<p>But in the interest of greater understanding, may I say (as a Christian who has lived in the Midwest, DC, New England and several places in the south)–in a place where a Christian church is a place of both spiritual and social life, it is considered polite and helpful to ask a newcomer whether she has found a church yet. </p>
<p>I live in the south now, and I recognize that there are some here who have never lived anywhere else or considered that perhaps the newcomer has no interest in finding a church either now or ever. Some might be flummoxed by your answer, and some might not have responded appropriately. But please don’t think that there are devout Christians harboring hatred against your soul because of your response!</p>
<p>“Where was this? South Carolina? Were there any Jewish, Muslim, or atheists in the audience?”</p>
<p>I’m sure there were… not that they would admit it. I just Googled “south carolina freethinkers” and tons of links popped up. Yes, Virginia, there are atheists in South Carolina.</p>
<p>The atheist group that threatened to sue almost certainly didn’t just go on google maps, find a small Southern town, and decide to sit in on assemblies just to find out if the principal or other public employees were leading prayers. It likely received a complaint from someone (not necessarily a non Christian) regarding the separation of church and state and then used the threat of a lawsuit to stop prayers in public schools. </p>
<p>It’s also been my experience at Emory that many atheists from small Southern towns were scorned by their peers if they admitted to the lack of a belief system (one of the reasons why they applied to liberal Emory). So there very well could have been multiple atheists in the audience, but they didn’t want to come forward about their beliefs.</p>
<p>BTW, I should post this in the scholarship section, but the FFRF holds an essay contest each year and awards several scholarships to freethinking high school students who write about their experiences.</p>
<p>Yes, I suppose it’s fun to sit in San Francisco and make fun of the rubes. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, every post in this thread gets this kid a little bit closer to an internship with some think tank somewhere. Not a bad night’s work, I guess.</p>
<p>cromette, it doesn’t surprise me that you’re from South Carolina. What IS it with the Bible Belt anyway? Why is it that the rest of the country seems to generally understand the concept of separation of church and state, and the Bible Belt doesn’t? Why is it that the rest of the country seems to understand that state-sanctioned / sponsored religion doesn’t belong in public schools or in the town hall, but your region doesn’t, and you think it’s ok “as long as everyone in the audience approves”?</p>
<p>(I agree that this young man’s particular action was likely constitutional as he was speaking on behalf of himself, and not as a representative of the school. It would have been clearly inappropriate if it had been, say, the principal acting in an official capacity.)</p>
<p>Why is it that in the rest of the country, (public school) cheerleaders would be embarrassed to be so blatant as to paint Bible verses on cards and so forth – and you guys think it’s ok? Do they teach a different version of the Bill of Rights down there?</p>
<p>Maybe we could teach our young adults that sometimes in life someone will do something which they (or others within hearing, smelling, seeing, touching or tasting range) will find either offensive, obnoxious, imposing, 'treading on their (non)god given right or somehow, someway cause them an bit of discomfort …that surprisingly, they… as well as others affected will actually survive. How “blessed” are those who have the ability to roll their eyes…go to their own internal happy place and …return when that which is offensive has passed to enjoy the rest of the day,week,year…life.</p>
<p>If this young man has achieved anything it is notoriety…thanks to those who look for any opportunity to express their offense and outrage. And for that he gets an atta boy!</p>
<p>Good! It’s about time you guys joined the rest of the country. Do you guys understand that this attitude (religious symbols in public places, prayer in public settings) is part of why the rest of the country perceives the South / Bible Belt – rightly or wrongly, deservedly or undeservedly – as more on the backwards side? You’re only hurting yourselves.</p>
<p>Dietz, it has nothing to do with “offensive” and has everything to do with separation of church and state. </p>
<p>John Smith, Mayor of Smallville, opens the Smallville town meetings with a prayer to Jesus. Completely inappropriate.</p>
<p>John Smith, private citizen, sits at dinner (in his own house, or at a restaurant) and begins his meal with a prayer to Jesus. Completely appropriate.</p>
<p>Do you not see the difference between these two situations? It’s not about being “offended.” It’s about a state-sponsored situation / event versus a private one.</p>
<p>^^ honestly, have you gone to the bible belt? In my experience it has gotten stronger. They interpret the church and state separation as an attack and are constantly trying to push the envelope. Prayer is basically compulsory at every sporting event, or other competitive activity. I’ve even had a world history class that was taught in such a way to be blatantly anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-catholic and very in favor of protestants, especially Baptists. The unconstitutionality of the whole thing does nothing to stop.</p>
<p>Edit, I was referencing 3 posts ago, not 2.</p>
<p>It’s a shame that this is even controversial. </p>
<p>A prayer at a state sponsored event is not a bad thing no matter who says it. We don’t give up,our constitutional rights just because we set foot on state property or work for the state. </p>
<p>If someone saying a prayer is offensive to people, then those people don’t know what it means to have a religion imposed on them by the state. One could say that secularism is being imposed when one is denied their right to pray or quote a verse or where some religious garb just because they work for the state or are speaking at a graduation.</p>
<p>And since when are school graduations state functions? I didn’t know the governor taught math and reading to kids.</p>
<p>Like dgzdad in post 161, I wonder how the crowd would react if the student had not been Christian? In this situation or other Similar ones (such as cheerleaders painting bible verses on signs at football games) would they be OK with a verse from the Koran? If the student was Wiccan? If the student was from a polytheistic religion and brought a statue of a god to the
podium while he said his prayer?</p>
<p>The term “separation of church amd state” is not in the Constitution. It is based on a misunderstanding of Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists where he talks about a “wall of separation”. The purpose of the letter was to allay their concern about their religious liberty.</p>
<p>Sorry, I got to point out that here again we have the South Carolina tradition of hard line defiance, no matter what the law or decency says. No, this isn’t the same as the “Massive Resistance” strategy in the days of Jim Crow, but it’s the same “we don’t care what the rest of you think” attitude, in my opinion.</p>