there is a movement to completely eliminate religious expression from anything connected to the government, and even to declare religiously motivated political ideas as not just wrong (and thus something you would fight against as part of the political process) but out of bounds from the beginning (and thus something that would be excluded from the political process)
I think it's more complicated than that. This is the first year I've noticed people in the public arena, e.g., radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, joking about "Chrismakwanzakah" and stuff like that. So, the topic is one that is on a lot of minds. We're still working this out.
Some are good natured about the process, some not. But, I predict that in the end, good nature will carry the day. Because, after all, we are talking about holidays.
As for the rest of it -- prayer in schools, "In God We Trust," using government money to pay for religion -- these are not new issues. I am 52, and simply do not recall praying in public school -- rather, I recall remaining standing for a moment of silent prayer. That's how they said it over the intercom, "will you please remain standing for a moment of silent prayer?" Sure, not a prob, I often pray silently.
What did people pray before the silent prayer rule was imposed? "Our Father," maybe? Are we really worse off, as a people, because non-Christian children are not forced to participate in praying the Paternoster?
I say no. I say, we do not live in a country where the majority rules. In our country, we live by the rule of law, and the supreme law of the land is the Constitution.
Thus, it is irrelevant that the majority is Christian.
We've had these type of issues from the Foundation. The majority often wants to overrule the Constitution. And sometimes they get away with it for a while, sometimes a long while, but in the end, the Constitution always prevails. |
