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April Wisdom
North Miami Beach, Florida 4-1-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
APRIL WISDOM
I love words. Words are thoughts given substance and reality. Words can be
used to help or harm. For instance.
The recent Supreme Court decisions about the use of prayer in public
venues - particularly in schools - brings to mind some words. Prayer means
a lot to prayerful people. They do it a lot in their lives and live for and
by it. I believe that people who pray intend the prayers to intercede for
themselves or others. They pray to a force often described as "God". No
one knows exactly what or who God is but they have a deep feeling that God
exists and can change the way things are to the way they want. There is
little proof to be shown that prayer directly works. One response is that
"God works in mysterious ways." Many people appeal to saints as surrogates
for God to intercede for them. No one knows if these appeals work. Belief
in them goes on in a wholesale way while debate is suppressed.
If groups of students wish to pray in school without adult instigation I
say let them. Official ordering of prayer is proscribed by our nation's
long- standing and correct separation of church and state. Prayer is a good
idea. However, if groups of students are allowed to pray together, will the
powers that be also permit groups of students who wish to get together,
study and advocate 1. Communism, 2. Abortion, 3. Atheism, 4. World
Federalism, and/or 5. Secessionism? These are good ideas and ideas have
power.
For some reason religion in the schools is thought of as "religion AND the
schools", as though they belong together. There is a reason for this because
religious groups controlled education in the formative years of this
country. School is not thought of as an arena to try out ideas. Schools are
used to impose the beliefs of one generation upon another. Debate about
ideas such as communism, abortion, atheism, world federation and
secessionism is not welcomed in schools and such debate should be welcome.
People are often afraid of thinking freely. If talking about thoughts and
ideas is allowed, will this make ideas real and will change be loosed in the
world? Will this be good? What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: 9.5 out of 10.
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