Questions About Mandatory School Prayer

I recently came across a post on Facebook where someone suggested that school prayer needs to be required again.

I HAVE QUESTIONS.

Will all religions be included? What about atheists? And would that mean the school day is longer, it replaces the pledge, or that a school subject gets less time?

I'm not going pro or con without that information. A few extra minutes a day for "silent meditation or prayer" would be fine. I'm not sure Americans are ready for the five times a day prayer required by some religions. I don't think that could work in capitalism. Then again, some places allow smoke breaks, and prayer might be the same amount of time.

I would suggest a non- denominational room for prayer so students could ask to go use it. But some teachers already only allow two bathroom breaks per school year per student. So I don't imagine prayer room use would get better treatment. And what about during the most special standardized test days, when no one is allowed to leave the room at all? Is prayer canceled then? Less time for the precious test? Longer school days required during standardized test days?

Plus, there's a lot of issues where adults attack other adults while worshipping. There's already violence in schools. Adding religious tensions? Oh sure, it sounds like some religions could be able to teach love, acceptance, and understanding of everyone... but the history department is over there with a boatload of wars that never seem to really end which kind of prove otherwise. How can that be dealt with? Who could be in charge of making sure the message of any religious group isn't one of hate, one that alienates some people for who they are?

But really, the biggest question I have-- okay, what if Congress brings it back, but it isn't your religion? What if they toss them all in a hat and pull one out. "JAINISM!" ...and now that's the type of prayer said over the intercom daily?

What if the 4200 religions of the world take turns? Twice a day school prayer, a different one each time. 180 school days. 12 years. (180 school days*2 times a day= 360  360*12 years=4320)

Yeah, every student would hear a prayer from every religion. Would Americans be okay with their children being exposed to two different religions every school day? (We're talking about people who brought back diseases because they didn't vaccinate.)




I think this is the side of the debate that gets ignored. But I think it's the most interesting part of it.

Extend the school days by 20 minutes. 10 extra minutes in the morning and 10 in the afternoon to hear a prayer and short summary of a religion. That's an interesting concept. Not sure how it'd get voted in though. But sure, that's an interesting idea.

Perhaps every religion that wishes to be included has to raise money to fund their 10 minutes. To pay for the staff that has to stay, the cost of keeping the building open a little longer, and a fee to cover any violence, graffiti, or lawsuits as a result of this experiment. There would need to be a guarantee that the trial lasts long enough for all of the relgions who sign up to be heard. (Between 11 and 12 years.) This also means no one can argue, "I ain't paying school taxes for them to teach some other faith to the damn kids!" No, in fact, you wouldn't be. Each faith has to pay the same amount. They'll have to raise that money from their followers.

(Religion is about money, right? You can't worship if you're poor, right? Pretty sure that's a thing. Your religion has to self-fund in order to be recognized. And it doesn't get taxed on that money. Yeah, pretty sure we've already set up that system of recognition.)



Percent of world religions.
Is this the argument? Whichever one has the most should get to be the one taught? Seems like it means that's the one that most people would already know, and therefore it's all the others that should be taught, as that's where the lack of knowledge is.

Equality, even and especially in education. What if we give it a whirl?

Nancy #AtoZchallenge #ShortStory #AdForRoomatesStory #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy

This month-long story, “Ad for Roommates,” told in twenty-six parts, is an urban fantasy intended for readers over age fifteen. Liv, the main character, is an adult in her thirties. This is a prequel to a forthcoming book and my theme for the #AtoZchallenge. To meet another character from from this story world, visit the (adult) blog of co-host Jayden R Vincente.



After Maisy has gotten her fill of answers from her dearly departed neighbor Grace, she finishes her tea and rises to leave.

“Oh, and about that roommate. A woman in my garden club has a daughter fresh out of college looking for a place to live. I’ll get your flyer to her. The name is Nancy Goodwynn. Now then, that should be easy for you to remember. Like your surname, Good, but with wynn on the end. W-y-n-n, not w-i-n, mind you. I’m meeting the garden club tomorrow, so you should expect to hear from Nancy later this week.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I say as I see her out.

“Nonsense. Suppose you don’t find a roommate and then can’t live here and I’m forced to drive into town to see someone. The parking is atrocious. No, I like you right where you are so I’ll see to it that you can stay put. This isn’t charity, mind you. It’s networking. You’re young, so you know all about that.”

We’re ten years apart in age, at most. But if she wants to call me young, so be it. “Thank you.”

On Thursday, Nancy Goodwynn shows up at my door.

“I know I should have called first. But Maisy said you have a home business so you wouldn’t mind if I just dropped by. I’m Nancy, by the way, Nancy Goodwynn. Nearly the same last name as you, but with wynn at the end.”

