April 6, 2012
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Removing God from School
So a school attempted to remove God from the song “God Bless the U.S.A.”
The school children were told to sing “We love the U.S.A.” Here is the link: Link
Do you think God needs to be taken out of schools?
So a school attempted to remove God from the song “God Bless the U.S.A.”
The school children were told to sing “We love the U.S.A.” Here is the link: Link
Do you think God needs to be taken out of schools?
Comments (122)
Good grief! Why did they choose that song in the first place?
That’s just plain old silly. Choose a different song if you have a bug up your butt that people believe in God. It’s separation of church and state, not state ignoring that some people believe in a God.
Yes.
It’s always confused me how the democrat say majority rules but when a minority wants something like this done it’s minority rules.(and when I say minority I mean those who don’t believe in God)In other words its their way or the highway! They can all do whatever they want to do to try and take God out of schools,but God goes where He wants LOL
From the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Article III:
Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.
From the first sentence George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclaimation:
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour;
God and America are meant for each other. And religious instruction belongs in school.
Yes
So pick another song!
Who cares?
The best idea the US has ever consented to. I’m native american and it’s people like that above me and the more extreme who I’m ashamed to call my American brethren. They’re no more moral than fucking dinosaurs and George Washington was a pure secularist.
I find the alternative even more offensives. We should be teaching our children to be global citizens, not having them ignorantly profess their love for this war mongering nation.
You know, I don’t believe in God but I’m not offended when a song or whatever includes the word God.
They were allowed to decide if they sing the original words or not, which I think is a perfectly fair compromise. No one should be forced to sing anything they disagree with, and they did learn the original lyrics.
I do think that religion should be removed from school. If muslims made up a large population of a city and would teach islamic values at a school many Christians would freak out.
That is not to say they shouldn’t learn that religion exists of course.
That is so wrong. They should be singing God Bless The Entire World.
God is still in school? Hasn’t he graduated already?
@SKANLYN - I agree actually. What if you don’t love the U.S.A.?
God will come up anyway, even if you try to “take God out of schools.” can’t hide the truth.
I have a lot of opinions.. God out of schools, you off of the internet.. and they’re all correct.
Hm. The song doesn’t offend me and I’m not a Christian.
The song doesn’t offend me, but they could have just chosen a different song and made it easier on themselves.
Sometimes, I think people do this shit just to make a seemingly irrelevant point about church/state issues.
Taking God out of that song is dumb.
Really Dumb.
With a constant capital D.
D.U.M.B.
Dumb.
I remember having to say the Lord’s prayer every morning just after the national anthem, and I had no problem with either. To me it seems that the more God has been taken from schools, the more problems schools have had with student behaviour. There may be a connection…
They seem to make everything difficult :p
Is it the 4th of July already? Where has this year gone?
no, u cant then who wuld i hav prayed to on my math exams. no 1 but jesus.
It’s brainwashing our children and not having a choice in the religious matter. Regardless of their upbringing, it combines the church and state part. I mean, i dont mind enough to need changing and i’m Agnostic. I just dont say that part
Those kids should just do what I did-stay in your chair and don’t sing. Eventually the teachers stopped caring if I did or not. I think people should have the right to sing it or not.
I think God would be too big to fit in any school system.
What about Allah? Cause if we’re home of the freeing it, I want Allah in there too. American Muslims are American.
I was more upset when my school took out the Pepsi and Coke machines but then I went to a religious school so yeah. If people are ticked off about God being taken out of public school, send your kids to a religious school.
Don’t pray in my school and I won’t think in your church! Bottom line, there is a separation of church and state; god shouldn’t even be in the pledge of allegiance.
I think both sides could learn a thing or two about not being so easily offended.
Yes, God needs to be taken out of public schools. However private schools should be able to be religiously affiliated. I have nothing but praise for private roman catholic schools.
The word God represents Alah, Jehovah, etc. If you do not believe in God then get over it, the belief has been here longer than you. The words of any bible speak of love and peace for all man. regardless of your religion. Often do I say “My God” because of the things I have seen and experienced in my life. What most do not like about the word God is that it means one must have standards and morals. We live in a World “U.S.A.”, that is now attemtping to strip you and your hildren of morals and true values of self. People who have no standards are easier controlled……………
Let us fight to keep our faith, and let us be willing to die for our God.
