Comments on: Principal, Athletic Director Face Criminal Contempt Charges For Prayer; Defense Fund Established

By: Beverly

Beverly — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:29:24 +0000

oh my Word! Prayer in the hall scared the kids?!!! You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s not like they were shooting anyone or the kids were in danger of being saved by witnessing that event. Jesus doesn’t jump on you and make you serve him. If they don’t want to participate, then don’t. We Christians have to stomach a society of abortion, sex selling everything, homosexuality, greed, etc. if you think for one minute that we don’t have a RIGHT of freedom of speech and opinion you are highly mistaken. Freedom of Speech does not mean freedom only if you agree with my opinion. Get over it folks. Christians are not 2nd rate citizens and will NOT take the backseat to rights just because the rest of this country seems to have turned their back on our Christian roots.

By: Katrina

Katrina — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:49:34 +0000

If Jesus hadn’t said,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Matthew 28: 19
then we could separate all religions by state…. Christians have to live in Alabama and Florida; Muslims have to live in Nevada and Iowa, and so on. But He tells us to go and do….not sit around and wait.

Our freedom of speech has already been taken from us. And our other rights will soon follow. The Bible tells us so. Why is it such a surprise to everyone?

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3: 12-13

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their OWN desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4: 2-5

I understand that we shouldn’t teach religion in schools because individual beliefs would be forced on kids. If you were a Christian and a teacher, you would not want to be forced to teach the children a different religion. However, by telling teachers and children that they can not pray at school, even if it doesn’t involve anyone else, that is taking away a person’s right to #1 Freedom of Speech (if the prayer is said aloud) and #2 Freedom of Religion. I urge everyone to take that stand to protect our rights. If you won’t, then don’t expect to have them much longer.

By: Dennis Egan, Jr.

Dennis Egan, Jr. — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:39:13 +0000

I am amazed at how easy members of mankind fall into the hands of Satan. I sincerely believe that the ACLU is not a work of the God of Israel, the Father of Jesus Christ. Perhaps they are a work of God in the sense that they are simply His instrument to “chastise” the lukewarm church, i.e., the complacency of God’s people has resulted in such anti-Christ organizations gaining power as the ACLU. Consequently, those of us who claim to be Christians need to be careful to obey the Holy Spirit so that we don’t rise up in spiritual pride thinking with an us against them mentality. I love God and my country; however, the need to put God first in our lives has never been more significant or important, I submit. What is going to happen if true Christians keep being silent? Jesus is coming soon and we must be willing to live for Him, especially when it is not convenient. I love objective truth, which is one of two main issues needing attention when it comes to the ACLU. The other issue is the reality of the nature of man.

Our society needs integrity and sincere redemptive experiences. We need the anointing of Almighty God, through the authority of the risen Messiah, to help us do what is right in this present world. Shalom!

Your neighbor,

Mr. Dennis Egan

P.S. Virtuous living should be a bridge allowing public opinion to cross over from subjectivity to objectivity; hence, when people, historically and presently, do that which is honorable with respect to public service, character and morality, we need to take the worldview and sentiments of such people seriously and allow our attitude toward faith in God and our subsequent role in society to be influenced thereby.

Consider the words of Theodore Roosevelt: “The true Christian is the true citizen, lofty of purpose, resolute in endeavor, ready for a hero’s deeds, but never looking down on his task because it is cast in the day of small things; scornful of baseness, awake to his own duties as well as to his rights, following the higher law with reverence, and in this world doing all that in his power lies, so that when death comes he may feel that mankind is in some degree better because he lived” (The New Dictionary of Thoughts; Standard Book Co. 1965-USA).

By: Conservative Grandma

Conservative Grandma — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:31:42 +0000

Unless we who are Christians, Catholics and Protestants, stand up and FIGHT this horrible communistic powergride that has overtaken our land of freedom. All of us who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be forced to die for Him. Right here on the very ground our forefathers, and our relatives died for, so that we could live in freedom. It’s all about power and money. It’s time for the Church of Jesus Christ to stand up and join God’s army today. Enough is Enough.

