School Board Meeting Prayer

[chaddjohnson]

Actually, this is what I am afraid of. I can make a deal of this and contact the ACLU, but the Christians here will take that as persecution, and if they discover who brought this case to light, the repercussions would be horrendous. Where I live, they don't take kindly to that kind of stuff. This is in the area where the Jena 6 case recently took place. I'm literally a mere hours from there, so I would not feel to secure in the safety of my person and family were I to take up this fight. The people around here kill for less.

 

Some of my family lives in your area, where the Jena 6 case is STILL going on. I live just a few hours away. Bringing in the ACLU would definitely "out" you and probably demonize you. Look at how the media has portrayed Jena as an evil town. Look at how the media presents only partial truths and partial information.

 

I know that I don't dare "out" myself as an atheist in my community. I teach in a small private school. We are not a "christian" school (supposedly). The billboards around town advertising our school state that we are a "non-discriminatory school." Ha! Ha! Ha! Every single day I have to listen to the lard's prayer being broadcast over the intercom system. This year we aren't having a Halloween Carnival, we have to have a "Fall Festival" because the fundies have finally gotten their way.

 

I DID complain to the administration about a football sponsor sign that hangs behind the children's playground. It says in 3 foot RED letters, "Read the Bible. It'll scare the HELL out of you." I didn't think that was an appropriate sign to hang near the children's playground. Is "hell" a word we want our little kids reading and saying everyday? Nothing was done about it. I was told by a christian teacher that it's not really a "cuss word" when it's used that way.

 

In science class last week, the students in my daughter's class refused to read aloud passages about evolution. The teacher told them that even if they didn't believe it they had to read it because it was in the book. My daughter stated that she was interested in learning more because she believed in evolution. Later, 3 girls in her class cornered her and asked her why she didn't believe in gawd. She was very uncomfortable and just told them that she didn't say that.

 

It's awful living in this VERY religious area. We don't dare admit to our atheism because we'd be shunned and talked about just like the few homosexuals and people with mixed racial marriages are. These people here are obsessed with their self-rightousness. I am not brave enough to speak out about the injustices to non-christians. I wish you luck if you attempt to do it.

 

 

I hear you too. I live in the bible-belt, and I have to go through the same sort of awfulness. It's a horrible feeling when everyone you know, and everyone around you is a Christian disposed to unrealistic and rediculous beliefs, and you have little to no one else to talk to or hang out with. I am getting out of this shithole ASAP.

 

If I ever have kids, I am going to stand up against crap like this if the need arises.

[gusdafa]

I work for a multi-national company and because I'm in a pretty fundy country, I was asked to lead prayer twice before a business lunch and then a business meeting days later. The lunch one was a poor taste prank by my manager who knew I was atheist and the next was a request from THE BOSS. It was pretty intimidating telling everyone sorry, I can't (follow a stupid superstitious practise).

[disEnchanted]

Actually, this is what I am afraid of. I can make a deal of this and contact the ACLU, but the Christians here will take that as persecution, and if they discover who brought this case to light, the repercussions would be horrendous. Where I live, they don't take kindly to that kind of stuff. This is in the area where the Jena 6 case recently took place. I'm literally a mere hours from there, so I would not feel to secure in the safety of my person and family were I to take up this fight. The people around here kill for less.

 

Some of my family lives in your area, where the Jena 6 case is STILL going on. I live just a few hours away. Bringing in the ACLU would definitely "out" you and probably demonize you. Look at how the media has portrayed Jena as an evil town. Look at how the media presents only partial truths and partial information.

 

I know that I don't dare "out" myself as an atheist in my community. I teach in a small private school. We are not a "christian" school (supposedly). The billboards around town advertising our school state that we are a "non-discriminatory school." Ha! Ha! Ha! Every single day I have to listen to the lard's prayer being broadcast over the intercom system. This year we aren't having a Halloween Carnival, we have to have a "Fall Festival" because the fundies have finally gotten their way.

 

I DID complain to the administration about a football sponsor sign that hangs behind the children's playground. It says in 3 foot RED letters, "Read the Bible. It'll scare the HELL out of you." I didn't think that was an appropriate sign to hang near the children's playground. Is "hell" a word we want our little kids reading and saying everyday? Nothing was done about it. I was told by a christian teacher that it's not really a "cuss word" when it's used that way.

 

In science class last week, the students in my daughter's class refused to read aloud passages about evolution. The teacher told them that even if they didn't believe it they had to read it because it was in the book. My daughter stated that she was interested in learning more because she believed in evolution. Later, 3 girls in her class cornered her and asked her why she didn't believe in gawd. She was very uncomfortable and just told them that she didn't say that.

 

It's awful living in this VERY religious area. We don't dare admit to our atheism because we'd be shunned and talked about just like the few homosexuals and people with mixed racial marriages are. These people here are obsessed with their self-rightousness. I am not brave enough to speak out about the injustices to non-christians. I wish you luck if you attempt to do it.

 

 

I hear you too. I live in the bible-belt, and I have to go through the same sort of awfulness. It's a horrible feeling when everyone you know, and everyone around you is a Christian disposed to unrealistic and rediculous beliefs, and you have little to no one else to talk to or hang out with. I am getting out of this shithole ASAP.

 

If I ever have kids, I am going to stand up against crap like this if the need arises.

 

My entire family lives within 6 hours of me. My husband and I both have full-time jobs here and our children have friends and activities that they love to do here. While I'd truly LOVE to get away from all the christianity, I'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face if we moved away from our family. Even though my husband and I don't have ANY friends who share our religious views (we're usually "in the closet" about them), at least our families still love us in spite of our lack of belief.

 

We'd love to stand up to the injustices by christians against non-christians but we DO have children and we don't want them ostracized by their peers. I'd love to say "I don't care what others think" but I do care, especially when it comes to our children. My husband and I need to keep our jobs. We'd be run out of town on a rail if everyone even knew we were atheists!!

 

Christians are the majority here and unfortunately I must deal with it (quietly).