posted on August 9, 2003 08:53:15 PM new
Not sure if this has been posted before, but a freind just sent it to me and I though some may like it!
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody
for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.
I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer
when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book
of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game. "But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. And
we are in the Bible Belt. According to our very own phone book, Christian
churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what wo uld you
expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a
Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a
Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear
someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in
Rome...
"But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them?
Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the
concession stand. Call your lawyer. Unfortunately, one or two will make
that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I
don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the
world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while
our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught
us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells
us just to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their
lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence
offends you, well..........just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long.. it's time we let that
one or two who scream loud enough to be heard, that the vast majority
don't care what they want.. it is time the majority rules!
It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray.. you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance, you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your
right.. but by golly you are no longer going to take our rights away ..
we are fighting back.. and we WILL WIN! After all the God you have the
right to denounce is on our side!
God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him...
God bless America, despite all her faults.. still the greatest
nation of all.....
God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to
pray and worship God....
May 2003 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God
back as the foundation of our families and institutions.
posted on August 9, 2003 09:56:45 PM new
But. . . .Jesus said when we pray, we should go into our closet to pray, not do as the pharisees do, in public.
AND NOBODY IS TELLING YOU NOT TO PRAY AT A FOOTBALL GAME! DANG IT! Just do it silently!!! The boombox mentality of "praying" your "music" so all have to share in it is as offensive as loud boomboxes on the street and loud stereos in cars.
AND YES YOU MAY PRAY IN SCHOOL! Just do it silently.
I pray all the time, but I don't force anyone within hearing distance to share in my prayer. Doesn't it seem just a tad bit arrogant to (1) assume everyone agrees with your form of prayer, and (2)assume everyone wants to listen to your prayer? You would probably be offended if some of us covered our ears during such a public prayer, wouldn't you? (And would you then pray for us? Out loud?)
PRAY OUT LOUD IN PRIVATE. PRAY SILENTLY IN PUBLIC. PRAY IN CHURCH WHERE EVERYONE BELIEVES AS YOU DO. JUST DON'T FORCE IT ON ANYONE ELSE.
(And who says the God of Football, or Soccer, wants your team to win, anyway? God helps those who help themselves. If your team is playing a Buddhist team, is there then a cosmic battle in the great beyond between the Christian God and the Buddha?)
posted on August 9, 2003 10:19:53 PM new
If I went to a ball game of any sort in any place I would expect to see the game and hear the game calls.
No praying. I really think God has more to do than worry about a high school football game....besides why do people expect God to pick sides? Is one team more holy than another?
I've never understood any praying about a game.Rather seems like junk lawsuits ...totally irrelevant.
posted on August 9, 2003 10:20:46 PM new
Just because the U.S. was founded on Christian principles, doesn't mean certain traditions have to stay in place forever johncino. Also, saying that you are battling with the courts that are stripping your rights is silly. What rights?
posted on August 9, 2003 10:32:36 PM new
Well of course Krafty! There is always that. I should have remembered about the gays.
So..if there is a game between the Baptists and the Episcopalians the Episcopalians will lose no matter how hard they pray because God will side with the Baptists?
posted on August 9, 2003 10:48:31 PM new
Definatly RT is stuck in a time warp.
Kind of interesting though in an absurd sort of way. A lot like a soap opera. You can not watch it for years and then one day turn it back on and know exactly what is going on. Same stories,same people.
posted on August 9, 2003 11:09:21 PM new
Some names have changed Krafty. But there are more left here than just you and Helen! Roadsmith is still here..... and Twelevepole and LindaK and really quite a few others.
I admire you for staying the course. I admit it got me down and I had to leave for ahwile.Hard to believe that people really believe the things they post here sometimes..and I am not talking about you and Helen.
posted on August 9, 2003 11:11:41 PM new
Ah Ebayauctionguy, to you yes, the liberals are wrong,wrong wrong..but for me the conservatives are much wronger.
posted on August 9, 2003 11:52:37 PM new
Kraftdinner-
You said:
Just because the U.S. was founded on Christian principles, doesn't mean certain traditions have to stay in place forever johncino. Also, saying that you are battling with the courts that are stripping your rights is silly. What rights?
I disagree, I feel the traditions should stay in place. Would you go to Israel and tell them, you know what I am a Christian and really feel it is time for a change around here because your religion offends me. I do understand that America is a melting pot of all different religions and people from all different countries and they all have the RIGHT to practice there said religion here. I think thats one of the things that makes our country so great and that is one of the RIGHTS this country was founded on. But the fact is that this country was founded on CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES and more often than ever before we are being told it is not politically correct or is offensive to practice the very religion this country was founded on.
