect in that concept will be only ancient in origin. Before I share, try to understand that I am of a time and a race of people that have faith in that which has become lost. What we are doing will only be a pin prick against the system, but it will….
Please allow me to show you how deep this issue is within a Matrix {of days of the past} that some do not understand. One must be of a time before the Laws created against God through the prayer in school, and to see what has took place for 30 years because of this Law of no prayer at school,and now look where we are at today. I have watched for over 40 years children die in school and this is not a myth. As a child and to feel protected by God, a myth that some seem to say I need to prove He lives.
Because of the diversity between different Faiths, it is important to remember that the goal is to bring back only that 10 second moment of silence, of Prayer. To bring in different Faiths and Bible teachings will only cluster the goal.
On page 20 the Pay It Forward Petition is our little views…..
All so, Join us in the;
“International Boycott Of The Arabic Drug Empire” What does this Boycott have to do with this, nothing and yet, “everything”, drugs, guns and death. When I wrote my first “ Boycott” I just wanted to see the trickle effect it would have, with out stepping into a forth dimension and having my in site lost. To bring Life to hope where there is none in our schools through a Boycott and words of truth.To give a child room for thought, a new directive for in site…
The Arabic Drug Empire is the only one in the world that seeks to kill every last man woman and child in the world in order for their chosen few can repopulate the world….
Our goal is for our words to go around the world, to be heard in the streets to the country until it reaches the White House and shakes the very foundation of this Government Institution. It is not what we say that counts in as much as, it is what we do not say that builds words of truth.
Some say that a Boycott is a waist of time, but it would depend on what is said and how to merge this Boycott into the Violence At Our Schools, to understand we wish to live and we fight with words of truth to in force our right, because we face inhalation through the miss use of a faith.
Henry Massingale
FASC Concepts in and for Pay It Forward covers the web.
Drop by and see why we built a anti crime / war form in a Health Care Reform Concept. To strategically Rebuild America
www.fascmovement.mysite.com on google look for page 1 american dream official site.

You’re severly missing the point of those trials and using it for your own religious propaganda. The fact of the matter is that America was not formed to conform to how you see things, it was formed as a way to let everyone see things the way they want. The trials in which you cited were ruled as such to protect and uphold the Bill of Rights, not to conform to the Ten Commandments, which have no place in government or judicial rulings.

On another note, the Courts are taking prayer out of schools in the sense that it is mandatory for everyone, not forcing it out of anyone. The Courts have ruled that everyone is free to pray as they see fit as long as it does not interrupt the learning process taking place. Your argument is breaking the Bill of Rights by infringing on the rights of those who do not wish to pray, or at the very least do not wish to pray in a public place in such a way.

You say morality in America is declining. That may be your opinion, by my opinion is that we, as a nation, are advancing in our intellect and becoming better because of our increasing curiousity and logical thinking.

I am using this passage to help support my persuasive essay. everyone is doing reports on things like abortion and gaymarriage but i think “should prayer be allowed in schools?” is an issue we need to address before going on to bigger things. we need to start on things we experience dailey than things we only see on the news every other week…thank you for this artical

When my niece was in 5th grade, she and four of her friends, sat down in a circle on the playground one day, held hands, bowed their heads, and prayed before lunch. They did not impose their beliefs on anyone else. After doing this for a few days, a teacher noticed and alerted the principal. All were suspended for 3 days and my niece’s mother was told to keep her daughter home until she understood that she was NOT ALLOWED to pray at school. Being only 10 years old, she did not understand what she did WRONG.

I remember saying The Lord’s Prayer every morning after The Pledge of Allegiance. I remember feeling safe and unified. We, all of us together, were a ONE. I remember when prayer stopped. I no longer felt that oneness.

I thoroughly believe taking prayer out of the schools began our moral decay. Not all parents take their children to church, but they celebrate Christmas and Easter. In this day and age of both parents working and everything moving so fast, Sunday has become a much looked forward to day to sleep in. Saturday is not just enough anymore.

We need prayer back in school. Not just a “moment of silence.” We need prayer spoken out loud, all together. If anyone is not Christian, then they should sit quietly and be respectful. If there are children of any other religion, then they should be allowed to have the same time to worship.

This country was founded with God’s blessings. We are “One Nation Under God.” If people don’t like it, they have the choice to live somewhere else.

We need to do something, this has to be changed, please lets get a big rally together and let it be taken care of,, one woman had it taken out, how do I!!! get started on getting back in? please tell me, I want to do this!!

Japan probably does have a lower crime rate but Japanese parents raise their children discipline that would make most American children scream, “ABUSE!”

I really do believe in reinstating prayer in public schools. Just a short acknowledgement of God’s hand on our children and teachers and nation, as stated in the article. As for those who do not pray to the Trinitarian God, they can just sit through it or ask to be dismissed. This country was founded on Christian principles. Other nations hold other religions sacred and smaller sects just tolerate it. That should be the case in this country.

Prayer should not be allowed in schools! There is no problem if kids want to pray silently to themselves but to publically display it is a little much. If we resort back to the ways of the 60’s and we have bible readings every day over a loudspeaker, kids can get offended and hurt. America is so religiously different that there is no way having a strict way of prayer would work. Me, being a high school student would not appreciate it. I am not religious, but have no problem with people that are. If you want prayer every day in schools…GO TO A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL!!

A little prayer never hurt anybody.

I wrote an article entitled “Put Prayer Back”. Since prayer has been taken out of the school system we have seen a decline in our children with perversion, gangs, homosexuality and murder to name a few. Satan nows if he can attack our childern he has attacked our future. Satan knows how powerful prayer is (remember he is a fallen angel). We need prayer back. How can I get started? I am ready.

I believe that there should be an alloted time for prayer for those who wish to do so during school. School age children face so many problems and trials and if they are of a Christian faith, they need God’s guidance and protection. Yes, we can all pray at home, but the Bible even says “where two or three are gathered in my name, there will I be also”. If, let’s say 70% of the students are Christian and they all are given time to pray during the school day, on campus, God can move so much for those students and teachers. I also do not feel that prohibiting teachers from being involved in the religious meetings is right. I am studying to be a teacher and I am also a Christian, and I do not see, if there is a student led religious meeting on campus, why I would not be allowed to participate. Or even better, why could I not lead a religious meeting, bible study, etc, on campus, after hours? The removal of prayer from school, has removed all aspects of God from school for both teachers and students. I have relatives who are teachers and they cannot even proclaim their faith in desk ornaments or shirts or pictures, for fear that it will offend a student. I find that is a direct violation of freedom of speech. The display of such items of faith is not imposing that faith on the students, but rather a mere action of the teacher proclaiming his or her beliefs. Also, if science can teach evolution an equal balance of creation as it is known from the Bible should be allowed. I pray for His quick return as I am so discouraged by the societal decline of our nation, so much that I fear for my children as they grow and I long for the day that all the world’s problems will be no more and we all be in heaven with our Lord and King.

I’m quite surprised at the complete ignorance of our nation’s past in this article and the comments, all this talk of how God made America great and rich and before the 60’s morality was strong. Need I remind everyone of Native American genocide, enslavement of African-Americans, the attendant hidden/ignored sexual and physical abuse, segregation, imperialism, the greed of the Gilded Age, among others. In some ways America is more moral than in the past.

I am a committed Christian, yet I also believe in secular government. God gave us free will, people should not be forced to follow one religious sects view on morality. We have rights to pray in school, I do it all the time, its just that the faculty and staff cannot enforce it, being government institutions, in order to respect people of all beliefs. We have come far as a nation, and although immorality exists, it seems that the several (but not all) the people who decry the loss of morality are quite selective in what they choose to point out, homosexuality, abortion, while being often oblivious to war, divorce, poverty, greed, discrimination and the like.

Our nation is doomed to fall if we the Christians do not start to fall on our knees and humble ourselves before the Almighty God. Throwing prayer out of the public school is one of the biggest mistakes that this country, the United States of America that was founded not so long ago by our Godly Forefathers has done. We think we are so much wiser, yet we cannot even have some of the freedoms that some other countries have today. A nation without God cannot survive longer then the generations that put Him out do. We are headed for a great judgement and it is scary. We Godly Americans today must turn our eyes towards the cross with great conviction and pray with full reverance and respect before we fall into a Communist Regime. It can happen. Pray without ceasing.

I will be using this article for my school assignment as well. Not because I am pro prayer in school but because I got stuck with the topic. Honestly i think that if people want to pray on their own time let them. But why must we have a mass function to pray? What about those who don't believe? Do you really need the whole school to pray at one time to reinforce your beliefs. If morality is declining its because of religion not getting taught in the home well. School has nothing to do with it

Keep religion out of public schools. If you want your children to pray in school send them to a religious based schools and not on tax payers back. Not everyone believes in your fairy tales.

I believe you are completly wrong. First, religion and the state are not suppose to be together. second i do not belive in god so why do i have to pray to him? thrid which god are you praying to? there are so many religions you are segregating people because of this. i am 16 and go a public school. sorry about my spelling.

It’s amazing all the people who
truly believe a simple
prayer should
be not be uttered in
the public arena . Our Founding Fathers
NEVER believed of supported this. They prayed in public and
supported prayers given by
public officials – recognizing
the Divine help and
guidance given in the forming
of this Nation .
The phrase ‘separation of
church and State ‘ is not in
the Constitution . That was
a construct of the Warren
Court . That phrase
was written in a letter
by Thomas Jefferson to a group
of Baptists in Danbury Conn.
He stated that the
First Amendment would
provide a wall of separation between
the government and them, so
that the State could not
hinder them from practicising
their faith as they saw fit . That was the
true origin of the phrase
and it’s meaning . It no
way, and in no form did
our Founding Fathers mean to
eliminate prayer or faith
from the public area .

Amen to Heather . She is
absolutely right . Here in
California , we are already
suffering from the consequences of our own
sins . We have one of
the highest unemployment
rates in the Nation (15% and in
some industries as high as
20%) and one of the highest
foreclosure rates . One of the
main reasons ? Yes, people bought houses they
couldn’t really afford, and
there was the financial
crisis- but look at that
from a spiritual viewpoint too .
Would this crisis have happened
if honest people refused to
give loans to people who
couldn’t afford them ? If the
ratings companies hadn’t
lied and said the bundled
mortgage backed securities
were sound – would they
have been bought and passed
along ? If the executives at the
top and in the government
hadn’t been filled with so much
greed- would any of this have
happened in the first place ? Sin very definitely has an
effect on our whole economy .
We are also
the pornography capital
of the word and a center
for drug smuggling, drug
dealing, and the immoral
Hollywood industry . Read about Gramscian Marxism
and specifically the efforts
of the Marxist Georg Lukacs to undermine
our country through moral
rot . Don’t be fooled by
it all . It’s a plan that has
been going on for decades . America needs to
repent and turn back to God
and to God’s ways. we
are Nation in crisis and need
help . God forgive us .

I agree. It’s time to get prayer in there. Our children are suffering. Our founding fathers were all Christian and we came here for religious freedom. It’s freedom of religion, not freedom FROM religion. There’s a lot of jews and muslims in public schools, but it will help them too. If we don’t get this country back for us we will be in trouble. We are a great country because of Jesus he helped us fight in world war II, and now the fighting is here on our front door step. I can’t believe that the supreme court took prayer out of school. We need to get a real president with real Christian values. In fact every president we have ever had was Christian. We never had a jew as a president. doesn’t that mean something? There is no such thing as separation of church and state, and let’s show the world that we’re not going to take this secularization of government any longer!

Some people said that a simple prayer should not be taken out of public. well, what about the people who don’t believe in the christian god? Are you going to say a prayer for their religion as well? How angry or upset would you be if a Wiccan or Muslim said their prayer for everyone? I am sure most of you would be stricken horridly with anger. What makes Christians have any more right then others? Nothing. So learn to respect others and their beliefs.

If you want your kids to pray in school, then send them to a Catholic or Christian school. Easy as that. It is offensive to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc. That’s like if Muslim became the predominant religion in America suddenly and they decided that they should pray muslim prayers every day but not the others. It’s offensive.
So what if our nation was built on Christianity? Our fore fathers and some of our greatest leaders where ATHEIST. Sure they used the term “God” a lot and carried around bibles but that’s because it was the custom of the day. Even the great Abraham Lincoln was an atheist. Lincoln said, quote, “While a higher power may exist, I do not bow down to it.”
All you Christians go crazy over prayer not being in public schools. Get over it. We made that unconstitutional a long time ago. If your kid wants to pray, then they can do it quietly to himself/herself. Things like this is the answer to your famous question “Why does everyone bash us? What did we ever do to deserve the bashing we get?” You get bashed because you try to force your religious ideals down everyone’s throat. You want to end abortion, which is a woman’s right. You want to pretty much abolish the teaching of evolution OR want them to teach both evolution and Creation claiming that Creation can be taught in a non-religious context. Not at all. God is mentioned in the Creation story, it is religious. You bash atheists/agnostics all the time but when they turn around to bash back, you act like you’re the victim. You completely somehow forget about the bashing you did. God is on the money, he’s in the Pledge of Allegiance, and many other things. Are you happy with that? No. You believe that because our nation was built on Christian Principles is the only proof you need to validate the bringing of prayer back to public schools. Are you trying to make people dislike you more?
Look, I’m Catholic but I’m a loose Catholic. I don’t believe that prayer should be spoken aloud as a rule in Public Schools. I don’t believe in elimating evolution and teaching the BS “Adam and Eve” story. I believe that while abortion is bad in most cases, a women shouldn’t have to give birth to a baby that is the product of rape or incest. So, in conclusion, keep your prayer to yourselves.

I’m all about putting prayer back in public schools. Then Muslim students would be free to introduce Christian students to their salahs, imagine pagan druid circles taking place in gymnasiums every day…wouldn’t it be great?

I hope everyone realizes that if there is prayer in schools that is will have to include all religions…and in America both witchcraft and Satanism are recognized religions…
School would be sued if they did not recognize ‘every’ religion… Can you imagine all the different requests for different days off for all the religions?…just a thought…

We cannot blame natural disasters, misbehavior, and etc. on people not praying in schools, or prayer and religion in general. I’m all for letting the people pray, who want to pray… Its THEIR choice. The schools don’t have to make every person in the school pray. If we did have time during school when we could pray, I probably would be one of the people who do pray, but I wouldn’t push my religion on anyone else.

People should be free to worship when, where, and who ever they want. All of you who want prayer out of schools keep saying go to a Christian school but why should we have to go to Christian school when the very foundation of the “public” was founded on Christianty? If you go to a school that did force prayer then I can see where you would be offended or upset, but the majority of schools that had prayer did in no way force it on anyone. The first amendment does not say “separation of state and church” however it does say “FREEDOM OF RELIGION”. Why should the majority of Americans have to do something we don’t want just because a few people get offended? All of you nonbelievers are all for “do it quietly” or “go to a Christian school” but what makes you think we don’t get offended by that? Many of you say it shouldn’t be allowed and we are wrong for wanting it, but what makes you think you are any better to not wanting it? It doesn’t seem fair that you can talk bad about our religion and the Lord in his self but we can’t talk good about Him. All of you are complaining about how we are trying to force our religion on you but look at yourselves, you all a trying to force our religion out of us as well.

Putting prayer or Christianity back into the classroom, is but a bandaid to today’s social problems.
Remember that in the 1950’s when religion and the 10 Commandments were posted on Classroom walls, blacks were not allowed to vote. Many white kids were racist towards blacks and their parents marched against civil rights for blacks -very Christian!

How would posters and prayers today help marginalized kids? Posters would read, “God loves everyone equally.”
Yet, these kids would go home: to single parent families; despicable housing; hunger, many kids in cramped quarters, and gangs outside selling drugs.

Americans need to stop using WORDS from their Bible, and start ACTING OUT the compassion of Jesus – Feed the Poor;
help the homeless; etc.

The Christian Right, while advocating Christian prayers in Schools, also voted against health care for the poor; they are against bussing black kids to white schools.
Marginalized schools are not equal. Putting Christianity back into THOSE schools would result in pretty pictures/charts in run-down classrooms.

To say that kids KILL and STEAL because the Commandments are not on the wall is ludicrous.
Killing and Stealing is also the Law of the Land.

