Religion In School Essay, Research Paper
Religion in School
No aspect of the church-state controversy arouses more emotion and discussion than the subject of prayer in the public schools. After all, public schools are supported with taxpayer money. What believer would want their taxes to support an institution that prohibits his children from praying? What nonbeliever would want their taxes to support an institution that requires her children to participate in prayer? Yet some believers think they know better than the Founding Fathers and want to tamper with the Bill of Rights. They want to amend the U.S. Constitution so that the Government would legally sponsor and take over the activity of prayer. This leads us to the main question to this problem, should the government be allowed to lead school prayer?
According to an article written by Ami Neiberger, even if students volunteer to lead in prayer, some school administrator or government official will have to review, edit, and censor their prayers (1). And which prayers will be deemed acceptable? The prayers of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and so on? Neiberger uses logos in her first paragraph to demonstrate that it is absolutely illogical to allow the government to lead school prayer simply because there are too many forms of religion and prayer to make everyone happy.
With all these intense religious/nonreligious individuals walking around, it s no wonder that people have been killed over school prayer. Prayer in schools in the last few centuries have been so extreme that they have provoked civil strife in some communities. A fine example of this can be found around Philadelphia. In 1843, 13 people were killed after Catholics asked for their children to be excused from mandatory religious practices in school (Neiberger 1). Here is a fine example of how Neiberger cleverly used pathos in her article to persuade us by getting at our emotions with the example of the people dying after they refused to practice a religion that differed from there own. This use of pathos is very interesting because I don t know of anybody that wants to die at school over their personal religious beliefs.
In her article, Nieberger seems to strike the very nerve of the essence of ethos, common values and beliefs. She claims that the prayers that would result from government led religion in schools would be so watered down that they will either be devoid of meaning or they will offend anyone who doesn t agree with the particular religious view as the person leading the prayer (1). This is a clear example of how government led prayer would take away individual rights, including the most important one of all, freedom.
Despite the fact that many Americans that are opposed to government led prayer, there are, however, many people that feel that prayer in schools would be very positive. In an article written by Andrew Sandlin, a writer for The Christian Statesman, he claims that we believe every sphere of life, public and private, should recognize the crown rights of king Jesus and the authority of his law-word, (1-2). Meaning that he as well as many others believes that there should be religion in everything, even in public schools. This is a way of using ethos once again, by saying that if you have the same values, or common beliefs as us you should agree with us. This in turn will make those who believe in Christianity as their religion of choice follow Sandlin s perspective in supporting prayer in school simply because other Christians do it. This statement that Sandlin makes could also be used as a technique to trigger some emotion, which would be a use of pathos, because the truly faithful Christian doesn t want to feel restricted as to where he can practice his beliefs.
Another strong argument for keeping prayer in school is the fact that the United States was established as a Christian nation with religion playing a central role in guiding the nation s destiny. Supporters of religion in school also claim that the Founding Fathers never intended a separation of church and state, and even argue that we use religion in our government. This can be seen regularly when Congress prays at the opening and closing of each session, or when someone is sworn in by placing their hand on the bible. We even have In God we trust stamped on our money. If religion is accepted in these government institutions it should not be stopped at the schoolhouse door (Crane 2). This is an argument for government led prayer that uses logos, which relates to reason and common judgment, to persuade the reader that we should allow prayer in school simply because it has been done before and it can be seen in our history.
The public opinion has remained strongly opposed to the court rulings that banned classroom prayer and Bible readings. National polls repeatedly indicate that the majority of Americans favor organized prayer in public schools. People in favor of school prayer argue that to forbid the majority the right to pray because the minority objects is undemocratic (Crane 2). This paragraph demonstrates the use of pathos by showing how the rejection of school prayer is a rejection of common beliefs and values towards many Americans.
Of these two different standing points I m going to have to lead towards the side of keeping religion out of public schools. This is simply because school should be a place to learn, not a place to worship. If you want your children to go to school to worship all day then you should send them to private school. Otherwise just send your children to school to learn and go to church to worship god and to prey.
Since the beginning of time man has always been in some kind of conflict with himself and religion. One of the main problems, which we have seen today, is the problem of religion in school. Should it be allowed, should it be abolished, or should it just be left up to the individual? These are the questions that many Americans ask themselves when they think of the connection between the church and state. In arguments against school prayer, people don t think it should be allowed due to the censorship that it would bring. That the prayers the government would be leading would be closed minded and even offending to some people. In arguments for school prayer we seem to come up with few, weak, standing points. The strongest one seems to be that we should have school prayer simply because our ancestors had it.
