This is in response to the email floating around allegedly from Ben Stein; however, we all know it is just a different version of recycled emails. Before I comment on this email, let me point out that I have no religious preference. In stating that, it does not mean I am atheist nor does it mean I am condemning those who choose to worship in any particular manner. What it does mean is I see religion as something created by man to explain what we are unable to explain. Moreover, as man is imperfect so are his creations. With that said, let me start with the beginning of the email.
In agreement with the author of the email, I have no problem calling “Christmas trees” Christmas trees. Granted, it has nothing what so ever to do with the birth of Jesus Christ, it is nonetheless important to those whom practice Christianity then, so be it. Just as I have no problem calling celebrations for the birth of Christ, Christmas parties or anything else along those lines when concerning Christianity. However, this is where the author and I differ from this point on. I believe in the Ten Commandments for it is the strongest foundation that a civilize world can stand upon. If we as a people do not look at it from a religious perspective but that from a logical one, and accept it as a guideline for how humanity should treat one another then how can we go wrong as a species.
At the same time, I do strongly believe in the separation of church and state. For, one person’s religion is another’s mythology. The author states, that the removal of prayer and reading the Bible from public schools and the removal of religious symbols from our government some how is responsible for how our society is today. First, the only religion that was being practice in the schools and the religious symbols were that of Christianity therefore, it was a form of both oppression and force conversion. In simple terms it meant, “Believe as we do our leave until we are done” for schoolchildren. Second, from the time our great country was founded up until the 1963 Supreme Court ruling how many great acts of evil occurred in or by our nation.
Many of the same evils this email decry occurred well before the abolishment of prayer from school along with Slavery, genocide of the Native Americans, Lynching, to the dropping of two atomic bombs where done before the removal of religion from schools. Yes, our planet faces a moral crisis that may condemn us to extinction and currently religion is one of the catalyses pushing us to it.
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Well Sir James, being raised in a very strict Catholic home, and also being the one in the family that takes chances in life, I have to agree with you on this one. Through the years I have been to many Church's with many different faiths, and money was the first thing always asked for??? I do believe that there is a high being, and I do believe in pray, but not in our schools where it is based on Christianity only. I believe the good old USA is called the melting pot? If this is true, than are classrooms going to separate, where Jewish children are in one room, Catholic in another, Muslim in another, etc. Are we to take a step backwards, when there has been very little progress as I see it from the time of Martin Luther King to now. Yes, some changes have been made but how many? We are raised to think that there is equality for all, than if that is so, how will pray in schools be? Will they make sure each and every re legion is included? Sir James, I must say you really hit this one on the head with a hammer!!!!
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