I doubt this falls under the category of "fascism," but...

[MagmarFire]

Read this.

It's just...this is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. And I've heard my fair share of ridiculous things.

[Mysterious F.]

As long as there is a law in this country saying that you have the freedom to choose your religion, then technically, it was illegal.

Though, in that sense, so is the Pledge of Allegiance.

[darkphantomime]

It was illegal. There's no heads or tails about it, it was illegal.

Also the fact that one part says that it was after school, while another person says that it was during school and students were present is proof enough that it was a CYA kind of thing.

[MagmarFire]

Though, in that sense, so is the Pledge of Allegiance.

Which is, truthfully, a reason why I want to huff when I'm requested to say it. They way they put it across, it makes me feel like I'm "praying" to the government, which is...questionable, to say the least.

This is just a massive wall-banger. >_<

[Pale Dim]

Oh my word. What if there was an atheist (which there most likely was) who attended that school? Imagine the stress he probably had to got through, even if he was probably forced!
I may be in the christian religion myself, at least on the boarder of Christianity, but I am very often offended when people deliberately ignore and/or misunderstand the practice of "freedom of religion".
And then there is the pledge of allegiance...yes, I agree with you, Mags. They really need to reword the whole thing so that it doesn't sound like a prayer at a church for the literal interpretation-bible-being-word-for-word thingamajig. They need it to make it so that it sounds like you're joining side-by-side, or allying-par say-with the other civilians of this country, and it needs to be approached willingly.

[Gamefreak]

"What are you in jail for?"
"Praying, you?"
"MANSLAUGHTER!  I SLAUGHTERED A MAN!"

But anyways, I saw this report on Fox News a couple days ago.

And JQ, are you serious about it being illegal?

[darkphantomime]

It's in the first amendment.

[Hi no Seijin]

I didn't bother to read the whole thing, but the phrase "their offer" makes it sound as if they were giving the students a choice, so it doesn't seem like the atheists were forced to pray.

Quite frankly, both sides of the debate are being stupid and forgetting their history.  One of the major reasons for the founding of America was to escape religious persecuation in Europe, and the First Amendment was written to guarantee freedom of religion.  While laws shouldn't be created for religious reasons, especially in such a diverse country, there really is no harm in having prayers in government institutions so long as it's made clear participating in the prayer is optional, and all parties agree to respect each other's beliefs.

[Commodore Axilon]

Why do they even need to have a prayer in the first place? Someone's spirituality and/or religious preferences is a private matter, and having a school-sanctioned prayer excludes those who would choose not to participate. It is deliberately promoting one kind of religious activity not practiced by everyone.

Pretty open and shut case, in my opinion.

[alical]

Haha this all sounds a bit odd to me, my school isn't a specifically Christian school, yet in Assembly we still have Bible readings and prayers, and we walk to Church on Religious festivals. I think you can choose not to participate but you need written consent of some sort which is utterly stupid, and it might have to be because you have another religion, I don't know if being an atheist counts, but I could be wrong.
Anyway I'm not religious at all (even though I went to a C of E Primary School where we prayed every single day) and it really doesn't bother me. Maybe it's just because it has been drilled into me as the norm. Thinking about it, it is kind of weird that I do all this stuff but don't believe any of it, but at least it's made me very tolerant I guess.
Although I do love a bit of God Save The Queen and Rule Britannia, and I think that's the reason why I put up with all the Church stuff, I see it more as History than religion, and I do love a bit of History.

But this is all personal to me and my upbringing, I guess it's totally different in America because your history is completely different, also I think it is disgusting if you are forced to do this sort of stuff, I don't like the thought of imposing your beliefs on someone. It's not as bad as it could be if they only "offered" but still if it's illegal it's illegal and they shouldn't do it.

[Gamefreak]

The First Amendment also gives one the right to practice his/her respective religion without fear of persecution.

This man is facing jail time for saying a prayer to Jesus.  Are you telling me this is a just means of cutting this off?

[darkphantomime]

The Judge made an order, the man willingly refused that order. Thus, jail time.

[MagmarFire]

The judge made the order despite the fact that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and makes such an order illegal. Whenever there's a conflicting law, the Constitution overrules the conflict, regardless of whether it's a state law or organizational ordinance. Thus, the persecution is an injustice and, needless to say, calls for one of the greatest facepalms in existence. I think this qualifies:

[darkphantomime]

There are differing interpretations to the constitution, and especially to the first amendment. That the judge was upholding the first amendment, whereby no public institution shall allow religious ordinances, is proof enough that he was in fact, upholding the constitution.

[MagmarFire]

So...wait, what? Something doesn't click. Are you saying the judge is in favor of having the ordinance removed? Because that sounds nothing like your previous post.