Oh, that wacky Tennessee! They have come so far since 1925.

[Strong Atheist]

Not.


Don't like the part in the original 2006 suit about

<snip>

...over a group called Praying Parents, which met at Lakeview Elementary, encouraged teachers to wear stickers reading "I Prayed" and gave students notes saying people were praying for them.

As a teacher, I can say that was wrong, wrong, wrong.


http://www.tennessean.com/article/D4/20090805/NEWS01/90...

[rurallib]

1. Do they not realize that freedom of religion helps them out?

Sure hard to stop stupidity ain't it?
Have they ever thought that if the big battle for a dominant religion happens in this country, they may well lose?
Love your gods all you want, just don't make me have to be part of it.

[Strong Atheist]

2. Religion has no place in the public schools. nt.

[rurallib]

3. absolutely not - and when these idiots try to shove their brand

down our throats they weaken true freedom of religion.

[DeSwiss]

4. Matthew 6:5-6 says:

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

- I've mentioned those verses above from Matthew 6:5-6 around here in 'ol Wacky, TN a time or two, myself. But they pretend like they don't hear me. I have yet to get even a nibble from anyone. Because in the end, to do as Jesus preached would undermine the whole guilt and fear ridden proselytizing Christian business model they've had working pretty successfully for quite some time now.

So given that the above verses were purportedly uttered by His Lord Jebus Christ Himself™, I can only conclude that those Christians who support public prayer in schools, and the open demonstration of religious fealty through signage and various religious icons and symbols sewn into ones clothing, are essentially telling Jebus that "He don't know what the hell he's talking bout and that he needs to STFU!!!!"

I mean, just who the hell does JEBUS think HE is???? Who died and made Him god????

[Strong Atheist]

6. Tennessee is, unfortunately, associated in my mind ( an I think many others)

with Scopes and thus with know-nothing stupidity. This 2006 nonsense does not help...

[DeSwiss]

13. No, no, no....

...the association is apt. And justified. I'm only here in TN now, because back when I was a kid (1965) the church moved my father (a minister) here.

- All things being equal, I'd prefer to live in Norway.

[Strong Atheist]

14. Lol! Thanks! nt.

[Leontius]

7. I would conclude

that you don't know what the hell you're talking about based on your lack of understanding of the meaning of those verses.

[Goblinmonger]

8. Please do enlighten us, then n/t

[Leontius]

9. For whatever good it may do, you need to

look at the context of the whole of Matthew 6 to find the meaning of verses 5 and 6 and remember this sentence, "Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.", it is repeated three times so it just might be significant in understanding what is being taught here.

[Goblinmonger]

10. I agree

and that means that their reward is the recognition of their peers--those that they are ACTUALLY praying for (i.e. for show). Their reward will not come in heaven or from God. Which is what DeSwiss was saying and you said he didn't get it. If you have some different analysis, then I would love to hear it.

And in the sake of full disclosure since I don't recognize your username, I went to a Catholic seminary and, although I am an atheist now, I am not ignorant of the Christian bible. I'm not knee-jerking here. Peace.

[Leontius]

11. I absolutely disagree with your interpretation of his post,

of course it will be impossible to get real clarification now, but by the choice of words, the intent as I read it, was to show how faith must be hidden, to show it publicly is against the intent of Jesus, and all who do show their faith in public are hypocrites and false believers, if that was not the intent then why the list of prohibited actions in the last paragraph? New to responding on DU but a long time reader of the wisdom here .

[Strong Atheist]

15. Welcome to DU!

[DeSwiss]

12. WOW!

That's amazing!!! I've never seen this before. A person who can write, but apparently can't read.

- Wonders will never cease....

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Not just wrong. It's unlawful and unconstitutional.

[libguy9560]

16. Remind me never to go to Tennessee

Or any other southern state, for that matter.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Ok, don't come here. n/t

[Strong Atheist]

18. Welcome to DU!

[YellowdogIam]

19. Never coming South?

Promise? Thank God, one less .

[Strong Atheist]

20. Welcome to DU!

[TNDemo]

21. What about the rest of the red states?

Would you go there? And NC went blue, if I remember correctly. What about it?