Get out of your rich churches and get amongst the poor. Living the Gospel will save American – yes, Living it.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t taking prayer out of school allow more time for teachers to be doing their job: /teaching/ students? So wouldn’t it stand to reason that taking prayer out of school would give students more time to learn, and thus increase their educational opportunities?

Morals are not something the school system should be teaching. I walk into class expecting to learn the steps of mitosis and how to simplify radical expressions; not to have a deity I believe to be false thrown at my face. It wouldn’t be bothersome if a group of students got together and collectively said a prayer, so long as it doesn’t disrupt class-time (so it takes place during homeroom or between classes) and isn’t loud or being forced on others. It’s when it goes from voluntary to mandatory that prayer in school becomes a problem. Even if students are given the choice to opt out, it’s not fair to call them out on their beliefs like that.

Regardless of what the majority of Americans believe in, there are minorities who view things differently. Is it really so hard to show them and their beliefs some respect by not indoctrinating them with your own?

I can’t help myself, but I need to correct some errors that I read from an earlier post, post #7, the 7th down (Patrick’s). It was Caesar Constintine, who turned Rome into a Christian state, not Alexander and he outlawed the persecution of Christians, he didn’t pursecute those who were not. And it was the “Catholic church”, not the “Church” (the church made up of all of the believers) that was straying from what the apostles had taught and were running the state, and the reformation took place during the end of the Renaissance to the beginning of the Baroque periods, not the Medieval period. And the separation of church and state in the constitution, was so that a goverment couldn’t tell a person how to worship, not the other way around. And the question is never “what is best for Christiantity”, because Christ is who He is and He never changes, nor does His word. You are either a Christian, because you have believed on Him and trusted Him as your savior (a Christian; follower of Christ) or you haven’t (the lost; not a Christian.) I hope this helps anyone who might of been confused from earlier incorrect statements.

No one can be forced to pray or prevented from praying. It is 100% choice. You can pray (or not pray) any time and in any place you wish. It’s a shame that more people do not exercise the choice to pray.

I think that its wrong that the Supreme Court should ban Praying in Public Schools! Christians and Catholics alike would probably prefer it if we all could pray in school instead of having to hide it. Also, a spiritual need is in order for school, so I have to contradict you, Kippy and agree with Heather, Greg, Polly and all of them. This is my Thesis statement topic, so wish me luck and pray for me!

God must be put back into public school life if we are to contain all the corruption in the schools, and get it out of here. Come on Brothers and Sisters in Christ! we need to put it into high gear!

Amen! We must put it into high gear to stop all the corruption around us and to reinstall God into our public school systems. My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we must do this to save ourselves from the evils the devil has placed around us. Together, with God as our ally, WE SHALL NOT FAIL!!!!!

Hey my name is Brittny. I'm 16-years-old and I'm doing a paper on why religion should not be banned in public school because we should be able to express ourselves freely. I think its time for us to stand and fight the truth.

Brittney:
I am about the same age as you, and here’s an interesting point for your school paper: Students have the right to openly pray in public schools! Thats why there are religious clubs that are sponsored by the school! And in my opinion, that too is also unconstitutional. The school grounds are funded by the federal government, and they should not be used for any religious purpose. Students can, however, pray in school, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the main function: teaching children. Teachers are not allowed to lead their classes in prayer, and students cannot pray in a coercive manner, i.e., a bunch of christian children shouting scripture to a group of Muslim children, or engaging in harassment of any kind pertaining to religion. So if you want to pray to express yourself, then go ahead! Nobody’s going to stop you! Just don’t force it down the throats of those who do not accept your beliefs. I hope I was able to help you with your school paper, and please, think openly about what I have written here. Thanks

If you want prayer in schools and you want the government to stay out of it, then you MUST allow Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Scientologists, Universalists and all other religions as well as Christians that equal right. Ready?

Praying should not be forced on to anyone. Praying historically has not solved any moral or social problems. Some of the most violent and corrupt societies have the most praying. How many times the religious leaders have been found of child molestations and other crimes and who knows how many have not been exposed?

Im Breanna and im 17 yrs old! Me and my friend are writing a paper on religion in School! Of Course, in the letter, we protested that we NEED God in schools! Without him, nothing can stand! Its up to us in our schools (our Mission Fields) to do as God has Commanded in Matthew 28!

I’m a 14-year-old student doing a research paper on prayer in schools. Alothough from most of the comments from the other users are mostly negetive, prayer in school isn’t needed. Just because America doesn’t have an “official religion” doesn’t mean it’s going to “go down in ruins.” Nobody is as crazy as they were before the abolishment of prayer in schools.

I’m a senior and I’ve made a petition on trying to get Prayer and the Ten Commandments back in our School. It’s a shame that it was taken out. All Christians (Believers of the one true GOD and his Son Jesus Christ) needs to stand up and fight what’s right. Please help me get GOD back in AMERICA! I will go in front of the President if I have to, GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!

Satan has been building his Kingdom here on earth far to long; and we as Christians need to stand up and take back what God has given us. “Our Schools.” If you know your bible, You know that Santan wants to be God. But GOD said, the earth is the Lords and everything thats in it.The people and the fullness there of. America is a Christian nation. That means Jesus Christ is the center of everything we do. And I’m ready to take it to the President of the United States if I have to. Put Prayer and the Ten commandments and everything Godly back into our school. When I was growing up, I looked forward to praise and singing hymns in class. I want to see my grandchilden honoring God in school as well.

Hey my partner and I love this info. Kyle thinks its amazing and he wants our kids to be able to pray in school!!

Rita I agree with everything you just said. We need GOD back in our School’s and kick Satan right out of out lives. Christians problem is that there letting the non-believers and Atheists take over our Beautiful Country…. IT’S TIME TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK TO OUR ONE TRUE GOD!!!!! If your with me message me at guns1992@live.com and let’s all work together to get him back to where he belongs.

The Supreme Court voted that there is separation of church and state, not separation from church and state. These are different. Prayer is still allowed by law. It just cannot be mandated. Anyone can pray legally. If you are told not to, you can sue as you have the right to pray. I lived before 1962 and I can tell you that things were different. more respect for God and for authority. We need to once again pray in our nation and in our homes!

My name is Jen. Im 18 and i as well am writing a persuasive speech for class to get people to be for prayer in schools. Unfortunately, im having a hard time finding a firm call to action. God help me. This is important and i dont want to mess up. People of America need to know the truth behind everything that is really happening in this country. Things dont just happen for no reason; taking prayer out of schools, trying to take the Lords name out of context, making homosexuals acceptable to the American people, and these secular, twisted groups like ACLU and other organizations have a specific goal; to break up our families, because without strong, Christian families and a strong tie to the one who built this nation and was founded upon His name, JESUS CHRIST, America will crumble. Our nation NEEDS God, in our homes, schools, and in our hearts. We cant let these bad people get away with the things that they are doing. If they are driven by satan so as to attack and take the rights away of Gods people, how much more driven should we be, standing firmly on Christs name, to fight the deceiver. Gods voice will not be toned down, but shall we yell it out for all the world to hear! God bless you all.

Taking God out of school has a direct correlation with the state of our moral decline and this is something that cannot be refuted as many people have lived to experience both periods in time. No need to carbon date or try to use science to disprove this fact. To believe otherwise amounts to denial of the truth or excusing evil behaviour.

I go to a Christian school but am tansferring to a public school soon. I really hate that the Bible was taken out of public schools. I am a trong Christian and follower of Jesus Christ. I heard a true story about something about something like this.
There was a girl with a condition where she would have random seizures that went to a public school. This school allowed a Satanist ‘religious’ group, but when some one asked about a Christian group for the Christians, they wouldn’t allow it. so one day this girl was in the school parking lot and waiting for her mom to get there to pick her up. But as her mom pulled up, this girl had a seizure. She had fell in the road before her mom had a chance to see her. her mom ended up hitting her with the car and she died on spot. the very next day as people pulled up at the school they noticed something going on at the spot where this girl was hit. it was the satanist group dancing around he spot where this girls blood was spilled and they were doing some type of ritual.
my point with this story is people think its okay to be athiest, or be muslim, or satanist. in fact evolution is taught in schools. but yet we can as simple is pray before every class. or pray before lunch. how far does it have to go before christians do something about it?

Amen, Brothers and Sisters! Let’s keep this up and rally more to our cause, because we want God to be back in the center of our lives, not Satan and his evil ways that have corrupted our country to be the way that it is today! We have to stand tall for Jesus, otherwise everything might be in vain! Keep praying for me, I really appreciate it! I’m only 16, but this topic is helping me get a firmer grasp of my faith as I am about to recieve the sacrament of Confirmation! Thanks in advance!

Never known of anyone that has been hurt by prayer. In fact millions have been saved by it.

Let’s keep this going! The Lord is depending upon us, and we should not falter nor fail with the task that God has put before us. I’m 17 years old, but I have the heart of a lion, so I will never give up until we have successfully put prayer back into the public school systems! Let’s keep on going until the task is complete. My thesis is almost done, so I thank all of you who have been praying for me-I will return the favor in kind!

This is awful. If you want your child to have a religious school with prayer and Bible readings, send them to a private school. If you can’t afford it, then go to church. A lack of religion in school did not “Lead to America’s Demise” Go cry to your mommy about it.

God IS the reason we are all here! The ONLY reason! HE should be EVERYWHERE!!!!

I agree, Sower, and I pray that fedsdcc will have a change of heart and mind about the truth, for God has a plan for all of us, no matter what we do, or how we live. I’m 18 now, so I hope that many more young people will help us in our crusade (so to speak) to get prayer back into the public schools.

I honestly think prayer should be allowed in school, however, it should not disrupt the class. There is plenty of time before school, in between classes, and during lunch to pray, the school shouldn’t designate a period of prayer.

Now, if the existence of a God or Gods were to be proven, then my opinion on this would change. As of yet, there is no conclusive evidence supporting any God. It is not up to Atheists to dis-prove a God. That would be as impossible as dis-proving life in space.

Oh and as a side note, have you ever taken a look at the crime rate of our ‘Christian’ nation? It’s much higher than the ‘Atheist’ countries of Europe. Also, last time I checked, the overwhelming majority of prisoners happened to be religious. I think the ‘demise’ of our nation is just an incredible amount of ignorance and laziness.

Basically I’m saying that the government should be secular. Devoting public school time and taxpayer money to something that can’t be proven is just silly. If you want to believe it, good! If it helps you live, good! Just please, don’t force it on us that don’t.

For those of you who seem to think that we’re blaming the schools well you need to re-read the article. It was the government that imposed the ban of prayer and those who didn’t pray had a moment of silence to begin each day. Praying by children at the beginning of each school day taught moral respect for everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike. We learned to take ourselves and each other more seriously with everything we did. We held ourselves and each other accountable for our individual actions.

You are perfectly right. All the school shootings is as a result of lack of prayer in schools. Like you the Lord has laid upon my heart to do a petition and have folkes signing it and send it to the supreme court may be by the hand of AcLJ or centre for moral clarity ( Rod Parsely) will you help me do this?

1) It is terrifying to read that people who want to have prayer in public schools state that it is all about installing “GOD FEARING” values in children and that “GOD” will do destruction if you don’t pray. WOW – now that is what I call the decline of humanity and the fall of sanity. 2) Since it boils down to it being all about YOUR god vs MY god, then you should realize that is the destruction of love. 3) It is terrifying to know that your beliefs involve you waiting for your “GOD” to destroy those who don’t follow those beliefs. Well I don’t believe in gods or devils or any similar myths. I celebrate LIFE, SCIENCE and DIVERSITY because we each have the power to make positive change and create happiness by helping a neighbor or a friend. Don’t fear the unknown – celebrate our journey together.

remeber Sodom and Gomorrrah. what happened to them when they turned their backs to God. Well or country is doing that right now with legalizing same sex unions. That is totaly against God's Laws. and God has been sending us warnings with all these tornados, wild fires, earthquakes his shake up is just starting. The end times will bring great termoil on the face of the earth.read the Bible and see for yourself

I believe that this is extremely insensitive to kids in school, who do not participate in the religion that is being pushed upon them. I wouldn’t ever want a my child to feel pressured in any way to pray for something he doesnt believe in, because the school, and his peers are pressuring him. I don’t think that schools should let prayer back in, because there is a time and a place for that, and school is not the place. Lets be fair.

Wow anyone who does not believe prayer should be in school has not studied history. The fact is that as long as we were a praying nation in school and in government we were truly a blessed nation. Since that was removed almost 50 years ago we have been spiralling out of control. Just because you don’t believe something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Try reading the BIBLE and see what it says. Every knee will bow and toung confess that JESUS is LORD. You don’t have to believe it but it’s true.

The First Amendment was designed to keep the state out of the church, not the church out of the state. It was to prevent a repeat of the the Church of England and its use to oppress the citizenry if the believed something other than it.

The First Amendment is designed to forbid the government from criminalizing religion or forcing someone to believe something they do not want.

It was NEVER intended to be a weapon to outlaw religion in the public sector.

America giving in to the demands of Islam
Never before in American history have Christians been hated for following Jesus Christ as they are today.
Why is the strongest nation in the world giving in so readily to Islam and denying the name of Jesus Christ?
Not to mention the Holocaust being removed from schools’ curriculums.
In 1945 when the horrors of the Auschwitz and Belsen concentration camps were discovered, General Eisenhower said “Photograph everything you see here; for it’s a certainty that some day in the future some b*****d will deny it ever happened”. General Eisenhower was RIGHT! Wikipedia is filled with eye witness accounts of the horrors when millions of people of different religions were slaughtered by the Nazis.
Iran has been promulgating these horrific facts of life as a “myth” for some years and the Muslim population explosion all over the world, combined with a propaganda machine of which the Nazis would have been proud, means Islam is spreading its evil tentacles all over America.
Surely Every American still believes “In God We Trust” or is the whole of America progressively going to allow itself to be bullied into an Islamic life-style including the barbaric Shari law?
May GOD always bless America; but I hope Every single American will NOT be bullied by the Muslims.

Our National Disgrace,and Tragedy that few will talk about..sad..shame..silent I have a petition on line.If you believe that PRAYer.. should be put back into our schools,would you sign my petition? here is the link..http://signon.org/sign/dear-god?source=c.url&rby=

Homosexual marriage will be the ruin of the nation. I will fight against it until my last breath. It is one thing to allow it in homes and behind closed doors. It is an entirely detrimental issue when such perversions are shoved down the throats of children K-12.

Wow. I’m trying to see everyone’s stand point, but 99% of them seem to be ridiculous. I am not a religious person and am highly offended when it is pushed in my face, especially Christianity. I grew up in a Christian school and would never ever EVER recommend that to anyone. If religion were to be in public schools, then EVERY religion should be incorporated, not just Christianity. But if someone wants to pray, let them pray…silently to themselves. Can’t stop anyone from doing that. If children are required to pray out loud in a public place, then that is simply wrong. That would be pushing religion on them and not accepting them for who they are, which goes against what the bible said jesus wanted. That would be like me telling you that in order to go to my school, you must worship the devil. How does that sound?

No one was ever forced to pray in school. So don’t go there. And each religion, no matter what it is, does have the right to pray in school, work, government ect, daily if they want. That is freedom of religion, speech, ect. And we do have the right to put up the ten commandments in a Court house, freedom of expression. The law has been broken and infringed upon by taking away the Christians rights to exercise their faith. Christians do not take away the Athiest rights, or the right of others, and we do not push religion down anyones throat. If you choose not to participate in prayer in schools, then don’t. And if you choose not to see the Ten commandments in a Court house, then don’t go in that Court house. If you choose not to believe in God almighty, then that is your choice. But all Christians, and all religions have the right to pray, express and use freedom of speech and religion. That is our right. And our rights have been infringed upon. And the constitution amendment one has been violated.

I am a mother who chose to send my children to private school. My children were allowed to worship god freely. I see the benefits in my children’s lives. What gets me is that I was forced to pay for this FYI shouldn’t we be allowed to send our children to our choice of school and not have to pay if they want to break our freedom rights?

