Article: The Thaw, Evangelical Teens, and Persecution Complexes

Please read the article here and proceed to enjoy the comments - they are wonderful (as always).

Love this person's comment:

"Why can’t I pray in school?"

You can. Go ahead. Bow your head in the classroom or cafeteria and start praying. As long as you're not being loud and disruptive while you're doing it, nobody will do anything to stop you.

"Why do I have to check my religion at the door?"

This is hilarious to me, given that nobody questions a child wearing crosses or T-shirts with Bible verses on them, but the second a kid comes into school wearing a pentacle, Om, or hijab, there's a huge stink about it. Christians aren't the ones who have to "check their religion at the door;" it's everybody else.

"Why can’t I write about God in my school papers?"

I have never heard of anyone receiving even the slightest reprimand for writing about God. Writing about how your religion's rules should apply to people who aren't members of your religion is not "writing about God."

"Why do I have to tolerate people cursing my God, but I am not allowed to talk about God and my faith?"

Equality Doesn't Play Favorites

Whether any faction, religious or not, should be allowed access to America's public schools is an issue of great debate. Bringing religion into play usually turns said debate into a very ugly creature, particularly if that debate involves the religious right. I recall once hearing the "horrible" news from my IFB pastor that a school somewhere was going to teach the children about Islamic practices - the whole church was mortified that such terrible things could be happening in America. Funny thing, though, that those same people were also offended when people wanted to limit Christian influences in school. Christian conservatives who push for prayer in public schools seem to forget that there are other forms of prayer that don't involve Jesus or the Christian God - it's not an "attack" on Christianity.