Prayer in School

[pgrimes15]

I couldn't be bothered reading the rest of this thread so I don't care if what I say has been said.

I was forced to pray at primary school, I never did though. I have always been an atheist and refused to pray from as young an age as 5. I would get in trouble for making up my own words for hymns aswell. I was overly annoyed that the teachers who would punish me weren't even devout Christians, it is just what everyone had to do. Only something like religion has that kind of menacing hold on people.

Children just shouldn't be exposed to shitty cults. They are too impressionable. I don't care if their parents want them to, they can do it in their own home. A school is for learning, not for practising some bronze age bollocks.

I had prayers and hymns at school as well. I don't remember anyone being told off for not participating, but plenty of times for general mucking about. In my country, there is an established church i.e. the head of state is automatically the head of the church, there are seats reserved for religious leaders in one of the legislative houses, and every school must BY LAW have a daily act of collective worship "of a mainly Christian nature".

Yet the UK is one of the most secular countries in the world. Religion in schools was simply another thing "they" were telling you to do. Ranks of bored teenagers chewing gum and mumbling "Oh God our help in ages past" whilst staring at the floor does not make a Christian country. Americans who want officially organised prayers in school should be careful what they wish for.

Regards

Grimesy