Any establishment that is publicly owned, and/or paid for by taxes, has the responsibility of maintaining religious neutrality. I’d say that it’s ridiculous for people to get upset over including God in something so trivial, but considering issues like gay marriage, abortion, and teaching science in science class, where some Christians seem to think America is more theirs than anyone else’s, and that being the majority gives them the right to push everyone else around, I can see why it might be important to remind them that that is not the case, as often as possible.
<a href=http://www.redwingsmall.com/pavel-datsyuk-men-jersey>Pavel Datsyuk #13
Steve Yzerman #19
Chris Osgood #30
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NO God SHOULD NOT be taken out of school!!!! The kids these days are already so disobedient and rude that it’s crazy!!! Just because some people don’t believe in God doesn’t mean it should be taken away from every child. If you have a problem with religion then homeschool your child. Don’t take away ever childs chance of salvation just because of a couple of idiots!!!
They shouldn’t have chosen that song
1) If they wanted to avoid mention of God
2) If they wanted the kids to sing a non-shitty song
Schools are for learning ABCs and general codes of social conduct… home and church are where you learn about God. If you want God in schools, put the kids in religious school, or in an after school religious program.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - then send your kid to religious school and do not ask me to help you pay to make him MORE ignorant.
@fadeing_hallucinations - Right — those are the the ones that repeatedly allow grown men wearing funny clothes and hats to RAPE young boys and get away with it.
@philbowers - YOU go die fro your God and let my children live in peace! This only proves that Christians are NO BETTER than Islamic extremists!
@amandakristian17 - WHAT?? If you want your child to learn religion then home school him —– do not attempt to force it down the throats of wiser children who no longer believe in fairy tales!
@Captric - Yale, Harvard and all the Ivy colleges were once renown religious schools (check out their school seals). Atheists who don’t like religion in school should immigrate to China or Russia where atheist mass murder and tyranny are the order of the day.
But here in America we love our guns and our religion.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - I have myself been to an “ivy league college” – VILLANOVA – but I am not sure what your point is. The Catholic Church where these Universities are part of a global business – do not require the professors to be religious or even catholic. The Catholic church is also an organization that hides pedophiles and promotes them to special posts at the Vatican – a separatesovereign nation within the confines fo Rome Italy – to protect them from extradition to the US for crimes.
America loves it guns and religion? How do you link the two? I have lots of guns – I was a Marine unlike most hillbillies I know who also own guns -I was a Marine Special Operator and I actually know how to use mine…and I am an ATHEIST. Just like religious people who are lazy thinkers and dishonest intellectuals – people who educate themselves find out about the truth of religious beliefs and history of firearms in the US.
@Captric - My point is that religion is integral to a good education, good government and the pursuit of happiness. I provided links to source documents proving my point.
Your personal opinion about one of your day trips doesn’t compare to the genius that founded the greatest nation on Earth, the United States of America.
It doesn’t need to be in the song or required for students to sing (or sing for that matter) but I don’t think it needs to be removed either.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - My “day trips” have been a REAL education – unlike your mythology and clear lack of understanding of”education” and “mythology” What you call “education” is the poisoning of young minds by greedy adults intent on brainwashing them in to a lifetime of belief in magic and mysticism. Is it any surprise that fewer and fewer and fewer people are buying in to you BS? And is it any surpprise that the “government” you falsley claim is based on rfeligious beliefs OVERWHELMINGLY outlaws the teaching and even the symbols of religion in public schools. Distortions of history occur in the minds of many Christians whenever they see the word “God” embossed in statue or memorial concrete. For example, those who visit the Jefferson Memorial in Washington will read Jefferson’s words engraved: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every from of tyranny over the mind of man.” When they see the word “God” many Christians see this as “proof” of his Christianity without thinking that “God” can have many definitions ranging from nature to supernatural. Yet how many of them realize that this passage aimed at attacking the tyranny of the Christian clergy of Philadelphia, or that Jefferson’s God was not the personal god of Christianity? Those memorial words came from a letter written to Benjamin Rush in 1800 in response to Rush’s warning about the Philadelphia clergy attacking Jefferson (Jefferson was seen as an infidel by his enemies during his election for President). The complete statement reads as follows:”The returning good sense of our country threatens abortion to their hopes, & they [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: & enough too in their opinion, & this is the cause of their printing lying pamphlets against me. . .”Jefferson aimed at laissez-faire liberalism in the name of individual freedom, He felt that any form of government control, not only of religion, but of individual mercantilism consisted of tyranny. He thought that our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions, any more than our opinions in physics or geometry.If anything can clear of the misconceptions of Jeffersonian history, it can come best from the author himself. Although Jefferson had a complex view of religion, too vast for this presentation, the following quotes provide a glimpse of how Thomas Jefferson viewed the corruptions of Christianity and religion.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - And here a few more quotes by just ONE of the foounding fathers — consider this part of YOUR educatuion.
Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
What is it men cannot be made to believe!
-Thomas Jefferson to Richard Henry Lee, April 22, 1786. (on the British regarding America, but quoted here for its universal appeal.)
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787
Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting “Jesus Christ,” so that it would read “A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;” the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination.
-Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, in reference to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom
I concur with you strictly in your opinion of the comparative merits of atheism and demonism, and really see nothing but the latter in the being worshipped by many who think themselves Christians.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Richard Price, Jan. 8, 1789 (Richard Price had written to TJ on Oct. 26. about the harm done by religion and wrote “Would not Society be better without Such religions? Is Atheism less pernicious than Demonism?”)
I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Hopkinson, March 13, 1789
They [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.
-Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between church and State.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT., Jan. 1, 1802
History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.
-Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, Dec. 6, 1813.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - and a few more!
The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it: and such tricks have been played with their text, and with the texts of other books relating to them, that we have a right, from that cause, to entertain much doubt what parts of them are genuine. In the New Testament there is internal evidence that parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds. It is as easy to separate those parts, as to pick out diamonds from dunghills.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, January 24, 1814
Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814
In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Horatio G. Spafford, March 17, 1814
If we did a good act merely from love of God and a belief that it is pleasing to Him, whence arises the morality of the Atheist? …Their virtue, then, must have had some other foundation than the love of God.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Thomas Law, June 13, 1814Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus.”
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp, 30 July, 1816My opinion is that there would never have been an infidel, if there had never been a priest. The artificial structures they have built on the purest of all moral systems, for the purpose of deriving from it pence and power, revolts those who think for themselves, and who read in that system only what is really there.-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Mrs. Samuel H. Smith, August, 6, 1816
You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Ezra Stiles Ely, June 25, 1819
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - and a few more:
As you say of yourself, I too am an Epicurian. I consider the genuine (not the imputed) doctrines of Epicurus as containing everything rational in moral philosophy which Greece and Rome have left us.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short, Oct. 31, 1819
Priests…dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live.
-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Correa de Serra, April 11, 1820Among the sayings and discourses imputed to him [Jesus] by his biographers, I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality, and of the most lovely benevolence; and others again of so much ignorance, so much absurdity, so much untruth, charlatanism, and imposture, as to pronounce it impossible that such contradictions should have proceeded from the same being.-Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short, April 13, 1820
To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of nothings. To say that the human soul, angels, god, are immaterial, is to say they are nothings, or that there is no god, no angels, no soul. I cannot reason otherwise: but I believe I am supported in my creed of materialism by Locke, Tracy, and Stewart. At what age of the Christian church this heresy of immaterialism, this masked atheism, crept in, I do not know. But heresy it certainly is.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, Aug. 15, 1820
Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind.
-Thomas Jefferson to James Smith, 1822.
I can never join Calvin in addressing his god. He was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Daemonism. If ever man worshipped a false god, he did.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823
And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerve in the brain of Jupiter. But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors.
-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823
It is between fifty and sixty years since I read it [the Apocalypse], and I then considered it merely the ravings of a maniac, no more worthy nor capable of explanation than the incoherences of our own nightly dreams.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to General Alexander Smyth, Jan. 17, 1825
May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Roger C. Weightman, June 24, 1826 (in the last letter he penned)
@Captric - Learning from the thinking of the Founding Fathers through source documents is not mythology, it’s authentic scholarship.
And that seems to be something sorely lacking in today’s Ivy league education. Your comment is an example of atheist mythology that has risen up about Thomas Jefferson.
He wrote: ”All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
God was mentioned 4 times in the Declaration of Independence and the attributes of God as the God of Providence, the God of nature and nature’s laws and God the Judge became the model for American government: the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.
