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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!bill
From: bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: "Voluntary" Non-praying?
Message-ID: <43@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Mar-84 12:02:56 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.43
Posted: Tue Mar 13 12:02:56 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 16-Mar-84 02:43:17 EST
References: <920@qubix.UUCP>
Organization: UTexas Astronomy Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 33

> > utastro!bill: "Nothing *now* prevents kids from praying
> >		 in school if they want to."
> 
> I don't know if the prayer issue has gone to court, but meeting before
> or after school for Bible study *has* been ruled "unconstitutional." How
> much farther is it from listening to God to talking to Him?

Come on, Larry, the difference is between organized religious activity in 
public schools (which I strongly object to) and individual activity (which 
has never been proscribed).  Why this emphasis on getting the kids all 
together and having them pray in a group?  Jesus advised us against 
public prayer, remember?  Prayer is very personal and private, and the
state ought to keep out of it altogether.

> > utastro!bill: "As for 'voluntary', how many kids would want to stand
> >	out in a crowd and asset their rights *not* to 'meditate'?"
> 
> Do you know what the pressure is *now* on a kid who *does* want to
> meditate? What inmet!andrew stated works both ways: "Peer (and teacher)
> pressure is a powerful force upon impressionable young children..." In
> the rush of the day, it is very easy (even for an adult) not to do
> something. Given a child's lower level of self-discipline, it's worse.

There is a big difference between a child forgetting to pray, and a child
being coerced into prayer of a kind that is offensive to him (or his 
family).  The former is unfortunate; the latter is an outrageous 
infringement on religious freedom.
-- 

	Bill Jefferys  8-%
	Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712   (USnail)
	{ihnp4,kpno,ctvax}!ut-sally!utastro!bill   (uucp)
	utastro!bill@ut-ngp			   (ARPANET)