America is in DIRE need of a REVIVAL! America’s morals and values have been rapidly declining since the 1962 & 1963 banning of God, the Bible, and prayer went into effect. America needs to realize that it has suffered enough and it is TIME to get this nation back to its high standards..ONE NATION UNDER GOD!
God, the Bible, prayer and the TEN Commandments should be placed back into our schools and then watch how our nation’s “youth, family, education and nation’s way of life” begin to improve.
The children that once sat in those classrooms when these bans went into effect are now sitting in our elected offices, in our schools, and perhaps in Congress.
WAKE UP AMERICA….THE TIME IS NOW..
Be part of the solution not the problem…petition your state representative to get prayer back in schools..

As a parent and a teacher our job is to teach children right from wrong- good and bad. Children do not know anything unless they are taught otherwise they will learn from observing. Children are like sponges they absorb more than we think. If children are not learning anything at all about God at home (how unfortunate it is- and for the rest of their family)then why not teach them at school? Yes others may not believe at all in God however what about those who do or would believe in God if we only gave them a chance. No, prayer wasn’t banned from school but the teachers were banned from teaching about it and the teaching of the Bible. A simple prayer was banned in 1962 :“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country”
Which was conducted at the beginning of the day.
A value free atmosphere will lead to chaos. Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”-Matthew 19:14
And when Jesus said in Matthew 6:5-6 “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 you father tho sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” He did not mean that He did not like prayer in school but He meant that you should pray from your heart being true and not pray just so people can see you being a false witness.
Idle time is the devils workshop-The devil is our adversary-our enemy.
America needs to invite God into more of our daily happenings which includes public school for the sake of the childrens soul.

Prayer in public schools has not been banned. It is legal to pray, study the bible and even talk about God in school. What has been banned is teacher directed (i.e. state directed) prayer and that is as it should be. The state should not be in charge of seeing that our children pray. That is a parent’s job.

If prayer returns, it will only lead to bullying from atheists toward Christians and excuses for children to ridicule God’s word while in school. School prayer has no gain from anyone.

post hoc ergo propter hoc

Maybe public prayer itself is the cause of the decline. It violates the instructions of Jesus in Matthew, ch 6, 5-8, which says “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 others. Truly I tell you, 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him”. I don’t why public prayer s seen as a Godly thing when it clearly is against jesus’ teachings.

I don’t want to listen to my classmates pray. It would be annoying and distracting. I’m atheist and proud of it.

Students ARE allowed to pray in public schools. It’s never been banned. What that law did was say that the government was not allowed to make students pray, or tell them what they should pray for. This leaves the choice of whether to pray or not to pray completely up to the student. There are NO laws banning prayer in school. They only say that the government can’t tell you to pray. The teachers, being employees of the government, therefore cannot tell the students to pray. This is preferable to all religions, be it Catholic, Episcopalian, Islam, Judaism, Atheism, and Protestant.

The law also allowed STUDENTS to choose what they wanted to pray for. Our country was founded on religious freedom, and so this law was a long time coming. People shouldn’t be forced to pray.

Either one of two things is happening in your article:
1) You are misinformed about the actual law that was made OR
2) You are being purposefully deceitful.

I hope that this either informs you of the truth, or that your readers will realize the truth from reading my comment. Probably not though. Judging by all the comments on this page, mine will never be read.

You know what is so ironic? Yes it is true that parents and church leaders should teach children about God, surrendering to God and live for God: including talking to God. But when you have a governmental and educational system that is opposed to what the parents and church leaders should be doing and are doing, and taking away the rights of the parents, especially, over their child, then it will call for conflict. We go to other nations, if we are citizens over there we must abide by their laws else we die, literally! In America there is more freedom, and rather using this freedom to serve God and help others even in leading them to God, Who created them also in His image and likeness, it is being abused. Being used only for selfish ambitions and indulgences only leading to chaos, confusion in the families, in schools and the government. Right now students are even looking to bombing schools! If students was taught to have reverence for God they also learn how to respect and love each other. Because the same Bible says in 1 John 4:21,“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” This love does not mean tolerance for what is wrong but doing what is righteous before God: including guiding each other in things which please God with a heart of love. Because love do not rejoice in evil but rejoice in truth.

People always want to simple explanations for complex problems. That is not how reality works. I think it’s ridiculous to correlate removing prayer from public schools and the demise of America. There have been studies on the differences between religious and secular societies. It does not surprise me that the more religious a country is, the more social ills it will have. Remember, be careful of confirmation bias.

Here are the facts. Usually secular countries have less social ills. From a well done study:

“showed an inverse correlation between religiosity (measured by belief in God, biblical literalism, and frequency of prayer and service attendance) and societal health (measured by rates of homicide, suicide, childhood mortality, life expectancy, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, and teen pregnancy) in 18 developed democracies. “In general, higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with higher rates of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, STD infection rates, teen pregnancy, and abortion in the prosperous democracies,” Paul found. “The United States is almost always the most dysfunctional of the developed democracies, sometimes spectacularly so.” Indeed, the U.S. scores the highest in religiosity and the highest (by far) in homicides, STDs, abortions, and teen pregnancies.

If religion is such a powerful prophylactic against sin, immorality, and crime, then why is the most religious democracy on the planet also the most sinful and crime-ridden? I’m not claiming that religion causes these problems (although Paul does make this claim), only that the claim that it prevents or attenuates them is falsified by the data.

I remember when I was younger saying “ The Lord’s Prayer before class started but one thing I couldn’t understand WHY I couldn’t say the Lord’s Prayer in school anymore when I was going into third grade. I’m now going to be 53 yrs old soon until the year 1995 I understood WHY ?? You mean to tell me all them years an Atheist person that doesn’t beleive in God took Prayers out shame on our Congress. Who Our Fore Fathers fought for us to get it right she of all people the Devil took it out. Shame of them and I bet you Our Fore Fathers are rolling in their Graves that fought for our Country to be Free is Not.

since the shooting at chardon high school in ohio ive heard alot of people asking Why did God allow this to happen? NEWS FLASH EVERYONE God did not allow this to happen. The elected officials in the so called free America did, they took God out of our schools It’s time that we take a stand and demand that God be invited back to our schools where he longs to be

The only problem with your article is that the US Constitution DOES NOT support Christianity.

HOWEVER the US Constitution DOES acknowledge the existence of The Creator and it’s not out of forgetfulness that The Creator has no specific name attached like Jehovah or Allah.

What they are doing wrong is interfering with the rights of the students WHO DO want to express their respect for The Creator as long as it does not collide with the rights of those who do not.

Instead of an and/or situation we need a simple/basic law that will allow students to opt out of public prayer without getting in trouble so students who wish to follow can freely do so.

The law does not have to be paragraph after paragraph long like how Atheists like to make their laws as complicated as can be.

Also Extreme Atheists ARE banning people from being able to worship the Creator in public places like banning Christmas and taking God out of US coins.

There are other stupid incidents but I cannot remember them all off the top of my head but in other words we are going down a dark spiritualess path.

Right now in the entertainment industry things are either very naught with love for the self or very stupid NOT teaching you anything in a fun engaging way where you don’t fully realize you are being taught something.

I miss the fun educational video games that had adventuring as a theme.

We also need to ban violent video games because even though we know it’s not real it still gets etched into our minds and stays there until we replace it with a better image that’s healthy for us.

I am NOT saying nor advocating to ban ALL video games but ONLY the ones it rewards you for killing Cops and criminals using realistic weapons in war situations.

Need For Speed and Grand Turoism or whatever you call it are racing simulations which are anything BUT violent despite some aspects of Grand Theft Auto in them.

Those are healthy ways to relieve stress since it’s not teaching you to run over cops or hurt innocent people and there are rules to follow.

Need For Speed is a good example of a good street racer without teaching you whatever word I am looking for that means unmoral things.

Even though you DO evade cops it’s all in a fun innocent way that cannot be replicated in real life such as using pursuit barriers at strategic points to stop a police cruiser cold or having a cool down period once the officer loses sight of you and having safe houses. :)

What Need For Speed doesn’t do is enforce killing cops and running over pedestrians earning bonus point nor raping prostitutes then murdering then im cold blood.

Studies have shown that if a mind is trained to think a certain way it will behave that way to the point the subject is not fully aware of it’s reactions.

