Richard1366

Two VMI cadets, with the help of the ACLU have filed suit to prevent organized prayer at meal time. Apparently, the cadet "chaplin" calls on everyone to stand while a prayer is given. The prayer is to "god" and not to JC so they think that it is OK. This happened last June, does anyone know the current status of the suit?? Here's one battle I hope our two lone soldiers win!!

Toto

Nothing more current on the ACLU site, or other sites than these:

pro-prayer link

ACLU page

(If you want, the moderator of this forum may move this thread to the Church-State Separation forum, where it's less likely to get lost.)

doodad

I take it the requirement to stand during the
prayer is to show respect for those who want
to pray. People stand when a flag comes by
in a parade, or when a judge enters a courtroom. Is that an infringement of ones
civil rights?

Toto

Doodad:

The First Amendment (as applied by the 14th to state and local governments) forbids any laws tending towards an establishment of religion. Requiring people to show respect for someone else's public prayers shows favoritism towards those prayers, and is the first step towards establishing a religion.

Advocates of public prayer have obviously not read their Bible. But other than that, they have an agenda - get public prayer accepted; pass voucher laws to dismantle public education and welfare, and turn those functions over to the churches, so your tax money can be used to support religious functions; and ultimately to dismantle our modern secular society. Since I don't want to regress to the dark ages, or live under the Baptist Taliban, I favor opposing these people whenever and wherever I can.

Even though just standing in silence while others pray seems trivial, and is something I would probably do at a social gathering, the government has no business requiring that action.

What's next? standing in respect while the Santeria priest sacrifices a chicken, or the pagans hold a fertility rite??

<paranoia off, take deep breath>

phlebas

Interesting question, but I don't think so.

When a judge enters a courtroom, I believe getting everyone to stand is a tacit agreement among everything present that court is in session, and all the rules that go along with that are in force. However, I'm not sure what (if any) the penalty is for not standing when a judge enters.

When the flag comes by in a parade or the National Anthem is sung at a baseball game, there are no laws demanding that you stand. You'll get angry glares from people around you if you don't, though. I personally don't mind standing for the anthem, if just to stretch my legs once more before the game gets going.

Richard1366

doodad,

You must also understand the environment at VMI... Cadet Chaplin is an Officer and as such has official control over the Freshmen (Rats). In this situation, Rats do not have the ability to sit down whenever they please or when they are not in agreement with something that is being said by a ranking cadet.