The Founder’s wisdom of basing constitutional government on reason instead of faith is not a contradiction since faith and reason must be taken together to form coherent religious beliefs.
And it is from such coherence that morality and justice spring.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - And this is probably my favorite quote and still true today thanks to people like you who are hell bent on handing down your mythology and evil magic from generation to generation and intent on EVERYBODY else doing the same!
“Priests…dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live.”
Thomas Jefferson
@Captric - I said nothing of about being Epicurean. Your comment is an example of your total failure to cope with my argument.
Consequently, you make up your own absurd arguments and then blame them on the opposition.
That is what is called constructing a straw dog.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - you could not have POSSIBLY even read one sentence of what I just said and come to that conclusion. You are NOT an educated man by anyones standard.
@Captric - Another straw dog argument. I made no mention of priests. That is your own concocted absurdity which you then proceed to argue against.
You do that because you have no idea how to address the actual, irrefutable arguments that I, myself, make.
@Captric - With this comment, you have just admitted your inability to express yourself coherently in writing, than you proceed to blame the other person for not understanding you.
Again, you are constructing absurdities because you simply can’t argue against the actual claims and evidence that I present to you.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - what you are is the ancient version of the present day 9-11 conspiracy theorists – intent on keeoing your myth alive for personal gain. There is PLENTY of good and morality and justice in ALL reas of the world by people who RARELY ponder even the existence of a God. Perhaps you should take one of my so called “day trips” and go visit some countries where religion and the teaching of black magic are not encouraged. It is actually BETTER there – more freedom – more morality — better government – educated population – less murder- less wars – less corrupt government – and greater prosperity than the US. Why do you think that is given the lack of religion?????
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - you do not understand the definition of evidence and that is SO typical in religious minds. Look up the word and get back to me with some REAL evidence – not fairy tales and mysticism and unrelated causes and effects.
@Captric - So now you descend into name calling. Why do you find it so impossible to construct actual arguments? Is that all you learned in college, how to construct absurd straw dog arguments and name-call?
@Captric - There is no such thing as a “religious mind”. That is just another absurd concoction of yours.
I have made claims that address the topic of this post and I have supported those claims by citing source documents. That isn’t your “religious mind” at work, it’s how trained scholars operate.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - the difference between mythology ie – your Bible which has NO original volume and has been rewritten thousands of times in hundreds of languages – and threen different versions are inexistence today ——–and thomas Jeffersons Quotes is that you can actually go the library of Congress and read his exact words in the original unedited documents.
It is no wonder we have even AIRLINE CAPTAINS in this country who turn off the radios – tell the first officer that “we need to take a leap of FAITH” and then go back to the cabin and run about and down the aile telling people to PRAY until the passengers finally restrain him!
Straw Man Argument: “A straw man is a component of an argument and is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position.[1] To “attack a straw man” is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by replacing it with a superficially similar yet unequivalent proposition (the “straw man”), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.
I have no idea what a “straw dod” is — except that in your lack of education you borrow phrses and words from others on the internet because you think they mean something. Do you have any original thoughts of your own or does relgion OWN you?
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - you are clearly not a “trained scholar” === you read the Bible and believe what you read – rejecting the facts — that is not scholarly – it is cowardly.
@Captric - There AGAIN you construct an absurdity and assign it to your opposition. You’re trying to derail the discussion into one concerning the validity of the Bible.
Anyone with the least bit of education in world history or the history of religion understands the greatness of the Bible.
Consequently you have constructed another absurdity and are trying to pass it off as some sort of profound truth.
The question is, is America becoming Godless? All to accommodate the prejudice of a small number of people who can’t stand seeing God in our midst…
@Captric - I’ve already given the definition of scholarship and demonstrated it for you. If you deny reality in favor of absurdity after absurdity then no further discussion is possible.
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/american-school-to-let-students-sing-god-bless-the-usa-after-censorship-furor/story-e6frfku0-1226320579661
They changed their mind on this leaving it to individual choice to sing or not sing the words.
Why would I want to pray with people of different faiths and different beliefs? It seems to me we would be praying to different Gods and, to me, that is sacrilegious. Having a public figure lead my elementary age child in a sacrilegious group prayer is an infringement of my religious beliefs and freedom. I do not want people who have beliefs different from mine educating my children in their beliefs. Any prayer sponsored by the government seems secular to me.
