Do you support organized school prayer? (beliefs, children, spirit, different)

[beeveenh]

I don't need permission from any government to pray at any time, or anywhere. That is a freedom given to me by God. We have a moment of silence at the beginning of each day. I tell my students that during that time they can say a prayer or think happy thoughts...or think nothing at all.

Here in the south, the school administration has led a prayer for the staff during meetings. I can choose to join in or say my own while they are saying theirs.

[overcastg4]

Originally Posted by ChristyGrl

If this were a Muslim country, would you want your children forced to say Islamic prayers at school? Of course, you would not. So, why then do you feel it is OK to force children of other faiths to be involved in Christian prayer?

Could you post a Muslim prayer and why you think it's a problem?

[pendleton42]

if a student wishes to pray alone no problem. but if a teacher or principle tries to lead a prayer of their faith on the whole student body fire them

[Woodrow LI]

Originally Posted by overcastg4

Could you post a Muslim prayer and why you think it's a problem?

Two words are translated into the English word prayer. Salat which is more like a worship service and Du'a which are our personal prayers.

In most Islamic Nations there are separate schools for Non-Muslim children as in a Muslim School, Study of the Qur'an is part of the curriculum and we are not permitted to allow any one to touch a Qur'an unless they agree to treat it with respect and perform ablution before touching it.

If a non-Muslim were to attend an Islamic school as a Muslim I could see it as a problem for a non-Muslim if we are thinking in terms of one of our obligatory prayers (Salat). Typically only one would occur during school hours. We can not force anyone to participate in our obligatory prayers and do not expect a non-Muslim to participate. They are basically a worship service. Of course a child could attend as an observer or be in a separate room during the prayer time. The Salat usually takes about 10 minutes.

However in a secular school in a predominatly Muslim nation like Turkey you might have Muslim and non-Muslim children in the same school. In which case a typical morning prayer (Du'a) would be:

Oh Allah, I thank You for this day.
I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are forgiving and understanding.
Oh Allah, You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to You.
I ask You now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
Let me continue to see sin through Your eyes and acknowledge it as evil, and when I sin, let me repent, and receive Your forgiveness.
And when this world closes in on me, let me remember You, to slip away and find a quiet place to make dua.
It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't make dua, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak.
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I make dua for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I make dua for those that are misjudged and not understood.
I make dua for those who don't know You intimately.
I make dua for those that don't believe.
But I thank you that I believe.
I believe that Allah changes people and Allah changes things.
I make dua for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member in their households.
I make dua for peace, love and joy in their homes, that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.
I make dua that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than Allah.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I make dua that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.
And shower our blessings on our Nabi (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) and his kinsmen and companions.
This is my dua. Aameen.

[JB from NC]

Originally Posted by txranger19

Our Country has slowly removed God from schools. Now there is none. And now murders are being committed in schools. The kids committing the murders were not "brainwashed" by religion. They were brain washed by evil video games, music and all other things not including God. The constitution was not written by God but by man, and politicians no less. When was the last time a politician lifted a finger to do what was best for man kind instead of executing his/her own agenda.
If God is real, then most of you are in deep doo-doo. If he is not..then it's my opinion this country was better off when most people believed in it.
Prayer in school is great whether it be a moment of silence, or even in student groups during religion period. Pray to whatever God you believe in. Conduct your life in a way that would make your God proud if it doesn't involve murdering people. Maybe if Adam Lanza knew a Godly higher power, then people who not have died.

I just have a few questions:

If God is omnipotent, how can He be kept out of anywhere?
How would school prayer stop someone from outside of the school from coming in and shooting people?
When did it become the job of the government, rather than the parents, to teach morality and religion to kids?
If video games and music are turning our kids into monsters, then why do the parents keep buying them?


As for the question posed in the OP: No, I do not support school prayer. And I already pray in Hebrew.

[vacoder]

From the Gospels

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

It is pretty evident Christ himself says there is no necessity for communal prayer. That true prayer is a communciation between the individual and God. It is also noteworthy that when Jesus prayed he almost always went off on his own. That is not to say that anything is wrong with public prayer but rather it is not the point of prayer. Anything done that is not from the heart is a futile gesture.

[Woodrow LI]

Originally Posted by Juliet Bravo

I just have a few questions:

If God is omnipotent, how can He be kept out of anywhere?
How would school prayer stop someone from outside of the school from coming in and shooting people?
When did it become the job of the government, rather than the parents, to teach morality and religion to kids?
If video games and music are turning our kids into monsters, then why do the parents keep buying them?


As for the question posed in the OP: No, I do not support school prayer. And I already pray in Hebrew.

Very good post. Won't let me rep you for it.

I agree, public school is no place for any type of Public Prayers. But I have no objection to a school allowing a few minutes for private prayer. With a few stipulations the prayers are not to be led by a member of school staff and away from the children who desire not to pray.

If people are concerned about Children being raised in their faith let them do so in private schools or home schooling.

[ChristyGrl]

Originally Posted by Woodrow LI

Very good post. Won't let me rep you for it.

I agree, public school is no place for any type of Public Prayers. But I have no objection to a school allowing a few minutes for private prayer. With a few stipulations the prayers are not to be led by a member of school staff and away from the children who desire not to pray.

If people are concerned about Children being raised in their faith let them do so in private schools or home schooling.

Exactly...it is not the job of our teachers to teach children religion...that is the parents job!!! And I also have no objection to a few minutes given for private prayer in the morning.

[overcastg4]

Originally Posted by Woodrow LI

Two words are translated into the English word prayer. Salat which is more like a worship service and Du'a which are our personal prayers.

In most Islamic Nations there are separate schools for Non-Muslim children as in a Muslim School, Study of the Qur'an is part of the curriculum and we are not permitted to allow any one to touch a Qur'an unless they agree to treat it with respect and perform ablution before touching it.

If a non-Muslim were to attend an Islamic school as a Muslim I could see it as a problem for a non-Muslim if we are thinking in terms of one of our obligatory prayers (Salat). Typically only one would occur during school hours. We can not force anyone to participate in our obligatory prayers and do not expect a non-Muslim to participate. They are basically a worship service. Of course a child could attend as an observer or be in a separate room during the prayer time. The Salat usually takes about 10 minutes.

However in a secular school in a predominatly Muslim nation like Turkey you might have Muslim and non-Muslim children in the same school. In which case a typical morning prayer (Du'a) would be:

Oh Allah, I thank You for this day.
I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are forgiving and understanding.
Oh Allah, You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to You.
I ask You now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
Let me continue to see sin through Your eyes and acknowledge it as evil, and when I sin, let me repent, and receive Your forgiveness.
And when this world closes in on me, let me remember You, to slip away and find a quiet place to make dua.
It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't make dua, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak.
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I make dua for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I make dua for those that are misjudged and not understood.
I make dua for those who don't know You intimately.
I make dua for those that don't believe.
But I thank you that I believe.
I believe that Allah changes people and Allah changes things.
I make dua for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member in their households.
I make dua for peace, love and joy in their homes, that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.
I make dua that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than Allah.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I make dua that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.
And shower our blessings on our Nabi (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) and his kinsmen and companions.
This is my dua. Aameen.

I don't see any problem with the prayer- it properly serves its purpose. Why would a Christian have to be "forced" to say it?

[elamigo]

Originally Posted by ptsum

I don't support any kind of organized school prayer, I don't care whether it's Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist or whatever it has no place in our Public Schools and is against the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution is not against such event. Take care.