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Separation of Church and State

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Comment I saw on a blog post:

"When I taught school, we had a Tornado warning and had to get under the desks. One 8th grader asked me if he could pray and read his Bible. Another student said "You can't do that in school." My response was "Every student has the right to pray independently, and you may read the Bible during this time if you wish." That child brought God to school with him, and shared his belief as well without infringing on the rights of anyone else. That's what it is all about."


Not sure if this is a true story or not, but regardless, THIS right here is what atheism activism fights for.  It isn't as many Christians say, that we are trying to destroy their religion or force them to stop practicing.  Of course we aren't.  I ask you to please stop perpetuating this lie.  At least let me try to spell out what the goal is.  Public schools are  government funded institutions, and there is a separation of church and state.  This works to protect both your religion (or lack thereof), as well as the government from endorsing any religious institution.  It prevents government from telling you who you can and can't worship, and it prevents religion from telling government what it can and can't do.  It keeps both in check as far as they are concerned with each other.  So when activists attempt to get religious iconography removed from public schools (notice this never happens in private schools), it is not because they are trying to tear down your faith or tell you that you can't practice your religion anymore.  Not at all.  What this is trying to achieve is hold to that separation and not allow the public school to endorse or favor one religion over any others or take sides or put one faith up higher than any other.  That just can't happen in a multicultural and multifaith society.  Period.  You are free to bring your bible to school and read it.  Trust me; I used to do it when I was in school and still religious.  You can still sit down and pray during your free time.  Again, I used to do it all the time.  Your faith is not being stripped from you.  These actions are simply there to show you that your religion, in the public arena, does not and will not trump anyone else’s.  To you it may.  But this is what it means to be part of such a diverse nation.  You have to remember at all times that you share it with people who may not think the same way you do, or worship the same way that you do, or behave the same as you do.  So I sincerely ask that you please stop buying into the fear mongering that is constantly perpetuated by the media that atheists are these awful people trying to rip down and defame your god.
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