Другие работы по теме:
Shoeless Joe Baseball Is Rays Religion Essay
, Research Paper Essay – The True Believer Religion is in all of us even if we don’t believe it is. Religion was first associated with churches, but there are other means of religion. W.P. Kinsella introduces baseball as a religious base. Ray Kinsella in the book “Shoeless Joe” believes in baseball just as much as a true Christian believes in Religion.
Freedom Of Religion Essay Research Paper Freedom
Freedom Of Religion Essay, Research Paper Freedom of Religion gives one the right to practice their religion without it being sanctioned by the state. Children should not be forced to salute the flag. The First
Amendment 1 Essay Research Paper The first
Amendment 1 Essay, Research Paper The first amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press assembly, and the right to petition the government. The establishment clause supports the first amendment by directing the national government not to involve itself in religion. And the Free Exercise Clause guarantees the citizens that the national government will not interfere with their practice of religion.
Freedom Of Religion Essay Research Paper The
?Freedom Of Religion? Essay, Research Paper The price of religion to a human in one of the most important factors in one’s life, as well is their own being. People practice religion for several reasons, throughout the world it is practiced as it being part of their heritage. However many people seek religion for the feeling of security.
Women In Saudi Arabia Victims Of Discrimination
Essay, Research Paper Saudi Arabia, which is located in the Middle East, is known as a religious state where religion and government are one in the same. As the Islamic Religion is the government, its book, the Quran (Koran) is the foundation and structure of the laws in Saudi Arabia. As dictated in the Koran, men hold all governmental positions while the women stay home and perform domestic duties.
Religion Essay Research Paper ReligionReligion is a
Religion Essay, Research Paper Religion Religion is a set of practices and beliefs that allow human beings to search for the meaning of life and the purpose of their existence. These common practices set the foundation for such beliefs to have validity. Every individual must wonder why he/she exists on earth.
Religion 2 Essay Research Paper What is
Religion 2 Essay, Research Paper What is Religion? From the moment you take your first breath, you are besieged with strange sensory data pouring into your newborn self. You immediately begin to discriminate this data to find meaning in what would otherwise be a meaningless world. Sadly, we are not born enlightened, but born into what appears to be complete confusion.
Religion In America Essay Research Paper Religion
Religion In America Essay, Research Paper Religion in the United States is considered a way of life to many people. Whether you go to a church, synagogue, or mosque, they are all a form of religious expression. As a person one is entitled to worship whatever or whomever they believe in and that cannot be taken away from that person by anyone.
School Prayer Essay Research Paper The United
School Prayer Essay, Research Paper The United States Supreme court will once again address the issues of prayer in public schools. In the constitution, it guarantees freedom of religion, and separation between church and state. Should the government be allowed to base an opinion on social values versus social values? Just like any other controversy, there are two opposing sides.
Binary Thinking Essay Research Paper Binary thinking
Binary Thinking Essay, Research Paper Binary thinking related to Salem Witch Trials The Puritans were European settlers that established home in Salem Village in the 1630s. They believed that they were a dominant group because of their practices. They saw their religion as superior to any other religion.
Prayer In Schools Essay Research Paper We
Prayer In Schools Essay, Research Paper We are guaranteed by the first amendment the right for freedom of religion. By this right, we as American citizens should be allowed to have prayer in the public schools and teachers should be allowed to teach religion courses trough the high school years. We should also be able to talk about religion in and out of our classes.
Religion Is Important Essay Research Paper I
Religion Is Important Essay, Research Paper I think culture, religion, ethnicity is very important in one’s life. They should know where there from and who they are. Everyone comes from somewhere around the world, even if they were born in another country, they still
Prayer In School Essay Research Paper For
Prayer In School Essay, Research Paper For centuries, the debate has existed whether or not to allow prayer in public schools. Many Americans feel it is not the right of the school to teach religion, but the parent. With all the diversity associated with the United States, public schools cannot select one standard religion to practice, due to the cultural and religious differences in this country.
Religion Essay Research Paper Religion912
Religion Essay, Research Paper Religion912 There are many different cultures and religions in this world. I was assigned to attend a different denomination church then my own. I attended St.Nick s liturgy. St.Nick s is a Greek Orthodox Church.
