Brian Wallace’s story in the paper today is a demonstration of the great problem of having the government involved in education. Here is the story:
Brain Wallace's article
The gist of the matter is that public school boards (and all other events pertaining to the schools run by the government) are being forced to stop the prayers that they have at the beginning of the meetings. Here are a few reasons why this is bad—even chilling:
- Ironically, prayer is being replaced by a moment of silence. The place where God and Jesus was has become a void, an emptiness, a blank!
- (Double) Ironically, other religious points of view such as naturalism (the world is here because of chance) are mandated! Positive thinking and instruction about sinful behavior (like homosexuality) are enforced. Jesus is whited out and papered over.
- Hypocritically, the upper echelons of government exempt themselves from this forced secularism.
- Sadly, our schools need prayer, guidance, and the Holy Spirit now more critically. We face educational and cultural and financial challenges that are tough. We need repentance, faith, and divine guidance—and we are legally forbidding the very thing we need most.
- (Double) Sadly, this is a terrible reading of the Establishment Clause. Even the most theologically liberal, Jefferson, let an Episcopal Church worship in the Capitol. They would have seen this sort of micromanagement as the very sort of tyranny that this country was created to end or avoid.
Can we as Christians continue to support schools where Jesus is being blanked out? What will the future hold for schools were such is required and such is forbidden? What will come of a culture where the powers that be are setting themselves increasingly against the powers in Heaven? (Which power will you follow if they disagree? Which power will win in this fight? How can believers keep our leaders from setting our country on a course away from the throne of grace and mercy—where we all so desperately need to kneel?)
