There definitely would be blood--probably lots of it

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

I've long believed that the best way to settle the dispute over whether or not to allow prayer in public schools is to allow it with no restrictions and leave it to each school district to figure out the specific details.  As rancorous as the dispute over school prayer is between those in favor and those opposed, its nothing compared to the carnage that would ensue if a couple of dozen different religious factions had to decide how to implement a prayer program.  The first item of business would be who would lead the prayers.  Teachers?  You mean the same teachers who would rather promote multi-culturalism and the gay agenda, and pass out condoms willy-nilly?  Not a chance.  Then how about Father Mike, the Catholic priest?  Sure, over the dead bodies of all the Protestants.  How about a Protestant minister? Okay, but which denomination?  Would we get an enthusiastic "Amen" for one or the other, or is it more likely they'd all start fighting like a pack of starving dogs over the last Jerky Treat?  It's not hard to imagine how the smart money would bet on that one.  Of course, they could always go with a rabbi, imam, or lama.  Ha ha, just kidding.  Like that's ever going to happen.

And what about the fundamentalists?  Not likely.  Given the multitude of doctrinal disagreements between the various groups, they wouldn't be able to find common ground if they were all dropped in the same field.  Even if they did eventually reach an agreement,  they'd have to convince the Catholics and mainstream Protestants to go along with the decision. That one's not going to be resolved before the sun goes supernova and renders the whole dispute irrelevant. 

So, I say let's allow prayer in schools, because the resulting gridlock will ensure that it never comes to pass.

[Yorkshire pud]

they wouldn't be able to find common ground if they were all dropped in the same field.

Top right comment..has to be.


Won't anyone think of the atheist children?

[albrecht]

I've long believed that the best way to settle the dispute over whether or not to allow prayer in public schools is to allow it with no restrictions and leave it to each school district to figure out the specific details.  As rancorous as the dispute over school prayer is between those in favor and those opposed, its nothing compared to the carnage that would ensue if a couple of dozen different religious factions had to decide how to implement a prayer program.  The first item of business would be who would lead the prayers.  Teachers?  You mean the same teachers who would rather promote multi-culturalism and the gay agenda, and pass out condoms willy-nilly?  Not a chance.  Then how about Father Mike, the Catholic priest?  Sure, over the dead bodies of all the Protestants.  How about a Protestant minister? Okay, but which denomination?  Would we get an enthusiastic "Amen" for one or the other, or is it more likely they'd all start fighting like a pack of starving dogs over the last Jerky Treat?  It's not hard to imagine how the smart money would bet on that one.  Of course, they could always go with a rabbi, imam, or lama.  Ha ha, just kidding.  Like that's ever going to happen.

And what about the fundamentalists?  Not likely.  Given the multitude of doctrinal disagreements between the various groups, they wouldn't be able to find common ground if they were all dropped in the same field.  Even if they did eventually reach an agreement,  they'd have to convince the Catholics and mainstream Protestants to go along with the decision. That one's not going to be resolved before the sun goes supernova and renders the whole dispute irrelevant. 

So, I say let's allow prayer in schools, because the resulting gridlock will ensure that it never comes to pass.

I imagine like with many things that people would just self-segregate and so you would have different prayers in different schools depending on the demographics of the area. Schools are already one of the major things that determine where people buy a house and this would just make it more so. And in those areas with more moderate tendencies it would result in the ecumenical "prayers" that arguably encompass every possible religious path by being very vague as one sees today in most places like before opening of courts etc.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

I imagine like with many things that people would just self-segregate and so you would have different prayers in different schools depending on the demographics of the area. Schools are already one of the major things that determine where people buy a house and this would just make it more so. And in those areas with more moderate tendencies it would result in the ecumenical "prayers" that arguably encompass every possible religious path by being very vague as one sees today in most places like before opening of courts etc.

Self-segregation might be possible in very small communities, but school districts of any size are going to have diverse populations that include a variety of religious beliefs that would be very difficult to reconcile.  And a generic prayer would most likely be acceptable to reasonable people, but the hard core proponents of school prayer tend to be anything but.  They're going to insist on a prayer that is acceptable to them and the rest be damned, so to speak.

[bigchucka]

Since the topic came up, there was a cool show on television in the past couple months.  They did six episodes total.  It's called The Bible Rules.

[Yorkshire pud]

"Modern religions; Bringing grown ups with self determination together so they can kick shit out of each others' belief because of a faith."



"Okay, take us back to what the Earthlings call Zippadeedoodaa34; Get us out of here, we can't learn anything"

[onan]

pray in school when you recite theorems in church.

[MV/Liberace!]

if public dollars are going toward a school, i say keep prayer out. 

i think kids can manage eight hours without organized prayer.  nobody is stopping them from silently praying on their own or waiting until they get home.  the deity their parents taught them to believe in will be ok with waiting until 3:45PM.  it's just a manaufactured hot button issue where there need not be one. 

we should instead spend more time worrying about the lack of discipline in schools and the lack of parental involvement in the development of children.  those two issues are 1000x more important than 5 daily minutes of praying to an invisible man in the sky who might or might not even exist.  when my daughter is of age, i'll be sending her to school for the purpose of getting educated, not for prayer.  she can take care of that at home if she chooses.

[b_dubb]

pray in school when you recite theorems in church.

Top right if there ever was. Onan is a frigging genius. Like ... Aldous Burbank level genius

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

if public dollars are going toward a school, i say keep prayer out. 

i think kids can manage eight hours without organized prayer.  nobody is stopping them from silently praying on their own or waiting until they get home.  the deity their parents taught them to believe in will be ok with waiting until 3:45PM.  it's just a manaufactured hot button issue where there need not be one. 

we should instead spend more time worrying about the lack of discipline in schools and the lack of parental involvement in the development of children.  those two issues are 1000x more important than 5 daily minutes of praying to an invisible man in the sky who might or might not even exist.  when my daughter is of age, i'll be sending her to school for the purpose of getting educated, not for prayer.  she can take care of that at home if she chooses.

True dat.  However, my point is that if the prayer in schools advocates ever got what they wanted, they'd never be able to agree how to implement it and would tear each other to pieces fighting over the details.

[SciFiAuthor]

if public dollars are going toward a school, i say keep prayer out. 

i think kids can manage eight hours without organized prayer.  nobody is stopping them from silently praying on their own or waiting until they get home.  the deity their parents taught them to believe in will be ok with waiting until 3:45PM.  it's just a manaufactured hot button issue where there need not be one. 

we should instead spend more time worrying about the lack of discipline in schools and the lack of parental involvement in the development of children.  those two issues are 1000x more important than 5 daily minutes of praying to an invisible man in the sky who might or might not even exist.  when my daughter is of age, i'll be sending her to school for the purpose of getting educated, not for prayer.  she can take care of that at home if she chooses.

I agree with every point you made. If people want their kids to pray at school, then send them to a private religious school. Otherwise it has no place in a public school.

My exception are the colleges. Mandatory prayer should be instituted in every college and university in the United States because it's the only hope those poor bastards have of finding jobs when they graduate with most fields being as saturated as they are.

[NowhereInTime]

I agree with every point you made. If people want their kids to pray at school, then send them to a private religious school. Otherwise it has no place in a public school.

My exception are the colleges. Mandatory prayer should be instituted in every college and university in the United States because it's the only hope those poor bastards have of finding jobs when they graduate with most fields being as saturated as they are.

That was a stretch.

[SciFiAuthor]

That was a stretch.

Just checking to make sure you were still kickin'.