If would seem to me that Lutherans would not want Catholics leading their children in prayer or vice-versa. Without separation of church and state we would be having public funds employing nuns to teach in public schools.
Think it through—keep religion out of public schools. Why do you think parochial schools got started?
How can you take God out of schools? God is omnipresent, right? God’s still there, I promise.
This nation was built upon a simple-to-understand foundation: that we are “endowed by OUR CREATOR with certain inalienable rights.” Anyone who can’t grasp the reality of “our Creator” is simply UN American. Greenwood’s song celebrates the fact that real Americans always have, still do and always will ask for God’s blessings upon our nation. And that fact should be taught to every fourth grader in our public school systems, however they may conceive of God or not. Anyone offended by my words? I couldn’t care less!
No religious ideology should ever be promulgated by a government run,
government funded institution. Missionaries and proselytizers are free
to roam the streets and build their own institutions that are not
connected to the united states federal government, nor to state and
local governments. Telling atheists to leave America because you
disagree with them is unamerican. Religious freedom means nobody
controls what anyone else believes. If you use public schools to push
your religion, you are violating everyone’s freedom of religion.
Schools are not teaching atheism, there is no reason whatsoever to make
them teach god.
Hail Satan.
@JerusalemHill - Are you kidding? Then again, it IS possible to be that stupid.
http://in-reason-i-trust.xanga.com/622925388/item/
Everything you said is DEAD WRONG. There’s really no other way to say it. Moron.
i think santa shouldn’t be allowed in school…
kids shouldn’t have a fat guy as someone to look up to
@Captric - Don’t bother trying to have any sort of half intelligent conversation with that guy.
http://in-reason-i-trust.xanga.com/photos/d8dad276607559/#filmstriptitle
http://in-reason-i-trust.xanga.com/photos/d0289275619814/#filmstriptitle
http://celestial-teapot.xanga.com/739127035/lobornlyte-is-a-man-and-i-can-prove-it/
http://in-reason-i-trust.xanga.com/749223115/i-had-a-glimmer-of-hope/
He’s a delusional, ignorant bigot, and an identity thief.
@In_Reason_I_Trust - Ha ha ha hah ha —- now THATS funny!! Trying to draw a false picture using evidence that does not apply is a typical Christian value. people who. But then what do you expect from people who believe that if you participate in a pagan religion ritual of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of a Jewish zombie that you are going to live forever. The arrogance of Christians in this country is astounding. Praying fervently to the mythical gods and reciting Medieval phrases from a story book of magic and mythology from a time when a wooden wheeled donkey cart was high technology. I say give up your cell phone, GPS, automobile, air conditioning, modern medicine and drugs, and pray to your local Shaman for your needs. I will laugh if you last a week!!!
@JerusalemHill - Well you better care because the days of people with your mind set – trying to invoke the spirits of the founding fathers from an age when disease was still thought to be from sin – and apply it in the 21st century education are at an end my friend. Take a back seat to science and mathematically correct thinking and enjoy you GPS, cell phone, air conditioning, electricity and your computer that you try to use to spread ignorance and fear and keep a stone age myth alive for your own personal benefit.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway - Jefferson was talking about Christians and how he despised them
oy. the sort of verbal gymnastics people go through to avoid mentioning the politically incorrect word; it’s like the apocryphal feminist who objects to the word “his”tory.
we are turning into a godless nation. slowly but surely, the heat is being turned up in this country. soon we will boil and not even realize that we were being cooked. yeah, go ahead and take god out of EVERYTHING. lets allow ONE “offended” student claim that the name “god” hurts their feelings and change a centuries-old belief system. after all, aren’t we the new and improved, politically-correct america?
@Captric - I agree with Jefferson concerning certain Christians. They are called “fideists”. Fideists believe in “faith only” and like atheists throw reason out the window.
Fideists are not able to hold rational discussions because they are only concerned with dogma.
I think people shouldn’t be forced to do something if they don’t want to… like looking at a post poking some fun at one of Xanga’s most popular authors… wait, what was that? *whistles innocently* hehehehehehehehe
Of course it does.
I don’t really think God can ever be taken out of schools entirely. I think they should be separated as best as possible, but teachers are human, humans have beliefs, and we’re all awful at being objective. I guess it’s fine that they wanted to change the song, because their intentions seem good, but separating church and education and removing all traces of the word “God” are entirely different things.