Take the moment of prayer in public schools for example. I agree that it should be done silently, but if some would have there way, it would not be permitted at all. Even being done silently! I can't speak for all, but as a Christian I just want myself and my children to able to have that opportunity. If my child is in school and it is time for that moment of silent prayer and the boy to the right of him is Jewish than he should be able to pray the way his religion teaches him. If the girl to the left is an atheist, then she would have that time to think about whatever it is she wants. Surely, you do realize that some would find even that offensive and will do what ever they can so that the rest of us cant even have a moment of silent prayer.
p.s. I see your attempt to pull me into the gay issue, but this has nothing to do with that!
posted on August 9, 2003 11:55:23 PM new
Roadsmith-
If the owners, sponsors or players at a football game had an objection to a prayer before the game started, do you really think they would allow it. You don't hear the owners, sponsors, players or for that matter the majority of the people at a game complaining about it. It is the small minority who for some reason feel they can tell the majority how to live there life's so that it does not offended them. You don't have to participate in the prayer. That is your right, but why should everyone else have to stop a tradition that has been obviously welcomed and enjoyed for years now.
As far as prayer in schools please see my response to Kraftdinner.
posted on August 10, 2003 03:38:42 AM new
And of course when everyone is praying it is the perfect time to see who is not. That way the righteous know who to ridicule and exclude the rest of the day and beat up on the way home.
posted on August 10, 2003 05:40:08 AM new
What is really amusing and sad at the same time is how these liberals won't support prayer, but support deviants being married, supported the taking out "Under GOD"... so basically you have no choice but to support their ideals hmmmm sort of what they are accusing us of...
posted on August 10, 2003 10:12:38 AM new
Johncino: Answer this, please! Defend, if you will, the boom-box prayer--the out-loud, in your face, loud-speaker prayer which everyone without ear plugs MUST listen to.
And tell me why a moment of silence, as is done frequently at public events to honor victims of tragedies, would not be every bit as effective with your God in leading YOUR team to victory.
And I respectfully ask that you not include in your defense of boom-box prayer any other slurs toward those of us who disagree with you on other matters. Please, just deal with this one question.
posted on August 10, 2003 10:20:55 AM new
Wow, they just had a "boombox" prayer at the Brickyard 400... oooohh wonder how many were offended? Think anyone really cares?
posted on August 10, 2003 11:31:42 AM new
I think public prayer is just showing off. "see, I'm praying, no really, can't you HEAR me??"...it belittles the creator, as if you have to SHOUT to be heard...and what are we praying for before a car race for pete's sake? We came hoping somebody would be smeared across the pavement in a greasy, flaming mess in the first place....
I think allowing a moment of silence is just fine. It should suit the prayers and the non-prayers alike. Go make a joyful noise unto the lord at home or out in the woods if you want to.
___________________________________
What luck for the leaders that men do not think. - Adolph Hitler
posted on August 10, 2003 12:10:24 PM new
Prof - These people are not praying for God. He can hear them without the PA system. Their prayers are to be heard by men. Allway bugs me when a preacher gets up and is supposed to be praying to God and his remarks slide off to address the audience.
posted on August 10, 2003 12:18:18 PM new
I think if there were a poll that asked people "Do you object to prayer at public events?", the number of people who would answer yes would be fairly low...but if you followed that question with "would you just as soon skip it?", I bet the number of yes answers would surprise you
___________________________________
What luck for the leaders that men do not think. - Adolph Hitler
posted on August 10, 2003 01:15:38 PM new
Actually I care. I was educated in the NY Public School system. At the time I attended grade school through 9th grade it was the custom to begin each day with a Christian prayer. I am not Christian, and found it to be offensive and as a kid never really understood why I had to be subjected to this. It created a division between those who believed and those that did not. My freedom of religion was violated and to this day I resent that fact. I was not free to get up and walk out and as a kid it would not have occurred to me to do so, today I would without hesitation. At some point the prayers were discontinued.
posted on August 10, 2003 04:26:45 PM new
Freedom to practice our religion where ever we wish to, is a Constitutional right we have.
That right has slowly been taken away...a little bit at a time. But some are working to change that. President Bush supports those 'right's' we have.
First they don't want to be forced to participate....fine ...that's fair. Now they 'don't want to hear it', don't want it at races, games, in the park, etc. lol
There's a lot of things said by those same people that religious people don't want to hear either, but we're aware their right to say them is protected under our constitution.
Might be nice to grant the same tolerance that they expect from us.
posted on August 10, 2003 04:29:08 PM new
Well said, prof!
Psst, johncino, we're all still waiting. . . .
And about the preachers who tell God stuff he already knows. . . My husband and I attended Wheaton College (IL); we loved our president, --Prexy, we called him--but we got a kick our of his prayer every morning at our college chapel service. He used the prayer to make announcements to all of us about who died, who was very ill, whose parent was in extremis, etc., plus coming big-name evangelistic speakers about to appear. It got pretty funny.
And then there are the preachers who use the Big Prayer (you know what I mean, right?) every Sunday morning to tell God that some of us were sinning, to scold us also, etc. How pompous.
If God has a sense of humor, he's holding his sides over some of those nutty prayers.
posted on August 10, 2003 05:05:37 PM new
Thanks for answering in your own words johncino!! The only thing I was trying to say was that because the U.S. is so large and so diverse, the country needs to adapt to different belief systems. Because nobody flocks to Iraq, Israel, China, etc., to live, their countries stay pretty much the same without much diversity, so they can stick with the one religion concept. But in the U.S., it's one of the trade-offs with immigration.
P.S. Rawbunzel, I was over-tired and it was late when I posted, so cancel everything I said (it made no sense whatsoever after reading it!).
