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To: JohnHuang2
About 25 years ago there was a school prayer case in, I think, NJ about the schools teaching Trancendental Meditation (y'know, that Maharishee stuff that was so popular with the Beatles). It turns out that the kids were supposed to chant something in Sanskrit - they weren't told what the words meant but it turned out to be an incantation to some Hindu diety. Also supposed to bring a small item, like a handkerchief, as a gift to lay under a photo of the (long dead) founder of the TM movement; they weren't told anything about this little ritual but it was a typical form of Hindu veneration. In other words, the kids were never told the religious significances of what they were doing (and how it might conflict with their family's own religion) and they simply went through the motions -- but this was enough to make the classes unconstitutional.

There was another case in, I think, Arizona where a school district started what it claimed were courses in the Bible as history and literature (which, if true, would have been legal), but which turned out to be teaching kids Book of Mormon stories. The court had no hesitation to call that unconstitutional.

Here we have kids being taught what I am sure is a Very Favorable viewpoint of Mohammed and his history, and being made to remember and recite Islamic verses and jargon. It doesn't matter if they don't realize they are praying, it's positively unconstitutional.

2 posted on 01/11/2002 2:11:02 AM PST by DonQ
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To: DonQ
Why is this country so determined to commit national suicide? We have driven any type of religious instruction out of the classroom. Suddenly, when attacked by terrorists, we encourage our students to study the religion of our attackers in the hope we can further the understanding of these terrorists.

No thought is given to the idea that this will probably create more followers of the terrorist's beliefs and ideals. With no competition from other religious teachings, this could very well be the only religious experience these students have received if they do not have it at home.

4 posted on 01/11/2002 4:57:51 AM PST by meenie
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To: DonQ
At least we are getting God back into our public schools. Its a start.
13 posted on 02/03/2002 3:12:27 PM PST by Doe Eyes
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