Religion is a real thing out there in the real world, and education’s job is SUPPOSEDLY to inform us about the world. Pretending like religion doesn’t exist seems quite the overreaction!
@Captric - But it is ok to kill people in Iraq, Afghan, Viet Nam in the name of Freedom and democracy? My God tyells me to love all, even you, yet my God does not tell me to shut my eyes to truth. America today is as the “Roman Empire”. Ok, leave God out of it, how about Old Fashion Standards????
We don’t need religion taught in non-religious public schools. It is impossible to remove God from anything, because It is independent of all the idolatrous nonsense and distractions going on in our culture. I like the Lee Greenwood song, even though I am not patriotic. I think it’s inappropriate to change the song as it was meant to be sung. There are other songs.
@amandakristian17 - If you want god in your kids lives then take them to church, send them to a private religious school or homeschool YOUR children- DO NOT force the rest of American kids attending tax-payer funded PUBLIC schools to waste their time on your god. And disobedient/rude kids has far more to do with parenting than schooling,
Okay.. separation of church & state is exactly that. God should not be anywhere in STATE funded schools. You can agree or disagree all you want on that, if you have a problem with that & have children – put ‘em in a private school or get use to the fact that “God Bless America” in the national anthem will continuously be under fire. Some schools employ the method of “Now you have a choice on whether or not you wish to stand up & say the word “God” during the national anthem.” However, that strategy tends to implicate & point out the “bad” kids. The “Non-God” kids. Which in turn can cause bullying & stress. Just because the separation of church & state is around, doesn’t mean that people are “ignoring” or hurting those who believe in God. It’s abiding by the rules that churches can’t impose their beliefs onto others & forcing every school kid to say “God Bless America” & having that term in the anthem is forcing them to possibly go against their or their family’sbeliefs.
its weird how you always present one situation, but then target the question in almost an irrelevant, but yet merely craftily re-focussed way. its like a gift lol
I think God needs to be taken out of a lot of things, but I remember singing this in elementary school while my 5th grade teacher played along on the piano. I thought it was a beautiful melody, not really thinking about the words I was singing. It’s a pretty song, but not because of the “meaning”. At least not to me.
♥L
-SM
@philbowers - Perhaps you misunderstood me – I am in total agreement with you.But God DID say to kill your enemies and that is why I – personally – do not believe in a God at all. What sort of God tells people to stone their neighbors or kill their children if they do not believe in his brand of religion?
“It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 9:5
“You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Deuteronomy 12:31
In some instances, God ordered the killing of entire populations, presumably including the killing of babies and children. Isn’t God unrighteous in killing these innocent little ones? First of all, the Bible indicates that all people are sinners including babies, and worthy of judgment. However, the Bible also indicates that children are incapable of making moral choices, so that they are automatically rewarded with heaven. So, in having babies killed, God is actually doing them a favor, since, if they had grown up opposed to God, they would have gone to hell. If God were to have spared some of the children, it would have been difficult to determine the cutoff age. A one-year old is probably still relatively uncorrupted by his parents, but what about a two-year old? I have personally seen a number of spoiled two-year olds who had already been corrupted by their parents. In a society where moral corruption abounds, the corruption of the children would be early and severe. God was very clear that he did not want the sons and daughters of the corrupted peoples to marry the sons and daughters of the Israelites to lead them astray through false worship. Even so, there are many examples of the Israelites being polluted in their worship by the surrounding peoples.
@Composing_Life - A godless nation is a successful nation……look at china who is eating our lunch, turning out more multimillionaire entrepreneurs per year than ANY country on planet earth — they are fighting NO religious Crusades anywhere in the world and consequently putting those trillions of US Dollar equivalent Yuan in to improving the lives of their people. I lived there for three months last year —- the police do not even have to carry guns on the street because they are treated like uncles and treat people back the same way. Unlike the US where the cops can legally KICK down your door and arrest you if you curse loudly!!!! And tens of thousands of people are nurdered every year.
It does seem silly. Yes, there is a reference to God, but it’s a harmless, fluffy reference. Most people who do not believe in God aren’t so insecure in their beliefs (unbeliefs?) that being confronted with the fact that some people are different from them is threatening. The remainder have serious issues dealing with a diverse country, not to mention adult life.
