Why religion does not belong in US Public schools

Let me espouse for you why religion must never be allowed to be preached over public school PA systems or at events that are sponsored by US tax dollars, such as high school football games:

The problem this nation faces with statements like this shallow and naive principal is two things as I see it:

This nation is a Constitutional Democracy and as a constitutional democracy we are a secular state and endorse no state religion. The United States follows one set of laws - our constitution. Those laws are written by Man, within our lifetimes, or created by our founding fathers and enforced by the living courts and judges that are within our lifetime and of this nation.

A secular state is defined as protecting freedom of religion as pursued in state secularism. It is also described to be a state that prevents religion from interfering with state affairs, and prevents religion from controlling government or exercising political power. Laws protect each individual including religious minorities from discrimination on the basis of religion.

The muslim countries, like Iran, Pakistan, the old Iraq, the old Afghanistan and all the other ...istan nations, Jordan, Kuwait ... all live by the laws set by the Qur'an, or those countries that live by the laws indoctrinated by the bibles and biblical laws live by that set of laws. they cut off hands, cane people, stone them - all based on a kings rule and what that king translates using the council of other religious rulers.

If you want to live in a nation that is governed by religion, there are many to choose from, but we live in the United States often times because this is a nation with freedom and laws set by MAN within our conceivable past. The very roots and first settlers from Europe on this nation/continent were people escaping Religious persecution in England and the surrounding nations. This persecution was Christian in its origins.

If every prayer session ended with "Praise Mohammed" would Jesus followers be offended?

What makes a constitutional democracy so popular is that every minority has equal rights. This is why Blacks, Asians, Native Americans, Jews and Muslims all have equal rights with the 200 different sects of Christianity in the USA.

On the other side, to support equal rights under religion, we have the right to pray in our homes without being criticized; we have the rights to have houses of worship (i.e., churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) - untaxed, unmonitored & protected by the same rights of all property; we can broadcast any religious or political BS we chose to
over the airwaves; print books and distribute pamphlets door to door or at tables in many public places - and this means PUBLIC places not owned or supported directly by the government ...

What we can not do is promote any religion in state buildings or on state properties. This includes libraries, post offices, schools, court house lawns - etc. Many state and county colleges are allowed to have places of worship on their property. However, they must be non-denominational and available to all sects. Public schools are permitted to have secular clubs or group prayer that meet in private to share common principals, and there are classes one can take to educate oneself on specific religious doctrine - but the people who take these classes or join these clubs elect to and are not subjected to one-sided theological philosophies publicly or against their will.

For example, a child in a public school may not freely walk out of the class or school while secular religion is spouted over the sound system.

We have total and complete freedom of religion - but it appears, according to the emails I am constantly bombarded with that Christians want more. Remember it was Christians that wanted more in Germany during WW1 and WW2 and currently it is religious rules and GW Bush (I state this only because he was, undeniably, a religious zealot) course of action that are what got us into the two wars we are spending BILLIONS of dollars on fighting half a world away.

It was secular religion that chased Protestants out of the England in the 1500's and murdered Joan of Arc, denounced and stopped all the research of Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642), executed Copernicus (1473–1543) and during GW Bush's term paralyzed stem-cell research.

We have religious freedom. Be happy with it and stop shoving Jesus Christ on your fellow Americans. This is the land of the FREE. Free thinking, freedom of religion, freedom to perform, dress and explore what one can conceive of in ones own imagination.

Second of all, there is this terrible internet rumor going around that this nation is based on the ten commandments. This is by people who have no real clue what the ten commandments are.

Go read the ten commandments and decide how many ten commandments are really part of our laws. Then decide if those same three laws that are part of our US Laws are not part of all set of laws in all nations, even those governed by religious doctrine.

Yes, the World God is a universal word that is used in law. One can use the word God in contracts when stating "Acts of God" and this is an understood term with a legal translation within US Law.

However, Jesus Christ is NOT a legal term, is not understood and has no legal definition. The Name or words Jesus and/or Jesus Christ is very secular having to do with Christians, just as Mohammed is of Islam, and Buddha is of Buddhism, etc.

God is used in US law to mean anything our of human control, or understanding. It is "an answer to those things we have no answer to or have no control of" - it is NOT meant to be our laws of a supreme being or an all mighty deity.

Now, do you support the Constitutional rights of all US Citizens?

Alan Sands

P.S: Snopes says the story about Ms. Jody McLoud of Roane County High School in Kingston, Tennessee was true. Therefore, in my book, she should be fired. She is supposed to teach and preach civil obedience as a principal, not civil disobedience.