On January 11th, 2012, a federal judge ordered the immediate removal of a prayer mural displayed in the auditorium of a Rhode Island public high school. A teenage atheist had sued the city of Cranston, RI and Cranston High School West officials, demanding that they remove the banner because it promotes a religion. She called it offensive to non-Christians. Her attorneys argued that the banner is a violation of the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s 1962 decision banning state-mandated prayer in school.
People just don’t get it. The separation of church and state in the constitution means that the government cannot mandate a state religion, not that one’s faith cannot be expressed, or that morality cannot be honored. The 1962 decision banned mandated prayer, not the display of moral encouragement that would have made our founders proud. Here’s the prayer:
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, GRANT US EACH DAY THE DESIRE TO DO OUR BEST, TO GROW MENTALLY AND MORALLY AS WELL AS PHYSICALLY, TO BE KIND AND HELPFUL TO OUR CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS, TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES AS WELL AS WITH OTHERS, HELP US TO BE GOOD SPORTS AND SMILE WHEN WE LOSE AS WELL AS WHEN WE WIN, TEACH US THE VALUE OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP, HELP US ALWAYS TO CONDUCT OURSELVES SO AS TO BRING CREDIT TO CRANSTON HIGH SCHOOL WEST. AMEN
Is it offensive to do our best; to grow mentally and morally; to be kind and helpful; to be honest; and, to be good sports? This is a great prayer, and the judge’s decision is just sad. At least I’m still allowed to post it here.