The Founding Fathers were not against Christianity but rather they didn’t want any specific religion to be the state religion. Those who have looked at the Constitution and studied the Founding Fathers understand this. Unfortunately, most people would rather have the government or a teacher tell them rather than to study these things for themselves. A prayer in school should be Christian since we are founded on Christian principles but that doesn’t mean it is shoved down other peoples throat either. We should acknowledge God’s hand in all aspects of our lives.

It’s the parent’s responsibility to raise their children – not the State’s. That includes their religious training. Now, if you want the State to raise your kids, just take a look at the magnificent job they’re doing with juvenile delinquents who are wards of the court? Since they can’t “reform” them and usually just make their futures worse… please ask yourselves, “Do I really want the State teaching my child how to pray?” I don’t agree with schools who won’t allow children to pray of their own volition but I really would rather they stuck with teaching academics.

If you want prayer in schools, then you have to be willing to allow even the most radically different of prayers — that means also allowing the children to worship the Big Pink Elephant in the Sky, if that is their religion.

But that’s not what you want, is it? You don’t really also plan to have a Muslim child bring his prayer mat to “See you at the Flagpole Day” — even though that’s perfectly legitimate.

Your problem here is the first amendment — either you allow it for everyone, or you allow it for nobody.

I think that a “moment of silence” in the mornings is a good compromise. Students and staff members could choose to pray, to think positive thoughts about the day, to focus their minds for learning, or to not think about any one specific thing. If nothing else, it would teach students to be more tolerant and respectful of others. A moment of silence would not violate anyone’s rights or religious views.

Prayer is good, and if anybody will say that prayer is not good, that is to say, he is a workshop of the devil called ‘‘Satan’‘ have you forgotten that the Bible says ‘pray without ceasing’ unless you want to bring a curse on your head.

At this point in our history with government run schools that are failing by almost every standard, it may be the time to shut them down. Open private schools that are free to teach religion, have prayer Bible reading, and let each parent decide where they want to send their child. This would be the American Freedom of choice and Free Market Place that gives you the best product at the best price. The government once it ruled on religious practice in the schools, crossed that high wall which was to separate church and state. It did not rule impartially, but rather it ruled against God. Parents would become more involved in their child's education once they were forced to make a decision on education.

If the purpose of a moment of prayer is to allow children the opportunity to gather themselves before a day of learning, to commune with others, and to connect with a greater purpose – I agree – a moment of silence is a great solution. God or the Universe can take it from there.

Great article!

Romans 1 states that people will know there is a God by what they see in creation, but what most kids are not able to understand, and I believe is the reason for so much suicide among our students is that without a God and heaven and hell, kids make choices to end life thinking their life on this earth is all that there is. If they knew that there choice to live or die had consequences to where they would spend eternity, I believe they would be a little more cognizant of their choices. That is why I believe prayer and meditation needs to be brought back. If they do not get it at home, at least they can hear of an awesome God that loves them and wants them to be with Him and Christ in heaven and not spend eternity in hell. Hell is not a pretty picture as described in the Bible. It is not temporary, but eternal.

If you’re not for God, you’re against God.

This is the best I've read in a long time. We need God in our shcools our church our home our hearts and with out him we will not get anywhere. O’hare won her court case because the devil helped her, but I don't believe she will win in the end our God will show justice not only to her, but to each and everyone of us. I love my God with out him I would be lost.

I found this article while doing some research for an English paper. Here are my two cents:
1) Morals are not taught in school but rather at home. School teaches match, science… and well, you know. If you want your kid to learn YOUR religion you’ll have to pay for that.
2) It is not against the law to pray in public schools. It is against the law for a school official to lead a prayer. So, if your kid wants to pray at school, so bet it. If any problems arise you will win because it’s not against the law.
Obviously people, get over yourselves. This country isn’t bad because of lack of religion, it’s bad because of the people living in it.

I will like to start prayer in the schools of Moses Lake, Wa. Do you have any advice on how to start to get people together and have the law changed and to allow school prayer back so it will be constitutional?

America had a very negative beginning as she started off under the paradigm of slavery and exercised strict religious rules and exactions. As someone else has posted, historically the union of church and state (forcing religious views on society) always ends up disastrous no matter how good the intentions. Since 1999, there have been 31 school shootings. Anyone who denies that the removal of God from our public school system is not the cause of the senseless tragedies currently evident is just being willfully blind. Wake up!! Open your eyes as well as your hearts. Quit being stupid/foolish. Yes, it is the parents responsibility to teach the children about the Lord at home, however all kids are not as blessed or fortunate to be reared by God-fearing parents and guardians. Thus, God being taught in schools brings divine power into the lives of the youth who need Him so desperately, and who otherwise may not even receive such life-changing instruction. I suppose some of you would rather your children turn into mass murderers, thugs, pimps, or successful, indifferent citizens unconcerned with eternal things. Watch yourselves because we will have to give an account of our behaviors relative to the things of God, spirituality, and eternity. We will seal our eternal fates right here on Earth as this is a practice life for the eternal life to come. God loves each and every one of us so much that He was willing to give it all up for you and for me. His mercy will not always strive with man. One of these days, Earth will be no more. All of the pain and abuse and destruction and corruption will indeed be wiped out. Obeying God, studying His word, praying and living in His will, seeking His counsel is the only way we will ever make it……Kicking Him out means allowing the enemy in……how foolish can man continue to be????

In the wake of the children's massacre in Conn., our men’s Bible study has decided that it’s time for us to get God back inside the schools and the classroom. This does not completely solve the problem, but certainly God’s Shield of Protection over our children would not only benefit each of us but our nation as a whole. More of the same is not the answer.

It saddens me that so many people believe prayer is banned in our public schools. I’m here to tell you that prayer is alive and well in schools all over the country. My kids do it and I know I prayed when I went to school in the 80s. It was a private prayer between my God and I. The government bears no responsibility to make me pray in school or to have anything to do with it. The public schools should be about teaching our kids math, English, history and all the rest. It should be up to the parents to teach their children their belief systems.

Simply put, what God and what version of what religion do you guys want the public schools teaching our kids? What about those of different faiths? Or no faith at all?

I’m all for it if you want your kids to learn about God in a school setting. You can send them to a private school for that. Let me decide how to teach my kids about our faith.

The battle has been drawn over this and the “godly” side seems to be able to lie very well to get their point across. By saying God isn’t allowed in schools or that prayer is banned in schools is a blatant lie to get people to action. If your child or teacher has God in their heart, then God is already allowed in school. We tell our kids that the best way to witness to someone is to do the right thing all the time, even when they don’t think anyone is looking. Be a good kid and others will know it without being told.

The other lie is that prayer is not allowed in schools. It might be allowed to organized by a school official, but kids pray all the time. They hold Bible classes at lunch or talk to their friends about God. My kids actually walk across the street during school hours for a class on the Bible. The school district not only knows this, but they encourage the classes if that is what the kids and their parents want to do.

I can’t help but think that anytime God hears someone who professes to be one of His followers that He isn’t allowed in school, he shakes his head at such a blantant lie.

I have not read one statement where the difference between being a “Christian” and being “Religious” has been stated. Being a Christian is to follow Jesus & the Bible, being religous is to follow a man made religion – Example: allah is not God – he was made up by a person called muhammad – who got mad at the Jews (who by the way are God’s chosen people) for not following him & made a bad book out of their Torah. Did allah, or buddisam, etc raise anyone from the dead? No – only a true God can do that & He did when He raised Jesus from the dead. Believe it or not, it is true. All knees shall bow down to Him someday, then you will believe He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. So yes, America was formed as a Christian nation, One Nation Under God. And one of the reasons for the state this nation is in is because of sin. Read the Bible it will keep you from sin or either sin will keep you from the Bible. Praise the name of Jesus

Bring prayer back in our schools!

I wonder why we have a long history of school shootings that pre-date abolishing school prayer. And if taking prayer out of the classroom is responsible, why are we having church shootings where prayer is encouraged. Could it be access to guns that is causing the problem. Comparing our country to any other country’s statistic on mass shootings, or even our own statistics on school shootings from the 1700’s to present day, I’d have to say the main denominator, would be gun access, and the ability to kill rapidly and efficiently. Meanwhile, mentally insane people can go to church their entire life and still commit murder. I was raised fundamental, evangelical, pentecostal in a ministers home. It is this kind of thinking that has created a mass exodus from the church by people my age. I’d love to hear how the church is involved in speaking up for justice,acting with mercy, feeding the homeless, caring for the fatherless, working on sheltering the mentally ill, stopping human trafficking etc. This post reminds me of Isaiah 29:13, where the Lord speaks of drawing close to Him with our mouths but are far from him with our hearts. Relationships not rules. Prayer in schools is meaningless unless God is meaningful.

