Warning!! Don't bother opening if you're not of the Christian Faith:>)

[Quail_Antwerp]

I am for religious freedoms, no matter what you believe.

If someone in a school is atheist, pagan, or some other religion, and they don't want to say Under God in our pledge, then they can just not say that part, but don't take it out for those who do want to say it.

I used to carry my Bible to school when I was in Highschool. My fellow friends of the same beliefs as me and I met in the library before morning homeroom and had a short bible study and time of prayer. We allowed any of our friends who wanted to join us join, and those who didn't, we visited with after we were done.

I must say since that time I had allowed my God to go by the wayside, never really stopped believing in Him, I just became part of the world, and even dabbled in paganism/wiccan beliefs. Wrecking my car TWICE in ONE day woke me up!

But even at that, I didn't really come back to God until probably the last year, and once one leaves that path it isn't all cake and icing getting back where you should be!

 

[Beekissed]

Feels good coming home though, doesn't it?

I'm readjusting to that closeness and obedience every day and still struggle with control issues. Very hard for someone who has always had to run the show in the family, to stop trying and come to the realization that I never did have to "run the show"....could have been letting Him do it along!

 

[1acrefarm]

I am not of the Christian or any faith. Religion does not bother me as long as it is not government sponsored. If a child wants to pray in the classroom fine but don't encourage the whole class to do it in a taxpayer funded school. We are supposed to have separation of church and state not separation of church and airwaves. I do not believe in censorship of any type. I believe they should be able to put religious shows as well as shows that would upset religious people on network tv. Some of the same people that say you need to have the church on tv flip out and call the fcc when you have Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunctions and that is wrong. They have the power to change the channel from Janet to Joel. No government mandated censorship or government sponsoring religion should be acceptable. None. The thing about religous shows being banned is a hoax anyway. Enjoy your religious shows but please leave the non religious shows alone.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Beekissed, yes it does feel wonderful. And He has blessed my life so much, with a wonderul (let me stress on that again) a wonderful husband, with 5 beautiful children, a paid for home, acerage, lots of animals, and a cozy blanket of love!

 

[Beekissed]

Beekissed, yes it does feel wonderful. And He has blessed my life so much, with a wonderul (let me stress on that again) a wonderful husband, with 5 beautiful children, a paid for home, acerage, lots of animals, and a cozy blanket of love!

That is truly blessed, I must say! Like the prodigal son and the fatted calf, huh? I, too, have been blessed with my children and the beautiful area in which we live. Thankful for this all the time!

 

[Homesteadmom]

I am not of the Christian or any faith. Religion does not bother me as long as it is not government sponsored. If a child wants to pray in the classroom fine but don't encourage the whole class to do it in a taxpayer funded school. We are supposed to have separation of church and state not separation of church and airwaves. No government mandated censorship or government sponsoring religion should be acceptable. None. The thing about religous shows being banned is a hoax anyway. Enjoy your religious shows but please leave the non religious shows alone.

We do not have a seperation of church & state in this country! Our constitution says "no laws shall be made about religion" that means they cannot ban any religious activity in anyway shape or form. And if you look at all the buildings that were built(gov't) in DC you will find scripture all over them all.
And as to the "hoax" it is not a hoax, just like if Obama gets elected we will lose all the radio talk shows & most of the Fox news shows will be banned. As they all deal with telling the truth about our gov't.

 

[reinbeau]

Actually the separation of church and state is an interpretation by Thomas Jefferson sent to the Danbury Baptists. You can read more about it here. While I understand the intent, what's being done now is a twisting of that intent, to try to drive all signs of religion (and yes, specifically, Christianity) from our society.

I could go on and on with arguments for and against the thought - this is something I've been reading and writing about for years on my Pantheism groups (I am a Pantheist). My whole point has been fine, get rid of the bible and all of its teachings - then what will be the compass you guide our children with? I don't want to offend any of you who believe, trust me, I have nothing against it, and I understand what the bible has been to people throughout the ages (don't get started with what's wrong with the bible, that's besides the point right now and a whole 'nother tirade can follow - I don't want to bash anything here!) A new compass hasn't been written.

Do we need the bible anymore? Many think so. As long as that need is there it should remain a part of society. It definitely gave me my foundations, and I'm thankful for them. My problem with the bible comes not from my disagreement with the morals, but with the science that we've learned since it was written, and that's all I'll say on this forum about that.

I hope those of you who believe can accept my support without trying to convince me otherwise, just as I respect your right to believe.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm sort of with you, Ann. I'm a Christian and I know this country was founded on the Christian faith, and I like that we have prayer in school, etc. What I don't like is not having a choice about what is forced upon our children, no more than an atheist like prayers in school.

When they teach the Theory of Evolution in school but refuse to teach Creationism, this doesn't make sense to me. To try to eradicate everything Christian from schools and government, but advocate other religions and theories, and say we cannot discriminate against them is a big double standard.

Personally, I teach my children about faith and I don't need the schools to do so. But...our Pledge of Allegiance is part of our country's history and foundation, and I don't think it should be messed with. No matter what anyone believes, like it or not, this country has a history deeply ingrained with the Christian faith and this is where we live.

If I lived in a nation that was founded on Buddhism, I would expect to participate in their Pledge of Allegience, if they had such a thing, as this is part of their history and country, and they shouldn't be expected to tailor that to MY beliefs.

These children aren't being forced to SAY it, merely to participate by holding their hands over their hearts and facing the flag. Noone can really force them to say, "Under God...". Same with the prayers...they can stand quietly and listen, noone is forcing them to actually SAY a prayer.

 

[Zenbirder]

These children aren't being forced to SAY it, merely to participate by holding their hands over their hearts and facing the flag. Noone can really force them to say, "Under God...". Same with the prayers...they can stand quietly and listen, noone is forcing them to actually SAY a prayer.

I don't know how true this is today, although I hope it is... around 40 years ago the kids in school followed me off the bus to beat me up just for remaining silent. In those days bullying was tolerated and condoned by many parents and schools. If you didn't attend one of the Christian churches in the town you were outcast and deemed suspect of being a tool of the underworld. I never spoke any religeous views, just was silent. I dropped out of high school and got my GED because the problem was so bad.

I really understand reinbeau's comment on the Bible and science, a lot has changed since the book was written down so long ago. May all of you who wish to own one be able to do so for eternity. I also own a couple as important reference books.

 

[1acrefarm]

We do not have a seperation of church & state in this country!

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate 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.

Tell this author of the declaration of independence that.

My parents had given me betimes religions impressions, and I received from my infancy a pious education in the principles of Calvinism. But scarcely was I arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself.

. . . Some books against Deism fell into my hands. . . It happened that they wrought an effect on my quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist.

Those who say this country was founded on religion should do a search on Treaty of Tripoli and check out article 11. I could keep adding to this but I don't have time to post many books of quotes and such from the founding fathers many of which were deist not Christian that shows this country was not founded on religion.