By: David

David — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:57:06 +0000

The so-called court order (consent agreement actually) was not legally valid because it was unconsciounable and violates the First Amendment. This is Roy Moore number 2. Please read Roy Moore’s book, “So Help Me God” and understand the difference between acknowledging God and promoting an esablishment of religion. Citizens do not lose their Constitutional rights simply because they are elected as Student Body President or are a teacher or principal of a public school. No school should formulate a prayer and force it upon students, but an indvidual teacher or principal should certainly be allowed to acknowledge God in his speech and to pray a thanks to God over a meal or school event. The Constitution is about freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion. The criminal proceedings against Lay and Freeman are an outrage and a violation of Federal law. The U.S. Judge, Casey Rodgers, is way off base here. Her logic and legal theory is askew and somebody needs to correct her or send her to jail for forcing her erroneous concepts upon Lay and Freeman through force. She needs to read and UNDERSTAND James Madison’s “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” written in 1785. James Madison wrote the First Amendment.

By: Dan Costello

Dan Costello — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:25:20 +0000

DEAR MR. LAY…..WE HAVE ALREADY SENT YOU AN E-MAIL BUT ANOTHER COMMENT CAN’T HURT. WE REALLY FEEL FOR YOU AND JUST PLACE IT IN GOD’S HANDS. HE’S GOOD. WHAT WE AND I’M SURE MANY DON’T UNDERSTAND IS WHY ‘ORGANIZATIONS’ SUCH AS THE ‘ACLU’ AND OTHERS (LIBERAL) ARE SO POWERFUL IN THAT (LATEST REPORT) MOST AMERICANS APPOX. (86%) BELIEVE IN SOME FORM OF RELIGION (GOD OR HIGHER POWER) AND THEY (ACLU) TRY TO TELL US HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES WITH GOD A BETTER PART OF IT. AMAZING…..JUST AMAZING. CHRISTIANS IT’S TIME TO TAKE A STAND….TIME TO SMELL THE COFFEE. AS FOR THOSE WHO WROTE WELL THEY VIOLATED THE LAW THEN HOW ABOUT ‘MUSLIMS’ IN THIS COUNTRY (NY FOR SURE) CAN HAVE ‘PRAYER MATS’ AND PRAY UP TO SIX(6) TIMES DAILY….EVEN AT WORK. SAD….SO SAD.

By: Victoria Nikolov

Victoria Nikolov — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:12:35 +0000

Constitution Charley mentions Separation of Church and State, which is NOT in the Constitution. It was in a letter Thomas Jefferson Wrote to someone.
In the Constitution it says that Congress cannot establish a religion. We have the right to say a prayer anywhere we want to, yet the ACLU has been able to distort our Constitution and brought about the absence of religion. I am almost certain that our fore-fathers never intended to prevent people from praying anyplace they wish to pray. Imagine a scenario where a school has been hit by an earthquake and children and teachers are buried in the school. If the teachers prayed to comfort the children, praying to be rescued , when they are safe, the ACLU would bring those teachers to court. The Principal and Coach are not guilty of anything. By the ACLU own rules, cannot pray with students, THERE WAS NOT ONE STUDENT AT THAT DINNER. If I had my way, I would forbid Marxism from being allowed in schools. No one is being indoctrinated to pray, yet there is plenty of indoctrination going on to students about the value of Communism. We deserve what we get. Shame on us. I KNOW THIS IS OFF TOPIC. I feel sorry for those of us who know what to expect from Communism and Socialism and ask when was the last time someone escapet TO a Communist country. There will be no place left to go once our health care is taken over by the government. Be careful what you wish for.

By: kuntry bumpkin

kuntry bumpkin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:54:59 +0000

This is not a matter of whether or not you find it offensive that prayers are or are not allowed in school. The 2 were arrested for violating a court order. If, for example, you had a neighbor under court order preventing him/her from trespassing on your property, and that person did so, wouldn’t you say that he/she violated a court order? Regardless of what you think, a violation is a violation regardless of the nature of its triviality.

By: OMSF24

OMSF24 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:27:02 +0000

One wonders why a national plea for money to be used on legal defense is needed when according to the claims of many, they should put their effort into praying for divine help in the matter. Or can cash override divine will?

By: David

David — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:02:56 +0000

A lot of people are making assumptions after reading the article. You talk about “separation of church and state”, what about “innocent until proven guilty?” Yes, they prayed in a government institution. Maybe they prayed in front of kids. But nothing says they’ve pushed religion on anyone. They’re exercising their rights, and there is nothing in the constitution that says they can’t. Separation of church and state isn’t stated in the Constitution. What are the rest of the facts here? Is it actually as the media is reporting?