I believe in God, but i don’t think kids have to sing his praise every morning. It also (i’d imagine) makes an awkward topic for non-believing parents. I’d rather kids sing that they love helping, or something like that.
It almost sounds crazy to have them singing about their love for a nation. It just reminds me of watching North Korea documentaries. (not to say the motives are one in the same)
@Benjamin888 - How can you be a ‘native American’? Oh, you were born in the USA? Alrighty then.
@philbowers - Iraq was for the oil, Vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism and Afghanistan was to make Al Queda our bitches. This is called GEOPOLITICS. Completely different.
Songs should be sung about the State in public schools, and even private schools. After all, are they not located within the confines of the United States of America? As a fascist, I do believe this should be the case. Crush God, and make the State all-powerful.
@Landon76 - You are comparing North Korea with this situation? Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
We need God in every single school from PreSchool, to Kgarden, 1-12 throught post Doctorate. His removal has been the demise of America.
Allah….the one true God of Course. Praise be to Allah!!!!
Alu Akbar!!!!
I wonder if God has even registered to attend any of these schools folks are trying to remove him from.
Personally I don’t think it’s right how oppressed the christian religion is….
I mean is the US a free country or not?We have so many frickin toleration laws for other religions.I mean, damn….It’s getting old.
NO! God should never be removed from schools because that’s discrimination.I’m a whole hearted born again Christian and I say if you don’t care for God then tolerate us because we are here to stay.
Yes, school is not a place for religion.
@mtk101 - What about our freedoms?
“Separation of Church and State” is being majorly misunderstood. It originated when Henry the VII defied the Church and decided that the Church could no longer control the state nor could the state control the church..That is the REAL definition of it….geesh
@BioTyger - I say that to avoid further arguments from those who are offended from religious things like lyrics to a song. It should be the childs choice to sing the actual lyrics if they want to. It should be a choice not a law for them to sing the fixed lyrics or not.
@mtk101 - I agree with you, I don’t think that the child should be forced to sing the lyrics.
I didn’t wish to start an argument and thank you for being willing to talk it out x3
@BioTyger - Not a problem
First thing, choose another song (like MANY others have said). Second, yes I do. Over the years, public schools have become a vast melting pot of students with varying races, cultures, religions, and traditions. I don’t think (public) schools should stop acting like Christianity is the only religion and there is only ONE ‘God’. That should stay in Christian/Catholic school
that’s ridiculous. don’t change the song, just pick a different one if everyone’s so butthurt about the word God.
I think they should have just chose a different song. What an odd choice for a song if you didn’t want “God” being muttered in the first place.
I stand neutral on removing God from (public) school. While we shouldn’t removed God, we also shouldn’t be forcing it on students either. That’s why during the Pledge of Allegiance, I didn’t say “under God”, but said everything else. If people want to mention God, it’s fine with me. Just don’t make me mention it if I don’t want to.
@ShimmerBodyCream - Save me Jebus!
See, one thing I don’t agree with as it pertains to the “OMG get God out of school!!1!” crowd is this…
Religion, for better or for worse, plays many integral roles in world history. In teaching history to the youth of tomorrow, does it not act as a grave disservice to them to neglect a large portion of it? I get it… we don’t want to bog down history classes with religious talk. So, in order to help students understand the past events, what is the harm in teaching them about different religions? Would a World Religions course, particularly to add context to historical events, really be that bad?
Of course, I expect some ignorant, closed-minded, self-proclaimed “thinkers” to refute these points.
God belongs in church, it has no place in our schools.
@Garistotle - offering a world religion class might not be a bad idea except the devil is in the details. to be fair it should include the atheist and agnostic views as well. the main problem i see is there are so many religions it would be difficult to include them all. what if a child is from a Sufi or Bahai faith? will that child feel ostracized when his or her religion is not included in the curriculum? adding to the problem is there are so many disagreeing factions existent in every religion. when we reached 6th grade my best friend was put into Catholic School. on the first day his class was told by the nun, Catholics are going to heaven and all other Christians are going to hell. how should a public school teacher address that issue without insulting some child and some child’s parents?
I think if they want to include one god, they should be allowed to include all of them. I couldn’t imagine the backlash if they said gods instead of god, even though saying gods could mean including all gods. It should be all or none.
