Yesterday was the first day of the school year in our humble town, bringing the usual flood of photos of adorable youngsters with their new outfits and accessories in my Facebook feed. This joyful parade of compulsory education was immediately rained upon by a certain kind of religious believer, the sort of person for whom it is not enough that they are able to practice whatever religion they choose and free to inculcate their own children therewith. These folk will not be content unless my children are also lead to participate in their mass delusion, and by state employees no less.
Never mind that every schoolchild is already allowed to pray to any gods they so choose.
Never mind that the students may get together to pray at the flagpole.
Never mind that the district allows after-school bible study.
For these parents, all of this is not enough.
They will not rest until the children of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and freethinkers are all taught to pray to Jesus by their highly respected Christian teachers.
This is not merely an affront to the historical principle of church/state separation, but a clear breach of Judaeo-Christian ethics as well: If you would not want your children taught to pray to someone else’s god(s), then you ought not do unto others as you would not have done unto you.
Let us render unto the state what belongs to the state, render unto God what is God’s, and always bear in mind that these are two very different things.
