I have read the recent letters about the subject of religion in schools. I am absolutely shocked at some of the responses that people have given. It would seem that the majority consensus would be to allow state sponsored prayer in our schools. This is pure and utter folly and it is illegal.
Our country was founded upon principles such as “freedom of religion” and “separation of church and state.” Whoever it was that wrote in and said that the separation of church and state was meant to keep the state out of the church and not the church out of the state is ignorant.
I understand that many people in our area have a very strong religious sentiment. They, just as I do, try to make sense of our existence. This is the essence of human nature. I cannot fault them for that. However, what I do find fault in is their insistence that their religion somehow influence the way that our government runs. Ask yourself, do you really want a Christian view to control the way that our laws are made? If you answered yes to that question then you do not want a democracy in our country. You support a theocracy. Our government was founded so that all people, regardless of religion, have a say in the way that things are run.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be prayer in schools. If you or your children want to pray in school then that is your right granted by the First Amendment of our Constitution.
All I’m saying is that as long as that school receives government funding it should not be school-sponsored. Despite the fact that we live in the “Bible belt,” there are people who have views that differ from Christianity. Those views should not be forced upon them, regardless if it is one person or a hundred.
Robert Nelson Jr.
Bluff City, Tenn.
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