Religion and Prayer, Religion, College Term Papers.com


		Data Bases
		• Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism?

		Links
		• Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com

		Free Essays
		• Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers

Search Lots of Essays

Back to Subjects - Religion

Religion and Prayer

Religion and Prayer Religion and public schooling, is one of today's most controversial issues in society . The question at hand is whether the teachers in the public schools should teach religion in America's school systems or not. This controversy has been the issue of many Supreme Court rulings within the past thirty-five years. Separation of church and state seems inevitable for this nation. Problems keep arising and court rulings are handed down nearly every day. The issue at hand has never been taken care of directly at the source. Why has religion in schools never been taken care of, and what will happen if it is allowed to remain a conflict? How much longer will this great controversy last? One day, this controversial issue will turn into a reason why humanity is so blinded to the meaning of religion. Maybe there will be a time when answers to this dilemma are finally found. And if no answers are found, what is going to be done next? No action would literally destroy thirty-five years worth of court cases and basically drain the pool of all water, allowing the fish to drown. This scenario fits the American people. If religion is lost, what will the people use as the context of the freedom that America's forefathers fought so hard to preserve? Those "Drained" cases should be used for future reference in case other controversial cases occur. In 1962, Madalyn Murray helped her son, William J. Murray III (at the time, age fourteen) journey down a long and hard fought road toward his future Rogers 2 as an atheist. William Murray, known as Bill, would begin his fight while attending Woodbourne Junior High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Woodbourne, in 1905, adopted a mandatary curriculum to recite the Lord's Prayer and to be reading daily from the Bible. Included in this adopted curriculum was the fact that no student would be allowed to be absent from these proceedings. It was mandatary for the students to participate. After Murray found out that her son was subject to participate in religious activities, she pulled her son out of school as protest to his being involved with religion. After attempting to talk with the Vice-Principal to the Superintendent of Schools, and failing in her attempt to clear up this matter, Murray brought this issue to the attention of the newspapers, radio, and local television stations. This issue would later receive national attention and bring an oversized crowd to the courtroom the day her case went to the State Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the Boston Schools did compromise and allow Bill to excuse himself from the school's daily religious activities (Blanshard 105-06). In February of 1963, after being defeated by the lower state courts, Murray finally got an appeal to the highest state court. Once again Murray was defeated, but she had won the opinion of three of the seven judges on the panel. These four judges ruled, "The short answer to this claim is that the equality of treatment which the Fourteenth Amendment affords and does not provide protection from the embarrassment, the divisiveness or the psychological discontent arising out of non-conformance with the mores of the majority" (Blanshard 106). This in Rogers 3 perspective means that even though the Fourteenth Amendment is for citizen's rights, no mental or physical damage is done to a person if he or she hears, sits in on, or watches a prayer. Basically, anyone can join in on the prayer if he or she chooses, or if this person wishes to stay out of the prayer he or she may do so. It's a personal choice to do so under the First Amendment rights. All to often this right and privilege is misinterpreted and abused. On June 25, 1962, the Supreme Court ruled against daily reciting of a school prayer which was drafted by the New York State Board of Regents. With a vote of six to one, the court said that the prayer constituted "an establishment of religion," which violates the Constitution. The following year the ruling stated schools were not allowed to start their day with Bible readings or the Lord's Prayer. In a letter Jefferson sent to the Danbury Baptist Association he states, "The first Amendment has created a wall of separation between church and state" (Barton). Remarkably, this letter was sent January 1st, 1802. "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessing upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country" (Blanshard 1). On the 25th of June in 1962, the United States Supreme Court banned this prayer from the secular schools of New Hyde Park, New York. Most Americans agreed and felt that this decision by the Supreme Court was an attack on religion. Americans thought it was carried out by judges who were satisfying their own needs and not considering this to be a case that needed justification for reference in Rogers 4 case there might, in the future, be cases of religion appearing. Appearing so harmless, this prayer was banned even though the worth of going to court over it was worth nothing (Blanshard 1). The Constitution states that separation of church and state does exist. This should eliminate public prayer and religious principles. If this is true, then why is "In God We Trust" minted on American currency? Statements that bring the creator into politics are not in violation of separation of church and state. Students do not need Congress to pray. The Supreme Court never ruled that students cannot pray at school if that is what they want to do. However, teachers and other school employees are not allowed to participate in religious activities while at school. Benjamin Franklin states, "There is something wrong with religion that must call for the help of 'the civil power,' meaning the government" (Humanist 32). "Almighty God, we ask that You bless our parents, teachers, and country throughout the day. In your name we pray, Amen"(More 8). That prayer was read over the intercom system at Wingsfield High School in Jackson, Mississippi, on November 9, 10, and 11, 1993 by Kim Falls, president of the student council. The students asked their principal, Bishop Knox, if they could have a prayer. Knox said they could if that is what the student body wanted. The student body voted, with 491 wanting school prayer and 96 opposing. Afterwards, Bishop Knox got fired for allowing the prayer to be read. After their principal was fired, Rogers 5 "300 students fled their classes to march on Knox's behalf." One hundred fifty-five students were suspended for walking out of class (More 8). "I'm not sure what the Lord will have me to do," Knox told Jet. "I've come to realize that God has placed me in this position. God is faithful and I trust he'll see me through this" (Mississippi 4). In 1995, an undisclosed high school marching band came under the direction of a new director. This new director had no clue how to act with the students. The feeling was mutual. As a tradition during band camp, he took time to pray before and after practice. As the day went on, the band prayed before every meal. No one was forced to pray. Even though Mr. Woods could get into trouble for leading the band in prayer, he did not seem to mind. Mainly, the prayer seemed to help everyone get through the day without much difficulty. And the fact that no one resisted the prayers, made the situation even more fascinating because all took time and had respect for each others' beliefs. There is nothing wrong with respecting someone else's beliefs just as long as that person's values are not challenged. Adam Watson, one of the 155 students that got suspended for walking out of class in Knox's behalf, states, "In America you can burn the flag, mutilate an unborn child, or put any kind of vile trash on TV, but you can't read the Bible" (More 8). Watson's statement is the truth from any perspective: the very rights the Constitution was written to protect, freedom of religion and speech, are now the very rights the Supreme Court is trying to take away. The Constitution Rogers 6 and its amendments are being interpreted so that they are now depriving humanity of the rights that America's founding fathers fought for. The first right, or freedom, guaranteed in the Bill of Rights is that of religion. This freedom guarantees any American the right to practice any religion, or no religion at all. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances" (Hartley and Vincent 67). This First Amendment prohibits Congress from establishing a national religion or from favoring one religion over the other. This division between religion and government is known as separation of church and state. Like all rights in the Bill of Rights, freedom had its origins in colonial times. As known in history, several colonies were established mainly by settlers who were seeking to practice their religion in their own way. However, some of these colonies denied this freedom to people with different beliefs. Gradually, the ideal of religious freedom developed in America. This right eventually was guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment. The First Amendment says that Congress cannot "make a law respecting an establishment of religion". America's freedom was won at the end of the American Revolution in 1783 when the freedom from the British empire was achieved. After many years of attempting to find a government most suitable to fit this great nation, the only Rogers 7 one that was found was a document called "The American Constitution." The forefathers assembled this document in 1789 as an "ever-lasting" and "ever-changing" process that would be able to fit the needs of the future citizens in which it would govern. The addition to this was another type of document known as "The Bill of Rights." This was created to be used as a safeguard to protect the rights of the Americans. This Bill of Rights became known as the first ten amendments to the Constitution. In 1892, the Church of the Holy Trinity vs. the United States was ruled on by the Supreme Court. Supreme Court ruled that "No purpose of action against religion can be imputed to any legislation, state or national, because this is a religious people. . . This is a Christian Nation." In this case alone, sixteen pages of notes are in the court records. Eighty-seven precedents were provided to defend the case. Even though the court had sixteen pages in the records, the court still quoted the founding fathers of this great nation. As the court continued to quote the acts of the founding fathers, the acts of Congress, and the acts of the state government, all of the precedents that were used in the decision of the Holy Trinity case concluded that this is a Christian nation. America's founding fathers meant for this nation to use its heritage as a guide for times to come. Most of the 55 founding fathers were Orthodox Christians. The rest of the founding fathers were either atheist or Roman Catholics. This is what they, the founding fathers, meant for this country to be pure in heart, for they are the heritage (Barton). Rogers 8 About 80 percent of Americans want to have prayer in the classrooms (Religion 124). When they, the Supreme Court, first banned prayer, grades dropped; dropout rates increased; and students started to smoke, do drugs, and drink. Society needs to get religion and prayer back into the schools so that students grades will rise, dropout rates will decrease, and the students will stop doing drugs, drinking and smoking (Religion 124). If all that increased when prayer was taken out by the Supreme Court, what would happen if the Supreme Court were to reinstate prayer back into the public school curriculum? The possibilities are endless to imagine what could be fixed in the society by the simple action of allowing prayer to be re-initiated into America's culture. This would regenerate the heritage from the founding fathers' point of view. In a personal interview with Jenny Dobson, a student from Malone College, she states, " There is not and should not be anything wrong with religion and prayer in school; either being taught or read." Dobson said, "If we can teach evolution in our science courses at the junior high and high school levels, then we should also teach creation too since neither theory has been proven. And if we cannot teach both; neither one should be taught because of the biased opinion that is formed from hearing a one-sided story." Dobson believes she has a good point. She also would like to know " why creation is left for the church to teach us?" Why are we only given the "one-side" of the story in the science courses? Will there ever be both sides taught in the public schools? One day, Dobson believes, Rogers 9 another part of the science curriculum will exist. "This change may take place well after I am gone," Dobson states, "but, the fact that there will one day be a section of creation in the science courses around this nation is inevitable. Hopefully, with good health, I will be able to listen to my great-grand children talk about the new addition to their class." Jenny Dobson attended a private school throughout her schooling years and the Dobson