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Kingston, TN principal detours prayer reg
Thanks, Mom, for sending this to me… BTW, it’s true!
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod on September 1, 2000.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that’s OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that’s OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem…
I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple-minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and to ask Him to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and His Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical… I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s," and refrain from praying at this time.
"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God and ask Him in the name of Jesus to Bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that’s not against the law—-yet."
"One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the announcer’s box…
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the freedom of religion, not the freedom from religion." (sourced from the forwarded email)
That was too cool. What a way to stand up for the Lord.
first off, let me just say “wow” to that post. and then second, in response to the comment you left for me. . .you also need to read angela’s comment on the previous post, and lou’s post after just about every sunday. . .the fact is, god uses you EVERY sunday. there aren’t many sundays at all that i haven’t left feeling as though i had a ton of thoughts to sort through and new ways of living to apply. i’m amazed by god’s ability to speak to me so intently and purposefully. . .and by your willingness to be… Read more »
GOD BLESS YOU MANY TIMES OVER
GOD BLESS AND KEEP FOLKS LIKE THAT. WISH WE HAD THEM IN WASHINGTON.
I sat and stewed over this email for the past three days wondering how and if I should reply. Those of you on this email list that know me, understand me to be a liberal and a radical in terms of changes needed in this country. I will warn you not to read further in this email if you find the verbiage of the principal to be accurate. I am offended, not because it promotes Christianity, I have no beef with the Christian ideals, but because it fails to recognize the need for tolerance of others’ beliefs and cultures. This… Read more »
a friend of mine sent me this speech from the principal and i had to google it to see of it’s authenticity…finding that he really gave it back in 2000 was inaccurate in the email i received…as to it’s content… i have been brought up in the presbyterian church in upstate new york, my brother has been a pastor for 35 years in new jersey, my octogenarian parents are still serving God in every capacity they can and they would also disagree about the content of that speech as being accurate…i concur with the writer ian as of 7/5/09 that… Read more »
Ellen and Ian, I deeply appeciate your thoughtful interaction. I don’t believe that the prayer that was the subject of this post reflects intolerance. While it’s true that Christ modeled and taught the sacrificial love of God, let us not forget that He will also be the Ultimate Judge. Even while we live in obedience to Him and sensitivity to others, we are still called to be discerning and not to approve of others sin in the name of tolerance. At the same time, we are not to adopt a judgementail stance. Rather, we are to seek that every person,… Read more »
Ian, you are a complete idiot! Our founders setup our Government from the beginning with the intent to ‘free’ the slaves. You Moron! They originally did not want the slaves to be counted so that the South which had the most slaves would have less representatives thus allowing the new country to be able to deal with Slavery at an earlier date, freeing them. Even though slaves were in the North, a lot of people were against slavery. The compromise was to count slaves as 3/5th rather than 0. This prolonged the situation. Also, note that our Founders intended on… Read more »