A moment of silence during a graduation ceremony for Exeter High School Friday night was interrupted with an outburst of prayer. During a planned moment of silence at the Exeter Union High School stadium, some spectators violated that silence, by reciting the Lord's Prayer.
It sounds like an obnoxious display, an intolerant and rude Christian faction forcing their superstitious ignorance upon all with ears to hear.
According to reports, only some of the spectators, and few if any of the students, forced their narrow minded religious convictions on an audience that was, at least in part, unwilling and unwelcoming to the sectarian message.
The unsolicited prayer at the Exeter High School graduation comes after some controversy. The issue of prayer at the Tulare County high school has been in the news of late. On Tuesday, the Exeter Union High School District Board voted 3 to 2 to ban prayer from Friday's graduation ceremony. The decision was made after three organizations sent the district letters, warning such prayers violate a student's constitutional rights.
The three organizations: Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League; were right to inform the district of objections to a planned graduation prayer.
Christian prayers do not belong anywhere near a public school function. The arrogance of some Christians who believe they can force their religious beliefs on everyone else simply must end. It is an affront to what this country stands for.
The episode represents a most obnoxious display of Christian imperialism. It is a case of spiritual bullying, and it is shameful.
Comments
Don't get yer knickers in a twist lovee. No harm no foul.
Deal with it, Theophobe.
That's terrible. Was anybody killed or injured?
Don,t worry I will pray for them.
I can see how we have to fight against people trying to impose their values on others. Speaking of impositions, for example, the three anti-prayer groups and the school district. Best way to fight them is with prayer eh?
Does the phrase "free exercise thereof" ring a bell?
Of course Christians think they can impose their prayers on everyone else, but if the prayer was Buddhist or Muslim the same people would be going crazy.
Proof positive of Christian hypocrisy.
Thanks for the post.
There's never a hungry lion around when you need one.
Free exercise of religion does not mean being a douchebag. I have no problem believing that a great many Christers in this country are douchebags because, well, you just have to look around, but if you're going to be a douchebag then you need to deal with the fact that people will treat you like a douchebag.
The Roman Lucullus observed 2000 years ago that Christians back then didn't have any manners or breeding; that they were rude, obnoxious, and lacked in any of the necessary social graces that were expected of citizens; and that, even though they weren't citizens as a rule but just a bunch of peasants, they acted like them in terms of being overly familiar and generally offended everyone outside their group. 2000 years later, and there's really not a lot that's changed.
Shamhamforash, christers.
If my daughter had been in that graduating class, there'd be a lawsuit in process right now.
They prayed? Out loud? Oh how the others must have suffered! Oh the trauma on all the poor Atheists. You poor babies! How the thought that there are people who trust in God must torment you!
I'm wet with compassion.
Someday Christians will actually read the bible. Matthew 6:1-6; 1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you
It still amazes me how hypocritical so-called Christians are. They routinely break most of their so-called commandments but as long as it's them doing it, it's ok. Just don't let them catch you breaking any! They'll point their crooked little index finger at you and say "Your going to Hell!"
I'm surrounded by religious nutjobs!
The disrespect for the Constitution is appalling.
"Free exercise thereof" does not mean that one can do anything anywhere just because it's called religion. Their behavior was completely uncalled for.
It's disrepectful of religion too. All the great religions have some version of the golden rule.
Joe, Incredulous, Tom and others
Would you be as happy about this disruption if instead of Christians, it was Muslims that stood up and disrupted the "moment of silence", which was meant to give all religious people the opportunity to silently pray as their religion proscribes, with their prayers?
This isn't about banning prayer as some Christians like to complain. It's about letting everyone believe and worship or not as they choose, without others forcing their own religions on them. And more importantly it about preventing people of authority (government employees) from pushing their religion on others, (or would you want a teacher, teaching your children to be good Hindus? - no harm no foul, right?)
"I have told this to few people, gentlemen, and I suspect never will again, but one day when I was a young boy on holiday in Uberwald I was walking along the bank of a stream when I saw a mother otter with her cubs. A very endearing sight, I’m sure you will agree, and even as I watched, the mother otter dived into the water and came up with a plump salmon, which she subdued and dragged on to a half-submerged log. As she ate it, while of course it was still alive, the body split and I remember to this day the sweet pinkness of its roes as they spilled out, much to the delight of the baby otters who scrambled over themselves to feed on the delicacy. One of nature’s wonders, gentlemen: mother and children dining upon mother and children. And that’s when I first learned about evil. It is built in to the very nature of the universe. Every world spins in pain.
"If there is any kind of supreme being, I told myself, it is up to all of us to become his moral superior."
– Lord Vetinari
Christian prayers are banned, because people do not want Christian religion forced down their throats!! But does that stop them from forcing New Age religion down our throats??NO it doesnt. If religion is to be taken out of the schools then that should include ALL religions. Not just christianity.
Rumor says:
"Christian prayers are banned, because people do not want Christian religion forced down their throats!! But does that stop them from forcing New Age religion down our throats??NO it doesn't. If religion is to be taken out of the schools then that should include ALL religions. Not just Christianity."
Rumor, you are just clueless! All school officials are restricted from pushing any religious viewpoint (not just Christian) on their students, and that includes leading them in prayer. All individuals in the school are however allowed to pray on their own (in quiet). That's what this moment of silence was all about, allowing each to say a silent prayer, based on their own religion, if they so chose. Those that disrupted the moment of silence, where attempting to force their religion on others.
this article is stereotypical
rumor is not at all smart he just wants to insults christans what Steve said was right
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." --Matt. 6:5
In a society where we all are different, we need to respect each other and our boundaries. Also, this Christians being educated in their own holy book would have been nice. I don't think that Jesus would have done the same thing they did.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!