family attends church regularly. Like Dobson, this writer feels that there will one day be a change in the science curriculum. After all, which is it that man came from, the primate, or the dust on the ground as stated in Genesis 2:8? Edd Doerr, author of "Church and State: Freedom of Religion", states, "It seems to me that freedom of and freedom from religion cannot and should not be distinguished" (Doerr 31). If religion is distinguished from freedom, is that a violation of America's Constitution? If so, how will the distinguishment on freedom of religion be made in the first place? The First Amendment states "Congress shall not establish a national religion or favor one over the other" (Bill of Rights; Amendment 1). By putting a restriction of distinguishing religion from the freedom of the First Amendment is putting no authority on the basis for freedom. In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected to the office of American President. He was the first Roman Catholic president that was elected in this nation's history. Before the election, many of the public were frightened that Kennedy might use Rogers 10 his religious affiliation and beliefs to run the country instead of his best judgment. During his campaign, and only a few months before the election, Kennedy addressed the public about their fear, and he assured them that his religious status would not interfere with his duty of president. Kennedy states, "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the president, should he be Catholic, how to act--and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote" (Compton's). Due to the Roman Catholics' action of failing to recognize the neutrality of America's public school systems on religion has made the dispute of religion and schools extremely difficult and more of a political issue and campaign, instead of an educational issue (Blanshard 2). However, this issue has still not been taken care of at its source. The United States Supreme Court has never made a direct ruling to defend neutrality on religion or to help protect the first right that America obtained 214 years ago. Religious leaders' dreams of sharing the responsibility of financing the private institutions of religious affiliation with the community are delaying the process of expanding and improving the program of society's public school systems (2). This delay, if not taken care of soon, will be the murder of all hope for an end to this conflict. Faithful, Godly Christians view the "elimination" and "demolition" of prayer and Bible readings from public schools as a denial of Devine truth and a threat against their children's lives (Blanshard 2). As a well-known fact, Christians Rogers 11 love to force worship and prayer. The secular school systems and the American public must strive harder if they want religion in their curriculum. If schools wish to stand neutral on religion and prayer in their teachings, then that should be their right to stand neutral. Even though the school systems educate the children and adults of this society, private institutions that teach religion as part of their required curriculum exist and teach the curriculum of public schools too. By forcing the schools to adapt to new ways too fast, everything that has been fought for may be lost forever if no caution is taken as the steps are built. Otherwise the foundation will crumble. Liberals, Jews, and Atheists believe the problem of religion and schools is a fight between two systems; one trying to make Christianity known by teaching it, and the other based on knowledge from scientific research (Blanshard 2). These two systems refer to the theory of creation and the theory of evolution. Put creation and evolution on a set of balancing scales. Unfortunately, stuck in the middle of these scales are millions of confused people who literally do not care about the position of religion in education. These people are trying to do the right thing to balance the scales to make everyone content(2). "The greatest single cause of Atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and get on with their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable" (Talk). This statement was made by an unidentifiable source. The Christian rock group, Rogers 12 dc Talk, uses this statement at the beginning of their song called, "What if I Stumble" (Talk). This seems very odd that a Christian band would such a statement at the beginning of a song. This statement says that Christians, once they have finished worship for the day, walk out of the church and forget everything that was prayed about five minutes earlier. In this world today, America has one government. America has never tried any other form of government either. Nor have too many changes been made to this government with the adding of amendments. Other countries in this world have gone through over a dozen types of governments and are still having trouble adopting the one that works best for their country. America is still on its first government. Maybe now is a good time to start making new changes to America's government to help accommodate these new changes. Religion is a guaranteed right according to the First Amendment. Now is the time to practice the rights give by the First Amendment and challenge Congress to solve this conflict immediately. Currently too much conflict with religion and prayer in schools exists. Religion and schooling has its place in society; where it is has not been defined yet. Barton, David. America's Godly Heritage. Vision Video. Gateway Blanshard, Paul. Religion and the Schools: The Great Controversy. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1994, 1995. Doerr, Edd. "Church and State: Freedom of Religion, Freedom From Religion." Humanist. ,(May-June 1993,) ;31-33. Hartley, William H. and William S. Vincent. The Bill of Rights--The First Amendment. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, 1992. Holy Bible: New International Version. Genesis. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapid Michigan. 1984. Jackson, Bechetta A. More Than 4,000 Rally In Support of Fired Principal Who Let Students Pray. Jet. 29, Dec. 1993. Mississippi Legislature Oks Bill That Permits Student-Led Prayer. Talk, dC. "Jesus Freak." What if I Stumble. CD-Audio. Up in The Mix Music-Div. of Fore-Front Communications, Inc. 1995. Religion and Prayer: The Thirty Year Dilemma. Separation of Church & State Page 4 Holy Trinity vs. United States Page 7 Cons to Religion Out of Schools Page 8 "Elimination" and "Demolition" Page 10 Religion and Prayer: The Thirty Year Dilemma. Fulfillment of the requirements of . . . SOC 121: Social Problems Mental Health Technology Program . . . Bibliography:

Word Count: 3536