Matt Gaetz Wants More Prayer In Schools

[Cheerful Charlie]

Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus commands we make no religious oaths. By adding "In God we trust" to the pladge of allegience, it became a forbidden religious oath.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms,

I have a damn lot of qualms.
I resent the time spent in grades 1-3 when I learned the most, that was spent reciting the Lord’s Prayer (in a public school!), the pledge of allegiance and other conditioning rituals.
I wish that time had been used to EDUCATE ME. I was told that was the purpose of school.

Teaching you to resent over reaching authority was an important educational achievement, or so it would seem.

 

[lostone]

If you are in the public school system, and people are praying, you are under pressure to join in. What good does the Pledge of Allgiance do? Anyone who felt any lack of allegiance, like modern Conservatives, can simply mouth the words, and live on, and continue to undermine Such things are meaningless. What it does do is to enforce public submission to the powers that be.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

“I am a citizen of the world.”
― Diogenes of Sinope, The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

 

[TomC]

Teaching you to resent over reaching authority was an important educational achievement, or so it would seem.

It worked for me.
Graduated from 12 years of Catholic education as a hard atheist. I've softened a bit since then, but yeah.
Tom

 

[southernhybrid]

I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms,

I have a damn lot of qualms.
I resent the time spent in grades 1-3 when I learned the most, that was spent reciting the Lord’s Prayer (in a public school!), the pledge of allegiance and other conditioning rituals.
I wish that time had been used to EDUCATE ME. I was told that was the purpose of school.

I also hated saying the damn pledge, which is why I have a doll in my bedroom wearing a pin that reads, "My mind is not for sale or rent to any god or government". My Christian sister gave me the doll about 30 or 40 years ago, but she doesn't know that the doll has become an atheist since living with me all these years.

 

[Gospel]

I anticipated that everything following "I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms" would be overlooked. But that seems to be the usual trend on IIDB.

 

[Elixir]

I anticipated that everything following "I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms" would be overlooked.

You mean this?

provided that any form of coercion or mistreatment — be it by students or staff — towards those who choose not to participate leads to consequences, potentially as severe as suspension or job termination. The same standards should apply to non-believers if they unfairly treat believers within the public school setting. Unfortunately for school staff, the constitution limits their role to that of a moderator.

Yeah, if it ever was thus, that would reduce the qualm level. But it’s not.

 

[Rhea]

I wish I was a better artist. Sell all you have and give to the poor. Pray in private. Matthew 25. Draw up some Chick like comics.

One doesn't need to be a traditional artist to produce art with the assistance of AI these days. Your post is all the AI would need to generate that content.

I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms, provided that any form of coercion or mistreatment — be it by students or staff — towards those who choose not to participate leads to consequences, potentially as severe as suspension or job termination. The same standards should apply to non-believers if they unfairly treat believers within the public school setting. Unfortunately for school staff, the constitution limits their role to that of a moderator.

It might be challenging to retain the support of teachers at the polls after that, though.

Since that proviso is not possible - isn’t it fair to ignore it in rebuttal?

 

[Politesse]

I went to two private Christian schools in my youth, one Catholic and one insane, both of which had required worship services each week. Though I was a much more religious person in those days, I do not remember having a meaningful religious experience at any of those assemblies. It's the supernatural equivalent of being forced to wish for your teacher's good health upon their arrival in the classroom, and taken exactly as seriously. Forced praise is not praise, and even the one being praised knows it.

But of course, all Mr Gaetz wants here is another day of headlines, and he got them. Good for him.

 

[DBT]

Which version of God are they going to pray to? There are so many you can lose track.

 

[ideologyhunter]

The one whose kid was the most famous zombie of all time. The one who demands that we practice forgiveness and will send you to hell if you spurn his teachings.

 

[Thomas II]

I have no qualms about introducing prayer in classrooms,

I have a damn lot of qualms.
I resent the time spent in grades 1-3 when I learned the most, that was spent reciting the Lord’s Prayer (in a public school!), the pledge of allegiance and other conditioning rituals.
I wish that time had been used to EDUCATE ME. I was told that was the purpose of school.

yeah, but you learn more with horses, dogs and cats...Say it ain't so...

 

[Gospel]

Yeah, if it ever was thus, that would reduce the qualm level. But it’s not.

Indeed, Gates and his proponents would quickly realize they might not fully understand what they're advocating for.

Gates: "Nobody is forcing students to engage in prayers!"
Student: "But I am indirectly involved by having to wait for them to conclude."

 

[TomC]

Indeed, Gates and his proponents would quickly realize they might not fully understand what they're advocating for.

Gates: "Nobody is forcing students to engage in prayers!"
Student: "But I am indirectly involved by having to wait for them to conclude."

I think it's much worse than that.
Coercion by social pressure is huge in that age group. Add to it the likelihood of authority figures reinforcing it, to bring more children to God, and the potential for abuse skyrockets.

While I don't have a particular objection to prayer in schools in a perfect world, we don't live in one. The devil is in the details.
Tom

 

[laughing dog]

All I can say is that one should be careful what one prays for, because one just might get it.

 

[Jarhyn]

I think Chomo Gaetz has more important biblical verses to be paying attention to in Matthew... something about "the part that drives to sin, cut it off".

 

[TomC]

Perhaps an enterprising reporter would ask Mr Gaetz, " Why do you think churches and parents are incapable of teaching that without the government?"
Tom

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Perhaps an enterprising reporter would ask Mr Gaetz, " Why do you think churches and parents are incapable of teaching that without the government?"
Tom

He doesn't care. This is about to stoke sentiment for more prayer in school... so when it doesn't happen he can tell Xians how attacked they are and stoke outrage... for political power.

 

[TomC]

Perhaps an enterprising reporter would ask Mr Gaetz, " Why do you think churches and parents are incapable of teaching that without the government?"
Tom

He doesn't care. This is about to stoke sentiment for more prayer in school... so when it doesn't happen he can tell Xians how attacked they are and stoke outrage... for political power.

The depth of your insights is an inspiration to us all.
Tom