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From: gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics
Subject: Re: School Prayer -- My personal opinions
Message-ID: <1403@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Mar-84 14:20:54 EST
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.1403
Posted: Wed Mar  7 14:20:54 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Mar-84 19:36:46 EST
References: <237@unmvax.UUCP>
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 47

Since I started all this off, a few cursory(?) remarks.

First, I am not *objectionable* to prayer in the schools, I am just
leery of prayer being forced upon those who do not feel the need to
pray.  This can go for Christians and non-Christians alike, since there
are times when a person should pray alone, and times when they should
pray in a group.  

Next, there is the question of the type of prayer.  Will it be a period
of silent mediation, or will the teacher lead?  I feel that the period
of silent mediation would be a good idea (if it doesn't already exist --
it sure didn't about 9 years ago when I was in junior high school)
because whether or not the children are Christians perhaps a moment of
mediation would be good for everyone to start off the day with a
peaceful thought.  If the teacher leads it, problems arise.

   a.  Topic for prayer:  Is it general or directed at a certain
       something (like praying for rain or crops)?
   b.  What is the "uncomfortableness" factor of the children who don't
       feel the need to pray?
   c.  What is the "uncomfortableness" factor of the parents of the
       children who don't feel they need to pray?  (this can be quite
       serious, if the parents feel that the specific teacher is not
       qualified to lead prayer)

I would be slightly concerned if kids of mine (note: i don't have any
kids, i'm not even married) were being led in prayer -- I'd be
especially interested in what they were praying about, and to whom they
were praying.  As I understand, the prayers should be to God, but there
are a lot of different concepts of God floating around which might not
jibe with that which I intend to teach my children.

I'd like to get some more feedback about this, now that you know my real
position.  

****

Aren't you glad I'm not flaming about time anymore?

****

-- 
By the power of Grayskull!

Greg-bo, Prince of Eternia
{decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds