Posted on 05/27/2002 5:00:58 PM PDT by Dust in the Wind
Plainview graduates say a prayer
'Senior message' invocation was cleared by judge's ruling
By Karen Rouse
Denver Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 26, 2002 - KIOWA COUNTY -
Trista Harris ended the speculation Saturday - with a prayer.
Nearly an hour into the Plainview High School graduation ceremony, the 18-year-old senior, who had been quiet about whether she would pray during the "senior message," asked about 200 guests to bow their heads.
She thanked God for "making us a stronger community" and asked him for "us all to have a great day and a great graduation."
She ended by saying: "In Jesus' name we pray, amen."
Then she sat down. It was a simple prayer. There was no applause.
But the weight of it was felt throughout this tiny Eastern Plains farming community, which for the past week has been in the spotlight on the issue of church and state separation in its classrooms, newspapers and living rooms.
The battle ended in a federal courtroom Friday, when U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger ruled that since the Kiowa school district doesn't have a hand in any message delivered by students, the seniors could say whatever they wanted.
The decision marked defeat for the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued the district on behalf of teacher Sean Shields and his 13-year-old daughter, Ashlee, who are atheists.
Neither bowed for the prayer Saturday. Shields said he wasn't surprised by Trista's decision to pray.
"It was expected," he said.
Trista said she prayed because "I felt I should."
Shields and ACLU lawyers alleged that the district and community have a history of injecting religion into activities, from praying at school functions to residents leaving Bibles at the schools.
Faith was expressed throughout Saturday's ceremony.
Senior Casey McDaniel ended his valedictorian speech by telling the audience "I hope that everyone would be blessed by God."
And the guest speaker, Republican state Sen. Mark Hillman, based his entire address on the separation of church and state debate, saying that such a phrase is not referenced in the U.S. Constitution.
Those who are offended by prayer should do what those who are offended by obscenity should do, Hillman said. "Ignore it. Think about something else."
Plainview High, about 150 miles southeast of Denver, is home to about 60 students in kindergarten through the 12th grade who come from the surrounding towns of Sheridan Lakes, Brandon and Towner. Of those, 19 are in the high school.
The dark brick school building is surrounded by miles of wheat fields and an occasional grain silo.
Eastern Kiowa County has been described by residents as a God-fearing community and "God's country."
They take pride in their strong ties and openness. And, as in most rural towns, school forms the social nucleus.
"No matter what type of activity there is, there's a huge group" showing support, said Dale Nolan, the father of 18-year-old graduate Tanner.
It's also a place where neighbors can talk to one another.
"You can come in and say, "I don't feel right about this,' " Nolan said.
So when Shields challenged the practice of prayer at graduation, some felt offended.
Nolan's wife, Lesa, said while they are Methodists, it made no difference to them whether the students prayed or not.
Joann Harris, Trista's grandmother, called the lawsuit "bad timing . . . right before graduation."
But in the gymnasium Saturday, it was the typical graduation scene. Family members toting camcorders, underclassmen decorating the gym, seniors practicing their march.
In keeping with a more than 25-year-old tradition, members of the community - some without children of their own - piled gifts on decorated tables for each of the seniors. The seniors give gifts to each other as well.
"No matter what type of activity there is, there's a huge group"
Thirty years ago I was a graduate of this school and those people just keep supporting their community. I can safely say that gymnasium was full as always, not just because of any controversy. May God bless each and every one of them for their stands including U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger and Republican state Sen. Mark Hillman.
I'm not going to discuss the church/state thing here. Just wanted to share what some of us consider "good news".
I am sad to see that a teacher and the ACLU tried to stop this. I wonder if he will have his contract renewed in this small community????
Inquiring minds want to know.
Me too. Her family and friends said many prayers for me when I was young and without knowlege of Christ's Grace. I am very thankful for this school and community. If they believe in you they will not give up on you.
It figures. Left wing Satan loving NEA clones.
A Christological BUMP!
Please see the Articles of Religion of the Anglican Church, Articles I and II:
I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.
