Comments on: School Prayer Bill Shelved

By: eab

eab — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:30:31 +0000

Thanks to you Bryan for your clear and reasonable comments on this issue. And to you, Thinker for that bit of scripture.

I am a Christian man. I’m not the best Christian even in my own church (far from it) but I believe that my sins have been washed away in the only way that they could have been, through the shed blood of Jesus.

One of the ways I know I am saved (and yes, the Bible says you can know) is the love I have,first for my Christian brothers and sisters, and for people in general. I have a strong sense of humor and a love for satire and I know I am a bit cynical at times and I hate willful ignorance but that love still exists.

With that confessed, there are two things that disappoint me most about our Christian tendencies and that I will call my people out on. One is that we are very quick to judge others,even though we have been warned about that and we repeat that warning to ourselves often.The other thing that makes me uncomfortable is our desire to tell other people what to do and how to live their lives.

I believe in presenting the gospel. I think all Christians are charged with that even though we don’t do it except to shout out “y’all need to get right” on forums such as this. I don’t believe you can legislate salvation or morality. It is very true that some of the things people think have always been part of our nation came much later. “In God We Trust’ on our money and “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance are two good examples. I’m not saying those things are not good and desirable, just that they were added well after the nation was founded.

it seems to me that we have two somewhat rational ways to go on the prayer issue. One is to tell any people with spiritual beliefs that differ from our own to shut up and listen while we “prove” that we are good Christians. The other is to allow anyone with a divergent viewpoint to say their prayers and/or express themselves in whatever way seem suitable to them while we are doing the same. I believe that would get impractical quickly.

So are we to ask others to respect our beliefs while we refuse to do the same for them?

By: Thinker

Thinker — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 02:08:19 +0000

Mathew 6:6 please. Thanks.

By: TorchOfFreedom

TorchOfFreedom — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 22:04:00 +0000

The Constitution prohibits the establishment of a state religion, ala The Church of England. The reasons for this seem clear to me as a method to prevent adherence to a particular faith as a codified prerequisite for political service. As an aside there is absolutely NO mention in the constitution or the amendments stating “separation of church and state” (just for you, huh).

Interpretation beyond this are usually based on a selective sampling of the personal writings of Thomas Jefferson – which are on no way, shape, or form the law of this land. But let us not forget, Jefferson also introduced and/or signed legislation calling for national days of prayer offered to Almighty God.

By: Thinker

Thinker — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:24:00 +0000

Thank you, Bryan Bethea. Any religious person with knowledge of the Constitution would celebrate efforts to keep religion our of tax supported institutions. Religion thrives (unfortunately in my opinion) best when it is kept separate from government. We could slide down a slippery slope towards a theocracy like many Islamic countries have and which the first settlers came here to escape. Ask yourself which theology would or should be sanctioned by government? Baptist? Catholic? Snake handlers? Satanism? Islam? Get your foot in the government door and they all will come storming in behind you. Fascism takes over by going hand in hand with religion (“your either for us or againsts us”). Allowing “In God We Trust” on money and “One nation under God” in the pledge has resulted in a march towards fascism in my view. Rather than one nation indivisible, we have become more and more polarized and divided since these “God” changes were inserted. We are fighting “holy wars” around the world and ideology wars in our Senate and House. Our country has one ideology and only one. It is based on our Constitution and provides for liberty and freedom from religion and for religion. Learn to understand it before you join a mob.

By: The Real Truth

The Real Truth — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:25:29 +0000

In the end, everyone will see who the real GOD is. All this disturbance about praying in school is the work of satan and it will not stand. Take a look back in the past, for many years prayer has been in school and nothing was ever said or done about it until a few years back. Schools have been bombarded with violence, drugs, murder, and disobiedent and rebellious children every since prayer has been taken out of school and it is going to get worse before it gets better because satan has found his way in through local and federal government and the people that you elected are the ones helping to put satan’s plans into effect. All non-believers will find out in the end who the real GOD and creator is. Christians don’t have to argue about that because they already know. Prayer changes things and if it’s not everlasting too late, this same prayer that non-believers want to get rid of will help them to know the truth. Don’t be deceived because GOD is not mocked. Blessings be upon you.

By: Bryan Bethea

Bryan Bethea — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:00:20 +0000

To Wayne: Please re-read my statement. I said that “In God We Trust” wasn’t printed on paper money until after Congress adopted it as the motto in 1956.

I will state again: I do not understand why it is so difficult for many to accept that the Constitution prohibits the government from sponsoring or promoting religion. Religious practice should be the private domain of individuals who are free to express that religion however he or she may choose as long as that expression does not infringe on the rights of others. My original point was that one who truly feels comfortable with his or her religion and relationship to God should not need the validation of the government.

By: UD Better Belive it

UD Better Belive it — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:25:47 +0000

Men ought always to Pray and not to faint, Luke 18:1

If my people ,which are called by my name shall humble them-selves , 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 their land. II Chro 7:14
( Kids arent the only ones that need to Pray)
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

We can let the Heathen, Make our Laws But only God can heal our Land …

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:28:07 +0000

To Mr Bethea. “In God We Trust” ,was first placed on the second striking of the 1864 USA 2 cent coin.

By: Bryan Bethea

Bryan Bethea — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:58:26 +0000

The money in my pocket says “In God We Trust” because Congress adopted that statement as the national motto in 1956 as a reaction to the Communist scare of that era. Our country existed under the Constitution for 169 years before that motto was added to paper money. Again, please verify your assumptions before you take them as facts.

I do not understand why it is so difficult for many to accept that the Constitution prohibits the government from sponsoring or promoting religion. Religious practice should be the private domain of individuals who are free to express that religion however he or she may choose as long as that expression does not infringe on the rights of others. My original point was that one who truly feels comfortable with his or her religion and relationship to God should not need the validation of the government.

By: The truth?

The truth? — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:59:31 +0000

I have to admit I find this idea of prayer, voluntary or not, to be in violation of our principles for it would discriminate against some, albeit a minority, but that is the beauty of our religious freedoms for the majority can not dictate to the minority how to believe. Something Baptist should be well aware of for in the founding stages of our government they were for the separation of church and state for they were a minority.
As to my personal beliefs, I have to say the idea of a god that is supposedly all powerful and all knowing and supposedly the creator of all that is, then there are some bigger questions to deal with other than when and where to pray. How could a god create a universe with evil as part of it? And suffering? Why is god’s greatest creation per some religious created to fail with the very first man and woman. I’m afraid the answers are this god is very human in his emotions of jealousy, judgements, and occasional mercies for he is a man made creation. Having read theological writings that are not apologetic to preconceived notions of what the Bible means has shown not only the Bible to be far from perfect but to be full of false prophecies, errors, contradictions and knowing its history it is not surprising. So bottom line those who hold religious beliefs from a traditional fundamentalist nature need to step back and consider that their ideas are not the only ones and that our country has a foundation of allowing differing religious belief or non-belief. Any one question this read what Jefferson and Paine wrote about Christianity; it is far more critical than many of today’s writers who critique the writings the world’s religions are based on.