Prayer In School Essay Research Paper The
Prayer In School Essay, Research Paper The writers of the constitution saw how the kings and queens of many European countries used religion to mold the general population s ideas. For this reason, they decided not to make a government based religion. Also, there are private schools that children may go to if they need to pray in school.
Religion Essay Research Paper Religion
Religion Essay, Research Paper Religion “Religion” is a simple word that divides humanity in several groups. It is the claim of many influential Christian and Jewish theologians that the only genuine
Indias Religion Essay Research Paper Religion in
India`s Religion Essay, Research Paper Religion in India Religion plays a vital role in the Indian way of life. About 83 percent of the Indian people are Hindus, and about 11 percent are Muslims. The next largest religious groups, in order of size, are Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains. Religious laws of the Hindus and Muslim govern the people?s clothing, food, and marriage.
Islam Essay Research Paper Islam
Islam Essay, Research Paper Islam Islam, which in Arabic means submission to God or Allah is the youngest religion of the world. It is a monotheistic religion and one of the Abrahamic
Religion Vs Astronomy Essay Research Paper Religion
Religion Vs Astronomy Essay, Research Paper Religion and science have always been in direct competition with one another. The ultimate goal of science is to prove the inexistence of God with facts, while the existence in God is simply based on belief and faith. While 95% of the people living on Earth believe in a superior being of some sort, some might say that religion clouds the minds of otherwise logical individuals and makes it impossible for them to pursue the truth of the Universe.
Religion Is The Opiate Of The Masses
Essay, Research Paper Religion is the Opiate of the Masses There was once a great philosopher who stated that religion is the opiate of the masses. i believe that this holds true even today. Except what keeps
Why Religion Is Difficult To D Essay
, Research Paper Why Religion is Difficult to Discuss With so many different belief systems in our world, it s no wonder why religion is such a touchy subject in our society. It is not to be discussed in schools or any other non-church related activity because some one there might be offended. I personally don t care if you talk about religion to someone just as long as if they believe some thing different than you, don t tell him or her that they are wrong.
Equality Essay Research Paper Equality
Equality Essay, Research Paper Equality I have a vision, that all people be treated equally. Race, religion, sex, age, and other petty differences should not mater. Every one has a rite to me
Are Science And Religion Compatible Essay Research
Paper The relationship between Science and Religion can be explained from two distinct points of view. Some would argue that scientific explanations are the only means of explaining our existence, while others would argue that religion and the story of creation found in Genesis I and II provide a sufficient account of the worlds conception.
Islam Affects Our World Essay Research Paper
The Islamic religion, founded by Muhammad, has affected this world with a variety of ways. In 732, the religion was in full effect with people from the Middle East to North Africa learning about Islam and the Koran. The Islamic people, Muslims, had different attitudes toward life and what life was about compared to other religions across the globe.
Sikh Religion Essay Research Paper The Muhl
Sikh Religion Essay, Research Paper The Muhl Mantara describes as one ,infinite,undying and unborn. Jaap sahib says is substainer,liberatoe,enlightener,infinite,destroyer,creator,nameless and desireless.all these qualities are entirely beyond the human realm.
Religion Or Run Essay Research Paper Religion
Religion Or Run? Essay, Research Paper Religion or Run? Religion has been around for thousands of years. Throughout history, religion has made an impact on the decisions people make everyday. People have even gone as far as sacrificing their lives for their religion. There have been countries formed over religion, so too have there been wars started.
Religion Or Cult Essay Research Paper When
Religion Or Cult? Essay, Research Paper When Does a Religion Become a Cult? When Does a Cult Become a Religion? I think that religion and cults are closely related. However, there can be many noticeable differences. In order for a religion to become a cult, it needs to develop into a negative form of expression.
Religion And Science Essay Research Paper Religion
Religion And Science Essay, Research Paper Religion and Science Is Science and Religion really such an adversary? I believe that it is a very touchy subject, in which it can go either way. Some people may claim that science and religion are two very similar subjects, while other may view it as two very different subjects of life.
Compare And Contrast Cults And Religion
Essay, Research Paper Compare and Contrast of Cult and Religion Essay Religion is a sociological device used to protect its members, and it offers them a common system of belief. Religion, whether it is Christianity, Taoism, Judaism, or Hinduism is a set of commonly shared beliefs that bring many people together.