THERE is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness;the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance,power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
II. Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man.
THE Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlastingof the Father, the very and eternal God. and of one substance with the Father, took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect Natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man -- who truly suffered, was crucified dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.
I love East Tennessee!!!
Shields and ACLU lawyers alleged that the district and community have a history of injecting religion into activities, from praying at school functions to residents leaving Bibles at the schools.
Manuel Miles
The Texas Murcury
That’s right, you read it correctly; there is no such thing as an atheist.
Everybody believes in God, especially atheists.
They don’t have much to say about the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus, because they don’t believe in them, but they do have a lot to say about God, and basically, they don’t like Him.
We should change the meaning of the word atheist from "one who does not believe in the existence of God" to "God-disliker", because that is the heart of the matter.
Atheists believe in God, they think that they know Him, and they don’t much like what they know.
I know what you Christians and Moslems and Jews are thinking: "Why would anyone who believed in God not love Him?"
This is the same kind of subjective thinking in which the supposed atheists wallow; you think that everybody else is just like you, just as they suppose that God is as mean-spirited and petty as they are themselves.
Well, we aren’t all the same.
In a way, atheists are even more honest in admitting (to themselves) that they don’t like God.
Let’s face it, we believers get pretty upset with our Creator from time to time ourselves, and we probably turn our backs on Him no less than does the average atheist.
The difference, however, lies in the impatience of the atheist.
For the Lord thy God is a demanding God, and a nagging one, to boot.
Perhaps Bibles and Tanachs and Korans should come with that sentence written as a warning on the cover, for God presses us constantly to obey Him and forsake our own selfish desires.
He uses our Bibles and our consciences and our church services to nag us.
He will even interrupt our sleep with messages and commands.
So it’s no wonder that some people try to ignore Him by declaring themselves "atheists".
It’s easier to go your own way and do things that you know are wrong if you don’t have to answer to any higher moral authority than the nearest politician.
If you compare yourself to politicians, you come out looking downright saintly, even.
So off the atheists go on their merry ways, until somebody comes along and rings a church bell, or says, "God bless you," or even invites one to a religious service.
Then they get upset.
Why would they get so bent out of shape if they truly didn’t believe?
I have people trying to sell me a subscription to the lying, warmongering, local newspaper rags, and I am able to quite calmly tell them that I don’t want to subscribe.
I send away the people trying to sell me insurance.
I say, "No, thank you," to all the telephone solicitors.
I drop the majority of the fliers in the garbage as fast as they accumulate in my postbox, and without a second thought.
So do atheists and, by and large, there’s an end of it.
But let a Jehovah’s Witness ring their doorbells, or a stranger on the street offer them a "tract" to read, and they become livid.
One would think that they were being invited to sit in an open field in Afghanistan during a USAF bombing raid from the way they react.
That’s because they don’t like to be reminded that God exists and that they know it.
They dislike and fear God worse than a debt collector, and for a similar reason: God wants something from them which they aren’t willing to give.
It wasn't the STATE injecting religion into activities...The STATE wasn't forcing people to pray ...So WHERE does the Separation of Church and State come into all of this, if the State played no role whatsoever?
Liberals will argue that the state is sponsoring religion through use of the school facilities ie., the gym, the microphone, podium ...bla bla bla....
It makes me so happy to know that a community like this exists.There are more.
In our little Finger Lakes Region NY town, the Memorial Day parade lasts all of 10 minutes. After the veterans, the High School Marching band is the highlight.
As the band marched down our little main street, it seemed as though half the town was there to hear them play "Battle Hymn of the Republic".
The parade ends at the town cemetary where there is a memorial to our fallen soldiers. There, a short service is conducted complete with prayer, taps, 21 gun salute, the whole nine yards. Part of this ceremony includes the aforementioned school band playing ALL the armed services songs, followed by the Star Spangled Banner.
Ours is the same town that ran the ACLU off when they tried to stop the kids from singing Christmas songs at the school Christmas concert.
I love small towns!
Nik
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