No Prayer? | Teen Ink

No Prayer?

September 3, 2010
By ToyRe GOLD, Monterey, California
ToyRe GOLD, Monterey, California
12 articles 3 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
"This too shall pass." and " When God leads to a cliff, jump, because He'll either catch you or teach you how to fly."


If I can say,"I pledge allegiance..." Why can't I say,"Thank you, Jesus?" It is very strange how you can be forced to say a pledge to a piece of cloth, but you are not allowed to praise your God/god. It amazes me that in the pledge of Allegiance, it sayes that we are "..one nation under God..", but yet I cannot pray in a public high school in my city. It amazes me that on every American coin, it has 'In God we Trust' and every president that gets inaugurated must first put his hand on the Bible and yet I cannot say a prayer in a public school. America is amazing when it comes to religion. No matter what age I am, the constitution grants me freedom of religion, but then the law says I cannot express it. That makes no sense. I have rights and yet the law says that I really don't. I can go to church but I can't set up nativity scenes for it might offend my neighbor. In America I feel we are losing the right to be an individual, because technically the law says we can't. I am not speaking for those who feel stealing and murder and the like are a part of being an individual. I am speaking for those who want to express themselves in a positive way in public or who want to change their appearance to be diffrent or try to be religious in a dangerous world. All things are lawful, but not everything is right and my freedom to not have freedom of religion is not right.



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This article has 4 comments.


on Aug. 9 2011 at 1:13 pm
JacksonDReynolds PLATINUM, Chatsworth, Georgia
24 articles 2 photos 48 comments
What makes you think that you cannot pray in your school? My friend, you can pray ANYWHERE that you wish to pray. The overused phrase "Prayer has been taken out of schools!" is a terrible misconception. While it is illegal for persons of authority (teachers, administrators, etc.) to publicly support prayer, lead a prayer over the intercom, etc. it is NOT in any way against the law for you to pray in school whenever you wish. By all means, add "under God" when you say the pledge. Bow your head and say a silent prayer (or audible prayer) before you sit down to eat lunch - no one is going to stop you. On this note, you mentioned being "forced to say a pledge to a piece of cloth". Well, yes, I too, think that that is idiotic in every way imaginable, and that is why I simply choose NOT to say the Pledge of Allegiance. It is my legal right not to, just as it is yours, so why, I ask, do you say that you are forced? You are not. So, it boils down to this: you do not have to say the pledge if you do not wish to and also you can pray whenever you wish to to any God or gods that you wish to pray to. That being said, I now ask, what is the problem?

TrinityCreed said...
on Oct. 20 2010 at 9:44 am
You know, you are right. We are living in a hypocrtical nation. We have diverse religions but we can't do certain things here in our schools. I find that a little annoying.  

KellyR GOLD said...
on Oct. 8 2010 at 12:44 pm
KellyR GOLD, Richmond, Virginia
14 articles 0 photos 258 comments

Favorite Quote:
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

If you are being "forced" to say the pledge then you should talk to your teacher or principle because I don't say the pledge and you shouldn't be forced to. Also, who says you can't pray at school? As long as your not being disruptive my school allows you to pray.

on Sep. 13 2010 at 5:58 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

This is true to me in part. There's nothing wrong with praying or worshipping, even in public. What I do disagree with, is support for a specific religion by authority (such as swearing in by putting your hand on the bible). Thanks for writing this.