You are free to pray in school as you please, just because praying to YOUR god isn’t MANDATORY does not mean that prayer in school is bannedor any such notion which your kind try to imply. You are even allowed to create after school prayer groups if you like.
You then delve down even further into the rabbit hole by suggesting that faith be mandatory in order to hold office. (Which has nothing to do with the main topic of prayer in schools in the first place.) it is clear that you want to turn the U.S into a theocracy. Honestly, I think you should re-read the constitution. Maybe you’ll learn something about how the U.S. was intended to run.

I believe that god should not be allowed in schools because if he/she or It was allowed how would the other kids react? I’m 13 myself and I make my own decisions by common sense and I am a proud atheist. I believe there is no god. I believe in evolution. I don’t give a crap about your religion. I don’t say the pledge of allegiance because of it being Christian yet it says ‘and justice for all’ there isn’t. Last I checked this wasn’t only a Christian country. It didn’t have its own religion. Sure Christianity was and is popular. I don’t care. There is Muslims and satanists and people who worship a toad at my school. I still love them. They’re my friends and I don’t care if they’re black white Asian or freakin Mexican. I don’t judge by religion, race, or gender. Unlike the bible. Do you guys even read it? Read it and you’ll change your mind on this whole religion thing.

“As you might have already noticed on Mr. Barton’s graph, America’s moral decline rapidly accelerated following one event – the U.S. Supreme Court’s removal of prayer from our nation’s schools. On June 25, l962, 39 million students were forbidden to do what they and their predecessors had been doing since the founding of our nation – publicly calling upon the name of the Lord at the beginning of each school day.”

Correlation without evidence of causation is not a logical argument.

Anyone can pray in school that can never be stopped but for a country to ban such a thing shows that our nation is not right with God! It seems strange that when a shooting occurs in a school that politicans get on TV and say PLEASE PRAY…excuse me but if we had prayer in school before each day it’s more than likely such events would not have occured…HELLO…This country just does not get it!

The rulers in that time shouldn't have banned prayers in school,they are going to be responsible for what we are seeing today, its simple prayers in school filled with God are effective but if they are empty prayers, surely those who don't believe might do whatever it takes to destroy our christian principles, so listen up Christians don't let anyone do this! Stand up for what is right! Not what secular men say is right but you should stand up for what God thinks is right! Doesn't matter what people might say, it matters more what God says about you!

As a student in a public school, I can honestly say I’m saddened by the amount of people who diss God and who don’t believe. I solely believe the reason for this is because we aren’t taught about it, we aren’t allowed to talk about it, and we certainly cannot minister. Our schools are just a breeding place for non-believers to pull in more and more people until eventually the school is one giant Satan filled hole. While I don’t agree with making kids pray, I do think that some sort of education should be offered to religious children. America is slowly on a downfall because of the non-believers.

Religious-based “education” is offered in many, MANY places in America. Have you ever heard of a church? You know, a place where religious people can choose to go to and “learn” about their religion?

You’re just mad that you can’t force your message on people anymore.

I think the beginning of the decline of America started with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Now will someone please tell me what is wrong with teaching our children to love God and each other. Respect each other.:: All through the word of God Love is the key. We all fall short of the Glory of God. Meaning we are not perfect. We took God out and replaced him with metal detectors, police, drugs, guns etc. We started as a Christian Country. In God we trust. It is our responsibility to instill righteousness in our children. What happened to it takes a village to raise a child. But as soon as that child becomes a victim of something horrible, then you want to involve others. When something as small as teaching them to Love one another could possibly make a difference in what they grow to think. God does not force himself on you. That’s Satan’s job. He never has. It’s each individuals choice. But I want my children to love an respect others. And in spite of what you believe the word Love came from the Bible. As well as marriage and many other words. And we as a people have exploited them and turned them into meaningless words. This country was a blessed country and our forefathers knew it. And we have reduced it to nothing. Look at the world we live in now. Something has to convict our hearts to make us want to do the right thing. And that job was God’s. Now people live with no conscious and do whatever they want, and look at the result of living with no restraints. Do you like what you see? Do you like living in fear? Do you enjoy living with no righteousness in this world? No respect for another’s life? And yes it all leads back to the lack of God’s Love in this cruel hateful world. Just turn on the news and see what we have been reduced to.Yes, it start’s in school the grocery store the mall the play ground everywhere. Wake up America we are killing our country. This was a Christian country from the start. Their is no other country you can go into and change their religion but this one. That is pitiful. And it shows the world that we as a country stand for nothing. This is a sad day. And believe me when I say that it will not get better but much much worst. America is dying due to an abundance of sin.

I believe and stand always on the Word of God. I remember when they took God out of the pledge in school and I haven’t been out of school long but i know better that God works. I was a person who did everything against God but now I found him I am on fire for the Lord and is so against this craziness. If you ever notice on dollar bills and other money it says “in God we trust” and that is important just look at the Bible and study it and also your history you will see.

Boy, your article is slanted. And you even threw in Reagan! Schools do not ban prayer….they simply do not lead prayer. Go to church to be lead in prayer….as it should be. That’s what I do….I go to church, and then my kids go to school to learn. Wake up. Your idiotic claim of the decline of America is nothing more than a cheap right wing political endorsement.

Dear the people of USA:
Please Wake up! Turn back the pages of your beautiful stories where the founding fathers started with prayer and reading the Word of God when they began their new lives in the new found lands. Turn the pages on when they started schools for their children,. The same God, the same principles to follow then the blessings from above. Please, don’t misuse your God’s given freedom. The rest of the world looks at you and the land.
It is my sincere prayer that the land of the brave will return back to God and the basic principles. Wake up! Wake up!

I also want to add that every spiritual leader that stood in the pulpit in the 60’s are the ones responsible for allowing prayer to be taken out of school . They had the platform and did nothing with it .

I just found your website and thank God for it. I have struggled for years trying to warn America about this very thing and even tried to contact Mr. Barton in that effort. I wrote a 1,000 page e-book, that needs a lot of help, titled, America, Christ’s Top Nation Has Fallen and am now trying to warn America of the consequences of approving same sex marriage. Jeremiah 1:12!

In reading the above comments I believe that the schools can help in the morals of children. I know it is the parents that should be doing this but it should be followed up in school..By having a dress code,(shorts at finger tip length) skirts and dresses just above the knee and no low cut blouses. A student should be dressed appropriate and groomed to do their best in school. I don’t mean designer clothes, just clean appropriate. That would bring respect also. This time I vote I am going to only vote for people who support bring God back in our daily lives…..

Why do you all keep forcing this on others? We are adults who can make our own decisions on religion and prayer, and do not have to agree on these issues! Putting prayer in schools is bullying others to believe the same as you which is NOT religious or any kind of freedom – stop and let us go to hell if we so choose – don’t make it your business to save us or convert others!

