Freethought & Rationalism Archive

yahwehyadayada · 08-13-2002, 08:42 AM

I'm a little bit confused. Does anyone know how xians who want to put prayer back in the public schools reconcile that with MATT6:5-6? (When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites; they love to pray standing in the synagogues & streets, that they may be seen of men. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, & when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father in secret; thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.)

Abacus · 08-13-2002, 08:44 AM

They don't have to reconcile it because they don't actually read their bibles.

MadMordigan · 08-13-2002, 09:15 AM

Its about power, stupid.

Ensign Morituri · 08-13-2002, 04:31 PM

I love that line. Once, some little old *bigoted* woman wrote a letter to our local paper stating that she didn't see what was so wrong with instituting Christian prayer in schools and in the workplace! She justified this viewpoint by saying that Canada was a Christian country and that immigrants should respect that.

Rather than refuting her hateful bigotry point by point, I put on my Christian troll costume and wrote a letter saying that we should maybe just pay more attention to Jesus' thoughts on the matter, as recorded in Matthew 6:5-6.

It's such a great line; it saves so much time when responding to fundy drivel.

Grumpy · 08-13-2002, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ensign Morituri:
...we should maybe just pay more attention to Jesus' thoughts on the matter...[/QB]

You can use the same tactic to deflate ostentatious Christian funerals. Simply observe that Jesus counselled (in Luke 9:60), "Let the dead bury their dead."

Not that I suggest you crash funeral parties. In fact, it's not even easy to bring this up in conversation, because whenever the subject turns to funerals, everyone gets really uptight.

ansarthemystic · 08-14-2002, 10:33 AM

I'd love to see what the christians say about that! How about we write letters to Biily Graham, Pat Robertson. and TBN Ministries.

peace and blessings

Photocrat · 08-14-2002, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by yahwehyadayada:
<strong>I'm a little bit confused. Does anyone know how xians who want to put prayer back in the public schools reconcile that with MATT6:5-6? (When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites; they love to pray standing in the synagogues & streets, that they may be seen of men. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, & when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father in secret; thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.)</strong>

Well, the purpose of that verse is to say that prayer isn't just something to make you look pious. Of course, your point that that's why it's wanted in schools isn't refuted by that--I rather think that that would be the net effect of forcing everyone in school to pray...

As for why the schools are the way they are, in times past, the schools were, de facto, Protestant. That's why the Catholics set up their own school system--they didn't want their children to be indoctrinated by Protestants. Now, since schools have become secular, the Protestants are angling for some way to start up their own school system like the Catholics did (e.g. via school vouchers) or to take back the school system (e.g. via school prayer).

08-13-2002, 08:42 AM	#1
yahwehyadayada Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: WI Posts: 290	Praying in public I'm a little bit confused. Does anyone know how xians who want to put prayer back in the public schools reconcile that with MATT6:5-6? (When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites; they love to pray standing in the synagogues & streets, that they may be seen of men. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, & when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father in secret; thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.)

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08-13-2002, 08:44 AM	#2
Abacus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Dakota Posts: 2,214	They don't have to reconcile it because they don't actually read their bibles.

08-13-2002, 09:15 AM	#3
MadMordigan Beloved Deceased Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 2,704	Its about power, stupid.

08-13-2002, 04:31 PM	#4
Ensign Morituri Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 462	I love that line. Once, some little old bigoted woman wrote a letter to our local paper stating that she didn't see what was so wrong with instituting Christian prayer in schools and in the workplace! She justified this viewpoint by saying that Canada was a Christian country and that immigrants should respect that. Rather than refuting her hateful bigotry point by point, I put on my Christian troll costume and wrote a letter saying that we should maybe just pay more attention to Jesus' thoughts on the matter, as recorded in Matthew 6:5-6. It's such a great line; it saves so much time when responding to fundy drivel.

08-14-2002, 10:33 AM	#6
ansarthemystic Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 155	I'd love to see what the christians say about that! How about we write letters to Biily Graham, Pat Robertson. and TBN Ministries. peace and blessings

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