New School Prayer

[Gitane]

The New School Prayer for G.B.

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen.

 Jerry Atrick.

[Tresco]

The New School Prayer for G.B.

Except it's American, as well as being a load of old tosh

[RayB]

[quote]The New School Prayer for G.B. Except it's American, as well as being a load of old tosh[/quote]

** as well as being a load of old tosh**

Interesting . . . . what is the toshy part these days?

[Tresco]

'...what is the toshy part these days?'

The toshy part of whatty, Ray?

 

[RayB]

[quote]'...what is the toshy part these days?' The toshy part of whatty, Ray?[/quote]

**The toshy part of whatty, Ray?**

You know very well what I asked. If you don't want to answer . . . . Fine.

[Tresco]

Sorry Ray, you have misunderstood me, I really truly don't know what you meant by:

'what is the toshy part these days?'

If you can please just put it differently then I will be happy to answer.

[RayB]

[quote]Sorry Ray, you have misunderstood me, I really truly don't know what you meant by: 'what is the toshy part these days?' If you can please just put it differently then I will be happy to answer.[/quote]

**If you can please just put it differently then I will be happy to answer.**

Oops, looks like we WERN'T communicating! You said that the prayer was a 'load of tosh'. What I was asking is why you think so. I assume 'tosh' is the equivalent of 'nonsense'.

[Teamedup]

Is this prayer a whinge on the part of bible believers. Well that is OK we can all have a moan about what doesn't suit us.  Folks like me don't see the world through the eyes of men, yup men who wrote the thing a few thousand years ago and are not buying into their whole thang of trying to make out there is some omnipotent being that needs worshipping. Looking at the current state of the world, looks more like if there is one, it is an impotent being.

 

Just my belief on this matter.

TU

[Tresco]

OK Ray

I won't pick it apart line by line. I think just about all of it is nonsense. firstly, it is titled the New School Prayer for GB, when clearly it refers to American schools.

Now I don't know much about American schools, but i doubt whether praying is against the rules in every school. Surely the right to pray/worship is protected in law, and my impression also is that population of the USofA is much more religious (active worshippers) than for instance GB. I may be wrong.

I don't know whether American children can really wear what they want in school in terms of the items mentioned. Again, perhaps the way American children choose to dress is protected in law.

In terms of British schools (I have 12 nephews and neices of school age) the bit about having your hair different colours is just crazy. My family members attend all sorts of schools, public, private, church and in none of them are they allowed wild hairdos of any description. In fact they all get their crazy haircuts/colours round about now, so they will have 'grown out' by the time school starts up again in September.

They are certainly not allowed to attend school with any jewellery apart from small stud earrings (one set only).

I'm sorry, from and English point of view it all just seems like tosh to me, the stuff about witchcraft and vampires, the unwed pregnant prom queens etc.

All my family have had both religious and wider moral instruction in school, all were taught right from wrong, both at home and in school, much of it based on the Ten Commandments and parables (which also occur in certain other religious texts)

It just doesn't connect with anything I understand about Education in GB today

Anyway, this is the lighter side, perhaps I stormed in a bit at the outset by calling it tosh, but having read it all again I'm afraid I still think so. I hope someone else can get a laugh out of it, if nothing else.

Ray, I would be interested to know what you think.

[RayB]

[quote]OK Ray I won't pick it apart line by line. I think just about all of it is nonsense. firstly, it is titled the New School Prayer for GB, when clearly it refers to American schools. Now I don't know...[/quote]

**Ray, I would be interested to know what you think.**

Definitely American. Personally, I don't feel that religion should be taught in public funded schools at all. People should have the right to express their religion any way they like as long as it doesn't interfere with others.

I suspect that the poem was written by a Christian with very deep beliefs and is a product of frustration and PC running amok. While perhaps somewhat exaggerated, too much of it is true. It is not my place to be critical even if I don't agree. To them, it is serious.

[Gitane]

Oh. Dear,

             

 There was me thinking that I had sent the “School Prayer” in to the “Lighter Side Of France”, but it would seem that all “hell” has broken loose between “Tresco, RayB &Teamedup. (that’s if they believe in hell).

  The only good thing that has come out of this is that while they were slagging each other and myself off they were leaving the rest of the human race in peace.

  Oh dear how sad !

    Jerry Atrick. !!

 

[Tresco]

Personally, I don't feel that religion should be taught in public funded schools at all. People should have the right to express their religion any way they like as long as it doesn't interfere with others.

..... While perhaps somewhat exaggerated, too much of it is true. It is not my place to be critical even if I don't agree. To them, it is serious.

I'm with you up to a point Ray. I went to  a school which was let's say 95% Catholic. The way the 5% were treated, by pupils (bullying, teasing, taunting, for not joining in with what is called collective worship) helped me form some of my views at about 11 years old. Like you I don't think a specific religion should be 'taught' in public schools, but I do think most children in England have what I would call moral instruction or guidance, much of which is based on parables and teachings reflected in Christianity, but also in Judaism and Islam.

What about the 'poem was true'? (serious question)

For me it is my place to be critical. There are plenty of areas, or issues where I will shut up and listen when I don't agree. I understand it's serious for them, but it is for me too, therefore I reserve my right to argue/criticise. why do you say it's not your place?

Gitane, you can use the biggest font you want, it does not make any difference. There is no all hell letting loose, as you characterise it.

There was a miscommunication between me and Ray which happens often in cyberspace, and was easily and publicly sorted out, TU gave her view which I think is extremely valid.

No poster was slagging any other poster off, and if you read it back through you will see that what I say is true.

The reason I can say this is because I can see it clearly as I read the thread.

However, you posted something with no view given by yourself, no comment, no question even. What was your point? Did you think it was funny? Were you hoping to start a row?. If you were it did not succeed.

If you agree with the 'poem' I refer you to my earlier comments, in relation to GB anyway.

 

[RayB]

[quote]Personally, I don't feel that religion should be taught in public funded schools at all. People should have the right to express their religion any way they like as long as it doesn't interfere with o...[/quote]

**What about the 'poem was true'? (serious question)**

The permissiveness of many schools talked about in the last part. Not by any means the majority of them but far too many.

**why do you say it's not your place?**

Mainly because it is not part of my life. There is nothing I can do to change it. I just feel fortunate that I didn't have that kind of environment.

[Debra]

I think the only objectionable bit about this (if you forget you are in 'the lighter side....' is that it says for GB.  If you read the poem as it was intended, referring to US schools, I think you'll find its an ironic reflection on what is really happening in US schools (from my opinion gleaned from reading a lot about the reasons for a huge increase in homeschooling in the US) rather than a joke - the poem reflects the majority of the views expressed by homeschooling parents in the US. 

[Lori]

Being American and having moved to France from Southern California, I can tell you the colored hair and pierced everything are definitely commonplace in public schools (at least in S. CA). 

I too do not believe that religion should be part of the public school system.  I believe it should remain a personal subject.  But, having grown up in North Carolina, I can tell you I would fall into a minority there.

I've read "poems" like this before.  I too could not tell whether the poster is really serious or just posting a funny?  Since this is the Lighter Side, I am guessing maybe just posting a funny...  Maybe he/she will tell us.