I disagree with Patrick Fischer’s two conclusions about the Crusades and the separation of church and state. First, the separation of church and state is never mentioned in the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights. The idea was set forth by Thomas Jefferson in a letter he wrote to the Christians in Danbury, Connecticut concerning the building of the national cathedral in Washington, D.C. In the letter he purposed to assuage the fears of the Danbury Christians who mistakenly thought that the federal government was trying to establish a national religion. Jefferson never said that the separation between church and state meant that the church’s ideas and morality could not be expressed in the public square or have influence in the decisions of our national, state, and local governments. Second, as to the Crusades painting the Christians as killing Jews and Muslims mercilessly is misleading. First, the Crusades were sponsored by a corrupt church which no longer had a vital connection with the truth, commands, and life of Jesus Chist. The true Christians of the Middle Ages (Medieval times) were not those supposedly serving as soldiers or knights in the Crusade armies. If Patrick were to do his research, he would find that true Christians did not participate in the Crusades. Lamentably, moderate and liberal Muslims have been mute as there leftist ISIS and the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Muslim terrorists groups have killed, crucified, maimed, incarcerate, and tortured thousands upon thousands of Christians in Iran, Iraq, Kurdish, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Phillipines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. More Christians have been slaughtered in the last two decades than all the Muslims and Jews during the Crusades. So, true Christians did not lift a hand to kill Muslims during the Medieval times. Unlike Islam, Christianity did not begin with the sword as Mohammed forced non-Muslims, Christians, and Jews by the sword to convert to Islam or die. He was a perverted man, illiterate, and used by Satan to begin a false religion with seemingly good religious trappings based on the Old Testament, but void of the Holy Trinity, and despising the only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The cliche that “religion kills” is true in Islam. Christ did not come to establish a religion, but a relationship with God the Father. No religion concocted by humans offers a sinless Savior. Only Christianity offers a sinless Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ whose life, teachings, and example show the true character of God. Rejecting God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ is tantamount to condemning yourself to an eternity of a forever separation from the presence of God in Heaven, and condemning yourself to Hell. Choose Jesus Christ for a glorious life eternal with God in Heaven. It begins the moment you ask Christ Jesus to be the Savior and Lord of your life here on earth, and you live obediently to His commands and example.

I find it funny that neither the author nor the most of commentators seem to understand the concept of separation of church and state.They seem to think their particular religion(christianity) deserve special priviledges.Secularism is fair for everyone. How would you feel if the state required mandatory prayer to Allah?

I am a CHRISTian. I want to get the attention of the Principal of my school so that I can tell them that it is a right to read the bible and express your religion in any way. JESUS IS AWESOME

Engle v. Vitale simply protected kids from compulsory prayer, conducted under state auspices. Why would Jehovah have a problem with that? More importantly, even if Jehovah didn’t like that, would he punish us by driving our test scores down and making us more promiscuous?

All told, Barton’s thesis is ridiculous on the face of it.

Personally, I see it as one of those “judge not lest” scenarios: Barton’s thesis says nothing about America, but says everything about his conception of god.

This type of scare tactic will work with those who are susceptible. What prayer would you like reinstated? A Christian prayer? Which denomination? A Jewish prayer? A Muslim prayer? Really! If you think that the Creator is so small that you can take that creator out of anything, you might wish to re-think your theology a bit.

I couldn’t agree more! I’m by no means a fanatic but, prayer & reciting the pledge gave kids that quiet moment, thankful/grateful and a higher power regardless of whom its called…HOPE. now the gangs R looked up to as a replacement. HOW did we allow this?
PS:The Creator isn’t small but positive energy certainly IS.

Why cant we bring God back into our Schools and everywhere else, it is a smack in HIS face for what our ancestors or parents did, why should my children and grand children suffer for their stupid decisions. I want justice in this country to , im sick and tired of these non belivers taking my rights like they dont mean a thing, just because they are mad at GOD ,,,, we alloew them to take him away from our children , this is not right , i would say its discrimation against MY GOD, and i want something done about this….. WHO will stand up for OUR GOD , look at what he has done for us. Remember the bad things that happen and we ask GOD why? we’ll hes saying “YOU who didnt want me around you or your children, and you want me to help you, why now?”
How can we fix our nation if we dont allow GOD in it ???? wake up people

As someone stated correlation does not equal causation.

So which prayers from which religion should be allowed in public schools?

Oh right only Christianity.

Clearly bringing prayers back to public schools is an attempt at turning America into a Christian theocracy.

any kid can pray to any god at school. its a fact. the teacher cant lead prayer, but the kids can pray on there own.dont be like the hypocrits who pray to be seen of men. pray in the the closet secretly and god will reward you openly. read your bible sometimes. I shortand the verses to make it easy for me. but its in the gospel of Mathew. and its jesus speaking

your kids can pray in school. the teacher cant lead prayer. if so then how many prayers by what gods do you want to pray to. it would take more than a day to pray to all the gods

I am a Behavior Specialist in a public school and the beauty about praying is that we are still free to pray in the schools. When I go to the bathroom, I pray. When I walk the hallways while the students are in their classes, I pray. I am only praying to a loving Father, who hears my prayers and that is what matters most. Those who are Christians can pray. Luke 18:1, declares that men aught to always pray, and not faint. Meaning, we should pray all the time. God is the only True, and Living God who can answer our prayers. Prayer is an effort!

Since they have taken prayer out of school….kids have been seriously bullied. The school has anti bullying policies that don’t work. For two years my daughter has come home crying and hating school because of it. Bullying and gossip is pride. Crime at school gets worse every year. This truly is a godless nation when people are full of arrogance and pick on other people.

In response to:
Posted by KT on 01/06/2016 05:40 PM

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

You might re-read the bible a bit.

I dont think he was just speaking of kids praying but also the covering of God by praying in the morning and asking Gods protection over ones self, the kids and teachers. If you dont ask for Gods covering then why do you feel he will do what you need when you need it most. He says to acknowledge him in all things. Starting off your day with prayer seems like common sense especially with children.You lessen your chances of being attacked by demonic forces when you at least try to put on the protection of God at the start of your day. Im a witness to it. I started as a young girl and the times I didnt give thanks, have compassion towards others and acknowledge God there was a BIG difference in my life, my day and the outcome. Whether you believe or not doesnt make it less than. The people who believe they can go through life and not acknowledge God or have compassion towards human life without terrible repercussion at some point is sadly mistaken. Seperating yourself from the very person who created all is like suicide. This world is paying and will continue to pay because Gods word is what this world was built on and to try and take it away is very dangerous. Im just glad I got it early in my life as a kid who to fear, who to respect and who to hold near and dear always. For doing so my life has been awesome. The times ive come across trials and tribulation it was always made clear as to what I was to do and why. Children need the guidance of God in their hearts and in the beginning of each day so they can learn the way early on even if they stray later. The school Chaos is only the beginning of whats to come if God continues to be put second, third or fourth and not first. It was written long before you and I got here.

Did we not have prayer in school when human slavery was the law of the land and when we fought one of the worst wars in human history over salvery and politics? Seems to ma a truly Christian country with “real” prayer in school would not have sunken to such obscene and inexcusable depts.!

I agree that the building of the faith in our children should be first and foremost taught in the home. Parents need to lead by example and show their children the Love our God has for us. But, I also agree that the freedom to prey in school should never be decided by the Government. It needs to be decided by the students. It is their right to decide for themselves if they want to pray or not. If we have done our jobs as parents than we know what their decision would be. But they do not have that right. They learn in school about evolution and the big bang theory (which is just a theory) but do not have the right to pray or read a Bible if they want. This country was founded on the principle of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Both have been taken from our schools. That is why we are struggling as a nation because our foundation is not being established.

We have sinned a great sin as a nation, we have turned our back upon the God of our fathers and have embraced paganism because this generation is corrupt and the culture is corrupt we as a nation have mocked the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. Ever since we kicked God out of the publics schools it’s been madness in public schools and we have worshiped other gods which are nothing more than dumb dead worthless idols but there is only One True Living God and that’s Jehovah God and there is only One King and that’s Jesus Christ and we MUST return to the Lord or else we will face the Wrath of God, I say to America: REPENT, stop worship false gods, I say this to everyone Christianly is NOT a religion it’s a relationship it’s always been a relationship. Jesus Christ did not come to start a new religion He came to start a new relationship, we have been so foolish for saying ‘We don’t need God anymore’ Wrong we DO need Him because He is the only One who can save us. How long will we halt between two opinions, If Jehovah is God then we should follow Him, if the gods of this world then we should follow them we need to make up our minds we have been so double-minded, we’re either for Christ or we are against Christ. Jesus said “ He that is not for Me is against Me”. We as a nation are no better than Sodom and Gorramah. O Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, let it be known this day that You are the Only True God and that we have not walked in righteousness and we ask You as nation to forgive us for forsaking You, You have been so good to us and yet we have spat in Your face, hear me O Lord hear me that these people know that You are Jehovah God and that You have turned our hearts back to Yourself, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen. It’s time to humble ourselves before God and cry out to Him no more idolatry but let us walk in truth and in righteous once again.

I am convinced God will punish America and the entire world if we continue ignoring Him. Why did he flood the world with 40 days of rain?