Law of the Lost

In a letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802, Thomas Jefferson stated that the legislature "should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free excercise thereof."

This letter was not an official government declaration, it was a man interpreting the laws for a fellow countryman. However, since he was a founding father, we should give due respect his interpretation. If we do so for the first part of his statement though, should we not also address the second part of his statement..."Or prohibiting the free excercise thereof?"

If we are going to take the first part of Jefferson's statement as a basis for creating laws, why would we not take the second portion of the statement as well? Groups like those involved in the Engle vs Vitale case of 1962, or the infamous (and missing) Madalyn Murray O'Hair, have taken their cases to court, and all parties, including the Supreme Court seem to cross out the final words of this statement..."or prohiubiting the free excercise thereof?" (The same words is used in the First Ammendment).

So, as a Christian, where is my right to to freely excercise my religion? Why can I not say a prayer in school if this is my choice? Under that same First Ammendment right, could I not peacefully assemble a group at school to have a prayer? And lastly, since O'Hair has taken this right away from a majority of American's who are a predominately God-fearing people, why not take a look at the benefits of what she has done for the American people. Skyrocketing crime rates, massive increase in teenage pregnancies, contraceptives are being sold in the school restrooms, immodesty and immorality, general lack of respect for life and a disregard for authority figures like educators and parents. We have to create additional laws to compensate because the students have no morale compass with which to govern themselves!

How has this "law" impacted our students quality of life in the classroom? Why did they not have the number of assessments in the 1960's that public educator's are now required to give? Is it because their is a a lack accountability by individuals that was present in a 1960's child and student that has been evolved out of them? I cannot recall seeing a single picture of a high school from before these "No God in school" rulings that shows a security check and a school security guard. It is my opinion that when we allowed government to take away our freedoms, to freely excercise our relgious rights, that we also gave away our integrity as citizens, our belief in something greater than us that drove us to be the best version of ourselves? Hey, who am I to tread on someone else's rights, just because you treaded on mine? Just the educator that has to tolerate the culmination of half a decade of moral decay. Perhaps this is why teaching has become just as much parenting as it is educating.