Let's talk about the Right to Pray amendment in Missouri. Don’t we Americans already have the right to pray (or not pray)? I just returned from a family vacation to Boston where we walked the Freedom Trail. The guide spent much of his time (in character as a settler) talking about religious persecution and religious freedom. I was reminded of our country’s tenuous beginnings in vivid 3D that only the bricks and gilded domes of Boston can unleash. I grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Thomas Jefferson penned the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. Congress looked to this Virginia law, passed in 1786, when drafting the Bill of Rights in 1789. Freedom is more than rhetoric, more than a buzz word, more than an idea. The biggest fallacy in the freedom argument these days is the concept that granting freedom to one means taking it away from another.
I believe in one’s right to pray (or not to pray). It is a common sight where I live to see people bow their heads in the middle of a restaurant to say a prayer before a meal. I’ve worked in an office where prayer was de rigueur before meetings (which carried with it other implications). I grew up with a moment of silence in my school each morning. I keep hearing from Christian friends that they feel persecuted, judged, and under attack. Really? Last I heard, a Christian church wasn’t the site of a hateful bullet riddled attack. I’m not clear who’s under fire here. I haven’t seen any hostility and hate aimed at Christians. Will Amendment 2 in Missouri also protect those who face Mecca to pray? Does this protect those who abstain from prayer? Is this a Christian only amendment? Something reeks of an attack on the separation of church and state here.
I don’t understand this intersection of government and religion. How does government dictating religious freedom create smaller government? Surely there's something clever to add here about old adage “my body is my temple," but I'm not witty enough to come up with it. But I digress ... We already have religious freedom, and our ancestors fought for it. We take it for granted and now interpret religious freedom as Christian only, or worse, “thinking just like me or you’re wrong and should be persecuted.” Missouri’s Amendment 2 is shrouded in something sinister, veiled as religious freedom. Sounds like lawyers will be the real winners here. Missouri should focus instead on boosting its weak economy, one that has shown lackluster improvement compared to the rest of the country in recent years. Simply praying for jobs in a public square isn’t going to be enough.
This post is part of a weekly conversation with our Moms Matter 2012 political bloggers. To see the original question and what the other writers have to say, see Do States Need Right to Pray Amendments?
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Comments 25
I am not a religious person at all - I'm agnostic - but I have to admit, I've seen a plenty of intolerance directed towards Christians. This whole article is a slam against them. Now, personally, I don't care who or what you do or do not pray to, or where you do or don't it. As long as I'm not forced to participate or abstain and you aren't disrupting the lives or livelihood of others, go for it. If there's a place where this law is necessary, that's sad, but give the attitudes reflected in this blog and some of the comments, it's not surprising.
I am saying that if you want school led prayer then you need to send your kids to religious schools
The law isn't about school led prayer, though. It's about personal freedom pray where you want. So if a kid wanted to pray in the cafeteria before having lunch, you think that should be allowed only in a religious school?
@tnyangel-Most Christian's would vote for banning abortion's in their state if they had the chance, I'm sure, but the point is its not on any ballot and it wont be and Christian's get that. What we don't want, is to have to pay for it. Government funds should not be used for abortions or for circumcision's or anything else of the like.
This country was founded as a Christian country that wanted to give other religion's the chance to come here and not be persecuted. Now every Nativity at Christmas time is under attack, and its not right. I believe we have room for all religion's here but we shouldn't forget the value's of our country come directly from Christianity. You might not like that fact, but it is what it is.
I am saying that if you want school led prayer then you need to send your kids to religious schools. I said nothing about if you want to do it yourself. But hey feel free to take that add an attack on religious freedom. Whatever.
i has nothing to do with school led prayer it has to do with if a child wants to bow his head at lunch and thank you Lord for this food the school can not boot him out which HAS been done many times before. It's not school led it is personal prayer doing personal time
The amendment covers much more than a simple right to pray. Did you actually read the text of the amendment, Ilena Ewen, or did you rely on the words of others? Did you notice that it prevents students from required to participate in academic assignments that violate their religious beliefs? Or that it prevents schools from prohibiting voluntary displays of religious belief while on campus? It protects students' rights to express their religious beliefs in written and oral assignments. It protects the rights of public employees, elected officials, and the citizens to pray on government property. It protects the right of government assemblies to invite invocations. Further, it requires all public schools to display the Bill of Rights. If you're going to talk about something inform yourself. Otherwise you look like a fool.
AliNoelle, it isn't a law, it's an amendment to the constitution of Missouri. The laws of Missouri are made pursuant to the Constitution of the state of Missouri.
AliNoelle-Where in the bible does it say to pray in private?