Wrong question. The question should be “Should the Christian god be taken out of school?” And the answer is yes. If you can’t use the other names for a god, like Yahway or Shiva, or Allah, then it shouldn’t be used.
Besides, to make it “We love the USA makes it much more personable and preferable.
@TheSutraDude - In grade 11 (I went to Catholic School all my life and had one “Sister” teacher in that 15 years), we had a World Religions class that was relatively all-encompassing, though the bulk of it centered on the “big three”, so to speak: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. And if it can’t all be done in one regular term, I still think there’s value in having a prolonged course (much the way History itself is taught over years). Certainly something worth thinking about.
@Garistotle - it is worth thinking about. the big three would have to include Buddhism, probably Hinduism and perhaps atheism/agnosticism based on populations practicing. when we in the U.S. are lagging behind other countries in science, math, reading and languages can we afford to take up more air in public schools with world religion though? again, how many parents are going to be upset that their children are being taught the value of various religions and atheism not taught at home? theoretically it certainly could be of value for children to learn the value of religions and belief systems their parents or houses of worships are unable or unwilling to share with them but in practice it might be another matter. do people in a secular nation want to put tax dollars into it? which form of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism do parents want their children to be taught about in school. when the friend i mentioned earlier came home from school that first day and told me he was taught only Catholics are going to heaven he told me he believed i was going to heaven too because i’m a good person. that was one sixth grader to another. where does one draw the line in teaching religion? will there be such bias? it is one thing to teach a child multiplication tables and how many inches to a foot/feet to a yard. it’s quite another to teach a child his friends are going to hell because they don’t subscribe to the same religion.
It amazes me how offensive the concept of God is to society today.Tell people you have faith,believe in a God and you are mocked.Being Godless seems to be the in thing these days.Personally the horrific state of this country,of this planet is because we dont want God anywhere near us.God is doing exactly what we are asking .Not interfering.Hows that working so far?? I am not talking about a God whose name is tied to any radical religion either.My concept of God is a very personal,spiritual part of my life.Religion has destroyed more people’s faith than anything else leaving them feeling judged and turned off by the heinous acts of supposed Godly men.Leave God alone and go after the ones who so badly represent him.
they should write another song if they’re gonna be picky
@Garistotle - I think a world religions course would be an excellent idea, not just for the reasons you stated, but to help kids understand how other people think, since religion really does influence a lot of people. I don’t think pretending it doesn’t exist or telling kids it’s all “evil” is very helpful in the long run. If I have a child, I want him/her to know about religion, not because I hope my child will choose a particular one, but so he/she can understand people, understand beliefs, and make their own decision about his/her life philosophy. I also think most religions have things we can learn from them. For instance, many forms of Paganism have a strong emphasis on caring for the planet. Most people would consider that a good thing, even if they don’t believe in gods/goddesses/spirits/etc. A lot of Christian groups put a lot of emphasis on charity. Maybe a person doesn’t agree that you have to believe in Jesus or you’ll go to hell, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t get something good out of learning about Christianity. (And that’s not to say that only Pagans care about the environment, or only Christians care about charity, but those things are an important part of those religions for a lot of people who believe in them).
So no, I don’t think “God” should be out of the classroom. I just think there’s a difference between talking about him/her/it/them and trying to convert public school students to a particular view.
@DANKNIGHT - Yeah no more slavery or bartering women like cattle, things are going so bad now that the country is 1/4 secular. Clearly the 1/4th of america that doesn’t believe in god and is represented by 0.2% of congress (rounding up) is to blame for the ills of society.
NOT talking about religion.Thanks for your views.I said what I felt.Not going to argue or debate anyone on what is in my heart,nor would I do it to anyone else.
I’m sad that I missed this entry.
Ha. I love it when people get bent out of shape and howl that God is being removed from the schools. God is everywhere. What is in terribly short supply is some so-called Christian followers’ FAITH. If they have faith in God then there is no need to get one’s holy drawers in a wad over some silly political correctness move.
yes. if it is supposed to be a patriotic song, it should reflect the love and respect one (citizen) has for his/her country. it has nothing to do with god, as it may makes it sound religious. a country consists of citizens of various religions, thus it is best to avoid a national song to include a “religious” connotation, so not to outcast certain people with a different religious belief whom may be proud to be a citizen of his/her own country.
Yes, I think religion should be taken out of schools.