Atheist group demands East Tennessee school cease pre-game prayers

[Rocky]

the problem is that they used the school PA system and did it as a part of the school function. If a group of students led a prayer aside from the game and not a part of the actual ballgame activities, they would have been fine. But when a school does it across the PA system and as a part of the actual festivities, its the school sponsoring said religion and thats unethical.

A moment of silence solves all these problems everywhere, for the life of me I cannot understand why people fight against a moment of silence so hard. It keeps everybody happy and does not break any constitutional requirements.

ive seen these same groups trying to stop moments of silence before games/activities because they said that prayer may be going on and thats against their beliefs.............. no ****, ill dig it up when i get back from work in the morning. let me edit this and add before some of you get your panties in a wad, NOWHERE in this thread did i say that ALL atheist groups did this, but that some have tried it before.

[Jason]

Good for them, they needed to be challenged. Just because "that's the way it's always been", doesn't mean it's right, it isn't. It's forcing people to take part in it and before anyone says there's no gun to their head, just don't participate and see what ridicule comes your way, it's worse in other areas - you'd probably lose your **** job. But glad to read see this, a win for the good guys.

Far from being a win for the good guys. Last I checked Satan is definately not a good guy. Thats all I have to say or will say on this matter except the moment of silence part Biggin brought up is the best thing schools can do in this day and time.

[cosmo99]

Rocky, you got me looking for the moment of silence issue too and here are some things I found.

American Atheists | School Prayer FAQs

Texas: Atheist Family Suing Over Minute of Silence Law

Carrollton atheists believe moment of silence is unconstitutional | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth

Judge: Moment-of-silence law unconstitutional - Chicago Breaking News

That is why a "moment of silence" will never work because some atheists still would not be happy..

[Rocky]

straight from the american atheist page.....

What About a "Moment of Silence"?

Q: Well, what about a "Moment of Silence" instead? That way, we don't have to worry about specific prayers?

A: What for? Why do we need a "moment of silence"? School prayer boosters have sometimes proposed this as a way of establishing a legal precedent which, they hope, will eventually lead toward explicit and vocal school prayer. Over a decade ago, the Supreme Court struck down this type of proposal; legislation of this type often calls for the "moment of silence" to be used for "meditation or prayer." Besides, consider the declining number of hours that students are in school each year. Every "moment" should be used for useful and educational instruction, not meditating!

[MikeJones]

I dont blieve in ghosts but I dont get ****ed becuase folks Do ghost hunts. YOU do your thing n I'll do mine.

[Biggin]

I dont blieve in ghosts but I dont get ****ed becuase folks Do ghost hunts. YOU do your thing n I'll do mine.

I totally agree.

so just keep religion and schools completely separate.


and I personally have no problems with the moment of silence, because I know its the best I will ever get in this area. But I completely understand some's objections to it. Not that I totally agree, but understand why the moment of silence is a slippery slope.

[R13]

but wouldnt it be better if you dont agree with something to just NOT take part in it? Why would it bother them to just go about their own beliefs and let the people who pray do their thing? I mean, i dont see a petition going around telling them NOT to come to the games so that they have to miss the oh so evil prayer. **** like this kills me. On the other hand its just as easy to have a silent prayer.

It would be better if it was never taking place to begin with. I have no objections to people praying, let them all they want, no problem there and I fully support that. Just don't inject it in places it doesn't need to be, which a school sponsored one basically, that's my only problem.

Far from being a win for the good guys. Last I checked Satan is definately not a good guy. Thats all I have to say or will say on this matter except the moment of silence part Biggin brought up is the best thing schools can do in this day and time.

Satan? Lol We believe he's non-existent like the other guy too, I always find it funny when people try to equate atheism to satanism.

[cosmo99]

But for something that is non existent, why fight so hard against it. Just let it be, Santa is non existent too but do you fight against him every Christmas or the Easter Bunny on Easter, the leprachaun on St.Patrick's Day, the cherub on Valentine's day.
I guess I just don't get it and probably never will. Just know that you can never stop anyone from praying or believing what they want. You can never get rid of religion. Like I have said before, one day we will see...
I don't want this to turn out to be a long religious debate because it always ends the same and there really is no use in it.

[R13]

Santa doesn't influence legislation that effects the entire country, Santa doesn't try to control others with his beliefs, those can't be compared. No one is trying to stop anyone from praying, and though I'd love to rid the world of religion, I can't and I'm nor anyone else is trying to - they die out with time.

[1inStripes]

False religions are what die out. As for the Satanist/Atheist statement, you are correct, they are not the same group or equal, they just have the same destination.