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On 12 Nov 2004 09:00:59 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

I hope you aren't putting anyone who has a conservative bent into the
'fundie' category. Most of us are not 'fundies' and have no problem
with the illegality of requiring prayer in a public school.

Then the shoe doesn't fit, so don't try to wear it.

A couple of traits often exhibited by "fundies" can include:

1) insisting the the United States is a "Christian" nation.........(makes one
wonder whether professing Christianity will become a prerequisite for
citizenship or voting......)

This country was founded by and became the predominate home to
Christian following people. That's a matter of fact, not a statement
of religious intent. Sort of like saying that this is a English
speaking country. The predominate language is English. You can speak
something else, but it's not our problem if you can't follow the
majority.

2) an assumption that if the "majority" follows a certain faith then that
majority should be allowed to include formal religious ceremonies or
observations as part of secular government functions like public education-
without restriction from the constitution and without worrying about the equal
rights afforded to folks who believe differently.

Majority rules should apply in all public ceremonies or traditions
religious or otherwise. No town's traditions should be held hostage to
whims of the minority.

3) a generous concession that those not willing to recite a prayer are
absolutely free to suffer the embarassing stigma of the "odd man out" while all
the good little girls and boys who will be going to heaven recite some
impersonal, memorized, dogmatic statement and consider it a prayer.

That is entirely a perception issue. So now you would have the strong
arm of government preventing the majority from practicing their faith,
so that the minority can avoid feeling "uncomfortable"?

I know of some (Christian) folks who pray by handling live rattle snakes. They
theorize that if their faith is strong, they won't die from snakebite. Heck,
just think of the fabulous scene in your substitute math class when one of the
students pulls out a live rattler to get closer to God during the moment of
silence. Now that *would* get the school day off to a memorable start. :-)

Once can cite extreme examples of practically anything to try to make
a point. Such is known as a strawman argument. But that point isn't
relevant. In no case has prayer been denied based on the handling of
snakes or other off-the-wall practices. It was simply a matter of the
minority silencing the majority against the principle of majority
rules.

Dave

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