Last week a similar story popped up in the news as a judge blocked a graduation prayer at a Kentucky high school. What caught my attention in this story is not the fact that it happened, but how the students of the school choose to deal with it. As the principal of the school rose to give his opening remarks, about 200 students (almost all of the graduating seniors) rose and began reciting the Lords Prayer to "thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the crowd." The students of the school didn't boycott graduation, or take the case back to court. They simply stood up for their freedom of expression and stood up as a class against the court ruling. As usual, I learn a lot from the youth of this nation. Probably the answer to the steady beat down of Christian expression in communities is people taking action on their own to express their faith. There is power in numbers and all it takes is somebody willing to stand up for what they believe for others to follow. In my opinion, the students of Russell County High School handled the situation amazingly well, and in the end, the prayer meant so much more then it would have before.
I wish I had the answers and solutions to more of the issues facing Christians today, but sometimes I don't even know if I am asking the right questions. I have just recently finished reading Blue Like Jazz. One of the quotes has given me a lot of thought over the past few weeks. The short version of the quote, found of the back cover states"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve....But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself...I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." - Donald Miller
I agree with this quote to an extent for two main reasons, one of which is the aforementioned fact that I sometimes wished God would give me the answers to the issues Christians face today. (The second reason is in the inference that we come to Christ most often by seeing others love him and model this love in their actions, but this is a completely different post in itself). The Bible and other resources have been given to us as a guide, but in the end we are responsible for doing the study, and work to come up with what we think the correct resolutions are to these problems/issues we face in society. In the end though, God does resolve. He resolves by his saving Grace, and Christ's death on the cross. Donald does indicate a shift in his thinking in the last sentence, but I don't know if he makes the connection that God does indeed "resolve" in the end.
4 comments:
Good thought process here. I agree with your interpretation of church and state. Which is why I'm middle of the road when it comes to prayer in schools. I'm all for time for students to have that time on their own (silence or bible studies or whatever) and I'm for teaching religion in the schools and the Bible as long as other faiths get the same shake. I beleive in the end the truth is made plain.
So my concern is that as we get more and more politically correct less and less voices are to be heard. I'm open to let anyone speak their mind (with in good reason) because I know that gives me a platform to establish dialogue and speak my mind as well.
Unfortunately the ALCU wants no one to speak which is exactly what our founding fathers didn't want to have happen.
But enough soap boxing. Too slippery anyway.
Here Goes.
In a word... fairness. I have a few very direct comments on this issue.
First, think about what exactly you are asking for by saying "why can't they just (whatever religious) in (randon public entity)? You are asking for the public to sanction/organize/publicize or promote the act in question. In short, to promote a religion even though the government represents everyone.
a few Questions: why is it not good enough to display religious signs at home? Why must it always be organized by the governmental entity? Anyone can display the 10 Commandments in their front yard. Why must it be at a courthouse? Why must a high school organize a prayer? The students are free to do so on their own? What more does everyone want?
For a shoe-on-the-other foot consideration, think about the following: Why aren't you required to swear on the Koran to tell the truth? Because you shouldn't be forced to do that when it is not your belief. Why aren't you made to witness Koran passages and Islamic symbols as you walk down a corridor toward a courtroom in shackles about to face trial as a person who believes differently? Why don't you ever have to worry about the government that represents YOU celebrating a religion that you view as hostile to your beliefs?
In a word... fairness. It wouldn't be fair to you, and it isn't fair to others when you make those symbols Christian.
Our government assures you that you will be treated equally under the law, no matter how different your beliefs. We cannot pick and choose when that applies, but must rather strive for fairness in all circumstances, even when they are "symbolic."
Those High School kids did just fine. They did what anyone else coudl have done, Christian or otherwise... and the High School didn't organize it. Why isn't that enough? Why must the high school step out and take a side when it also purports to assist non-Christians as well?
To answer, "But we live in a Christian society" is ignorant of the issue. That answer just says that what is fair for Christians is fair for everyone.
It is impossible to give every religion equal treatment, so it is excluded and left to family (the proper teacher of religion). There is nothing wrong with that in my view.
Sorry for the length. I love these discussions. Just my thoughts to answer the questions posed.
Ok,
Let's try to tackle this one...
First off, I don't think I'm asking for the Government to organize (any more then the school printing the bulliten), or promote prayer in school. I may be asking the government to sanction, but only in the sense that they allow the action to happen. I would also say that the government represents the majority, as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights of the minority, and I don't see this case violating any rights. The school isn't telling people what to believe, or keeping people from getting an education because of thier beliefs.
As far as the 10 commandments go, I guess I would say it's not soo big a deal as the prayer issue, except the fact that many of these displays have been around for generations and have never caused any problem. Do we really need to spend the money and time in an already burdened court system to battle something that again isn't violating any rights. Just because the 10 commandments are displayed (not to spread the gospel, but to make a point of a simple code of right and wrong.) people are not ceasing to get a fair trial.
I will also be truthful here, I honestly don't think that I would care what is posted in a corridor outside a courtroom, if I knew that the judge would be fair. It could be a bible hanging on the wall, but it I thought the judge was incompetent and didn't know the law I would worry. The beauty is that we vote to keep judges in power, so they do represent us (or at least the majority).
I also think there is a difference between what your are calling fairness, and what is respecting people's rights. I think society can go too far trying to always be fair to somebody because somebody can always made to be the victim. What is important isn't trying to always be fair, but to always make sure people are treated within their legal rights. To me that is being fair.
I won't argue that families and individuals need to take a more active role if they want to represent what they believe. In fact,in the end, that will have to be the solution because these battles are going to contunie.
I'll take it a point at a time:
1. Allowing the act IS promoting. Putting it on the itinerary is sanctioning and organizing it. You are splitting hairs with the buts.
2. This IS a constitutional violation of the separation of church and state. So, I disagree that there is no violation. The State is committing the violation and acting contrary to the Constitution and favoring a religion. And, individually, that same amendment allows us to practice our own religion in peace away from Government meddling (in this case, by making you choose between religious peace and going to graduation - not a decision government should make us make).
3. The school may not be telling what to believe, but it is providing a platform for one point of view. That also favors a single religion. Obviously SOMEONE felt that wasn't fair or it wouldn't have gone to court. That someone was also represented by the government, which runs the school.
4. Alice said basically what was going to be my point here. I will use an illustration instead.
Lets say its 2007. Lets say the school IS allowed to put the prayer ON THE ITINERARY. Angered by 2006, muslim students work to get a Koran reading on the itinerary, because "they did it for Christians, so fair is fair." They are right, so it goes on. Outrage erupts among parents who don't want it read at the gathering and because of the way Islam is viewed right now. (try telling Christian parents they just don't have to show up).
Now everyone wants their own prayer read and graduation turns into dueling prayers. Because of a disruptive atmosphere and hostility, all prayers are now forbidden to preserve graduation as an orderly event. NOW, Government is square in the middle and the end result is that only one point of view was heard and it was 2006. Or, if it allows the prayers, Government turns into Don King in the religious back-and-forth and has to provide protection and security for both sides.
This illustrates why it is best to have Government be completely A-RELIGIOUS. That's what makes secular government preferable. Or should we set up Iraq to be a religious government like its neighbors?
Allowing even slight mingling creates entaglement, which grows ever deeper. Just like trying to determined "who started it" between siblings instead of even-handedly punishing fighting, injustice will always follow. And religious injustice at the hand of government is intolerable.
Finally, tradition does not make right on constitutional issues. Never has and I pray it never will.
In this case, true fairness IS possible. Every religion hears the same answer: NO!
good times.
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