Posted on 11/23/2005 10:30:31 AM PST by AZRepublican
In May of this year, a Jonesboro student gave a prayer during a high school graduation ceremony at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center. During the prayer, which lasted four minutes, she gave an altar call to the community, asking those in the audience to come forward to accept Jesus Christ.
In the closing moments of this service, if you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, here's your chance, said senior Jessica Reed in a May 20, 2005 taped video of JHS graduation ceremonies.
We were contacted sometime after that by the American Civil Liberties Union that they felt like there had been a violation of the First Amendment, separation of church and state with regard to a prayer, said Jonesboro Public Schools Attorney Donn Mixon.
And now the ACLU is looking for a plaintiff in a case against Jonesboro High School. In a letter written by the Arkansas ACLU executive director Rita Sklar, the event is described as a blatant display of contempt for the First Amendment.
(Excerpt) Read more at kait8.com ...
Dave, what you think is inappropriate is still Constitutionally permitted, if not required. Yours is a narrow, sectarian view anyway and not worthy of elevation to the level of public policy.
Me, too. While the ACLU is often wrong, I don't think they were this time. And if you can't see that, then you simply don't know what you're talking about.
Sounds like you're expressing your opinion. She was given the bully pulpit - let her express her opinion.
You are welcome to disagree - your opinion...
People can leave or boycott their own (or their children's) graduation ceremony because some nut decides to turn her speech into a church service?
Get a grip. A simple prayer or words about God would be fine. Asking for converts right then and there is stupid. The kind of stupid that gets everyone punished. The next kid who just wants to thnk God won't be allowed cause this idiot pulled this stunt.
SD
Glad Jessica Reed did that...
seniors entering this crazy world need Jesus, we all do.
Quote: "Actually it's simply no longer possible to be a Democrat and a true Christian."
Yet, the dems are trying to argue the opposite, nmely, that true christianity is reflected by liberal ideals (if there are any). Everytime the ACLU files a lawsuit like this, they just relegate the dem attempts to futility.
She did more than express an opinion. She tried to hijack the ceremony and insert a Christian initiation rite into the middle of it. That goes beyond expressing an opinion.
SD
Let's do one better than that. The RICO laws should be used against the ACLU.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Oh, I see it. I just want to taunt any ACLU trolls out there. :)
That's what got us into trouble in the first place ~ someone objected to the Regent's Prayer in New York ~ it was written by the government ~ and the Supreme Court said "you can't do that". They then went on to specify several extra-constitutional tests in the matter, and it's gone down hill from there.
Best bet is for you and your buddies who like those government written prayers to go back to Europe where they do that sort of thing.
But then I've always been one to practice my religion in the quiet of my home or the solitude my church, instead of making a public spectacle just so I can feel good about myself.
All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Mt. 28:18-20 ASV).
It is now "required" for students giving graduation speeches to invite the audience to come forward and express their love to Jesus and "get saved"?
Would you like to re-word that?
Suppose a Jewish student invited those who wished to come forward and have a bris done in the middle of the graduation? Should we all just allow this to happen?
Maybe the local Baptist valedictorian can set up a baptismal pool and invite anyone who wants to to come up and get dunked. Or the Catholic student can have a priest confirm with holy oil anyone who wants to come forward.
SD
That's a narrow sectarian view, and as long as you don't try to get the jackbooted thugs down at the government to repress the religious practices of the rest of us you are welcome to it.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
You don't like that constitution, take a hike~!
I guess you can't read. I said already that I support a student's right to thank God or say a small prayer. I do not support effort to engage in proslytization and introducing religous initiation rites into what is supposed to be a speech.
SD
disagree and you don't know what your talking about.
I gotta agree, SoothingDave. It was a public University graduation, not a Baptist tent meeting. This young woman hijacked the stage and turned a prayer (which was allowed) into an evengelical appeal directed solely to Christians, with no regard at all to anybody else.
It really gets me upset when schools try to impose restrictions on Christians, but in this case, the school allowed the prayer, but the young woman did something intentionally provactive intended to exclude non-Christians, (including the parents of non-Christian graduates and those graduates), who must have been mortified.
And please don't try to justify this as a First Amendment issue. The First Amendment is not a shield for criticism for stupidity.
This showed very bad judgement on her part and on the part of anybody in a position of authority who may have known about it in advance
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