Her red curls bob up and down as she speaks. I swear each freckle on her face has a piece of glitter on it, making her appear to sparkle in the sunlight.

The just-after-dawn barely-morning-sunlight.

When normal people are sleeping. Okay, maybe not normal people. But certainly me. She’s a morning person.

“May I come in?” She says as she sidesteps around me, not waiting for an answer. “Oh, dear. Have I caught you too soon in the day? Shall I wait in the parlor while you freshen up?”

“I, umm, it’s just really early.”

“Yes. Did you oversleep, or do you usually waste daylight? I like to have ten things done before the sun is finished rising.”

Really, really a morning person. “I tend to do things closer to midnight.”

“Oh no, that isn’t good for you. Early to bed, early to rise.”

“Yeah. This isn’t that kind of house.” No sooner do I say it then dad’s ghost blows by.

Nancy shutters. “Oh my, quite a chill. Have you had the insulation checked? My father knows a good home inspector. You should have that done before I move in. Wouldn’t want either of us to catch our death from a chill.”

“It was a ghost,” I say as I rub my eyes.

“Oh you,” she laughs. “There’s no such thing as ghosts. Let me ask you this, how do you get in your bathroom while in that wheelchair? I notice there’s no button to shoot the door open.”

“I manage.” What kind of question is that? Not as if it matters. There’s no way she’s moving in.

“Well, I suppose at home you can make do. But what about out in public? I know there are stalls for you people in the restrooms, but how do you get past the heavy doors to get into the room?”

There should be a law against morning people. Especially if they’re going to impose on the rest of us and not even have the decency to bring coffee. “It’s a challenge sometimes. But that’s the way of the world. Doors aren’t made or hung by many people who are largely confined to sitting. Look, if this is going to continue, especially with you calling me a ‘you people,’ I’m going to need caffeine.”

“That’s against the Lord’s law. Nothing addictive but prayer. We’ll get your life cleaned up, don’t you worry about that. Have you heard the good news?”

“Is it that you’re leaving now?” Shut it down. There’s zero chance I’m letting this girl move in.

“Of course not! Oh you are a silly billy, aren’t you? I’m just going to rise up your stairs and have a peek at the floor I’ll be renting. You just stay there and think about it.”

I wheel into her path. “No. The upstairs is closed.”

*** 718 words

Tenth Anniversary of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge bloghop.

Religion and Politics in this post

Check out @SarahHuckabee's Tweet: https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/796376615685095432?s=09

Trump won more evangelical CHRISTIAN votes than any other presidential candidate in history?

I keep thinking about all those movies, books, and shows where the Christian president might get a divorce. And it's the biggest scandal (pun intended, if you know the show) possible. Concerns the guy would be tossed out of office, the economy would crash, doom and gloom. "I know about Ellie." "You know about E.L.E.?" (Extinction Level Event -- Deep Impact)

Well, guess we stopped caring about divorce. Or about having children with multiple partners. If it's okay for the gander, it damn well better be okay for the goose now. "Yes, I have three baby daddys/mamas, just like the President of the United States." It is vital to understand that the CONSERVATIVE party and the Evangelical CHRISTIAN voters are in FULL SUPPORT of that. Good job, Maury Povich. All those "whose your daddy" episodes really brought them around!

Seriously, I never knew the church was so totally cool with divorce and with children from multiple partners. But here we are, in a world where they are SO COOL with it that they actually voted for a president who lives THOSE values.

The old days of Republicans talking about family values and sticking it out, how they were only okay with divorce in extreme cases, and children from other partners being only slightly better than bastards... those days are over!

See, not a whole lot of bright side for Democrats these days. But at least we see how dramatically the Conservative party has changed their core values, and how much more open minded the church must be now. The heck with updating a political document to reflect modern needs-- the Republicans have changed what the BIBLE is okay with now. Wow. That's impressive. And even the extremists Christians, known as the KKK, are supporters of this guy.

So we're all agreed.
Republican and Democrat alike: divorce is now perfectly acceptable and holds no shame or public guilt and judgement whatsoever, and having babies from multiple partners is also perfectly acceptable and holds no shame or public guilt and judgment whatsoever. ""Those people"" are JUST LIKE the president incumbent.

"You have three baby daddys?"
"Yup. :) Just like the president!"
"Wow! That's soooo cool. I'm totes jealous."

Just remember, that's now politically correct for both parties. We applaud that now.

(See, I've known a few judgemental Republican Christians who thought they weren't okay with such choices. It's important they realize that now they ARE okay with them, since they voted those values and choices into the highest office. I expect to see them out there showing support! SUPPORT.)