In this essay, the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments of these two articles are going to be discussed. In general, the argument that is against having prayer in schools has a stronger argument. The author who is for having prayers in schools tries to prove the sanity of his opinion by talking about the history of the U.S. which is a good method as we have to consider the values of this country that has been passed on and on to the next generations since those values are a part of its culture. In fact, without considering the background of the country, our…
In Gene Johnson’s “High School Football Coach Who Refused to Stop Praying Placed on Paid Leave,” he tells the story of a football coach in Washington who has led prayers before and after the game with whoever wanted to join. Despite warnings from district officials to stop the public display of religion, he continued to pray. The district’s cause for placing Coach Kennedy on paid leave was that praying on the field violated, “federal and state constitutional rights” although Kennedy’s prayers were completely voluntary. Coach Kennedy’s firing is a perfect example of the problem of religion in sports. For the kids who volunteered to be a part of the prayers are now out on thanking the Lord with their teammates.…
A New York State law created states all public schools were to open each day with the Pledge of Allegiance and a nondenominational prayer in which the students acknowledged their dependence upon God. Engel vs. Vitale was a case brought to the attention of the Supreme Court by ten concerned parents by minors who attended a public school in New York City. At the beginning of a school day lesson the following prayer, consisting of 22 words, ‘Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen.’, was recited due to the approval of the New York state board of regents (state board of education) in 1951.…
Next Reagan asks the bold question to the audience that congress opens with prayer so why should our children be denied that right. This is persuasive because of the nature of the comparison. It also makes us questions the idea of separation between church and state. Where do we stand today? In the same place as we did then with a majority of Americans still disapproving of the Supreme Court’s stance on prayer in public schools, according to 2012 data from the General Social Sur-vey, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.…
“Teaching faith to assist the “salvation” process is a lofty ideal for schools”; this is one of the main statements of Teaching Faith in the Twenty First Century: Pointers for Christian Schools, by its author Barry Hill (pg. 18). In this article, Hill attempts firstly to describe faith itself by unraveling the etymology and historic definitions of the word faith. The definitions that the author uses are referrals from several 20-century writers, as well as from seven different languages at distinct historical timespans. Based on the most common definitions of faith, Hill constructs and displays nine different aspects of faith and later what he calls the six “faces of faith in schools” (pg. 21).…
He added that people still have to pray for their country even if Christian practices are banned in public…
The growing absence of God in American lives has proven that life without Him can be detrimental to this country’s health. The United States has been instituted on the belief and trust in God. The Declaration of Independence mentions God 4 times. Even the nation’s 1st president, George Washington said “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable.” But over time, so many have taken God for granted by doing the exact opposite of what pleases Him, creating a void which subsequently causes social issues for many Americans.…
It is a completely formal publication written for the purpose of explaining the history of conflicts concerning religion in school and the rights that students, parents, and teachers have regarding the issue. The writer appeals to ethos and establishes credibility prior to the audience reading the article because the Pew Research Center is a well-known and trusted source. The writer also appeals to logos by including statistical information such as the quote, “According to an August 2006 survey by the Pew Research Center, more than two-thirds of Americans (69%) agree with the notion that ‘liberals have gone too far in trying to keep religion out of the schools and the government’” (Lupu et al para. 4). The article also contains many facts relating to Supreme Court rulings, such as “In Engel v.Vitale (1962), the Supreme Court held that the Establishment Clause prohibited the recitation of a school-sponsored prayer in public schools” (para. 9).…
or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?... I therefore beg leave to move- that henceforth prayer imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service” (10 reasons…). The founding fathers put our country’s foundation in prayer and Christianity, so that the nation would be one after the man of God. Prayer in school is constitutional and enforces the concept freedom of religion stated in the First Amendment that the United States was established upon. By prohibiting school prayer the Supreme Court has mistaken the first clause of the Constitution, which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment or religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (10 reasons…).…
In 1962, the Supreme Court settled a dispute between the New York State Board of Regents and the New York Civil Liberties Union representing five families in New Hyde Park, New York. Several years before, the Board of Regents had written a prayer for the purpose of “supplementing the training of the home, ever intensifying in the child that love for God…which is the mark of true character, training, and a sure guarantee of a country’s welfare.” The recommended prayer read: Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country. A substantial amount of local pubic school boards adopted it to be read at the beginning of every school day.…
Provisional Title “In God We Trust: Freedom Religion in Public Schools” This title was chosen to examine and understand the extent in which teachers and students can express their beliefs, and the extent to which schools allow religion to be tolerated. I chose the title “In God We Trust” because it is the official motto of the United States, yet it directly correlate’s with the controversy of separation of church and state. As an American citizen we have the right to freedom of religion, but the constitution is vague in what extent freedom of religion is acceptable.…
Today, one area of concern for the public involves the issue of prayer in schools around the nation. Now, there are some who feel that prayer should not be allowed in schools; alternatively, many others contend that prayer should be allowed in schools. While this complex issue, upon delving into the subject further, it becomes apparent that prayer should not be prohibited in schools, because it supports the freedom of religion principle, acknowledges religious heritages, and offers many social benefits. When examining any issue, it is critically imperative to analyze it from all aspects; one must be certain to acknowledge the advantages of prayer in school and why it would be beneficial to include it in schools worldwide. Numerous school cases…
The Supreme Court has rejected any distinction between generic “Judeo-Christian” prayers and more expressly Christian once in all of its cases complicate school-godparent…
Christians living in America today are often told about how depraved society can be, and how the world is falling apart. Some remain lukewarm and apathetic while others do their part to try and improve the world. Still others have become bitter towards secularism, believing that the problems in this country stem from a lack of institutional religiosity. Many of these people proclaim that America would be a better place if only schools led prayer and taught the creation story. Yet these people seem to ignore the how it has been proven time and time again that religion and government never mix well, and in the case of the United States they have never really mixed that much at all.…
Public school administration wants students to feel safe at school, but what if the only way for students to feel safe is for them to pray? You can not just openly take away something that makes children feel safe. Many issues going on now in public school are the rising of shootings and drug and alcohol use. School prayer could help defeat these issues because it can help with the tolerance and make students realize you do not need to be a part of drug and/or alcohol use to be accepted or “popular.” It can also build their mortality to make the right decisions to they do not get peer pressured into the consumption of drug and/or alcohol use.…