I'd like to call a truce on this Pledge of Allegiance issue

[jmowreader]

Dear Christian Right:

This week, a federal judge gave your side a minor setback when he decided that having schoolchildren say the Pledge of Allegiance with the words "under God" in it were an illegal encroachment on the separation of church and state.

Let's cut to the chase: I'd like to work out a deal on this one. You game?

Here's the offer. We, the atheists of America, will allow you to have the Pledge of Allegiance, containing the words "Under God," recited in every public school in America. You can even yell out the words "Under God" if you like. That's just fine with me.

In exchange, you drop your push to get religion into every facet of the public schools. That means no Creationism, Creation Science or Intelligent Design in science books. It means no Ten Commandments posters. It means no pre-game football prayers, or forced public praying at the start of the school day.

Further, you agree that if you sign off on this and then go back to pushing religion on those who pray to a different God or none at all, every church in America will display one copy of Charles Darwin's "On The Origin of Species" for every Bible they display.

There is a great place to teach Christian religious doctrine. It's a big building with a cross on the roof. You know, the place you take your suit or dress to every Sunday morning. Church teachings only work if you teach them in church.

So there's the deal: Pledge or Forcing Religion. What say ye?

[clydefrand]

1. Very well put. I agree with you, but do you really think that

the right wing fundies will ever cease their encroachment upon those who don't think as they do? That's their religion...spreading the gospel to all the lands in the world and beyond. :-)

[KittyWampus]

2. Dear Pharisees, Replace "Under God" With "Guided By Providence"

and maybe the REAL Christians won't have to disown you.

[celestia671]

3. I'm not right wing...

at all. However, I don't see anything wrong with the words 'under God'.(Please don't slam me, that's just my opinion!) I don't think there should be forced prayer in schools, but it could be optional. Example, a group of students wants to meet in the morning for a prayer before class starts. No harm in that.

[jmowreader]

6. They already do that, and it's okay by me

The Supreme Court already said that religious clubs must have the same standing as non-religious clubs.

So let's say you're a Baptist and your life won't be complete if you don't pray with all of your friends for half an hour before first bell. I have no problem with you doing that. Set up a Jesus and Friends club, pull out your Bibles, read Scripture for half an hour. Even have sermons. Why, I don't even mind if you put up flyers and even pass out Chick Tracts! The people who believe in God As Chick Sees Him will be pleased and relieved, and the rest of the student body will have something fun to read because Chick Tracts are good for people of all spiritual preferences--for some as Biblical Truth, for others as comic relief.

Coerced prayer, which is what the fundies really want, is where I draw the line. I mean yeah, you could come up with a prayer that won't piss anyone off--but to do it you're gonna have to look straight ahead, close your eyes and reverently mouth the words "thank you for another day." Anything else and you're going to upset either the Catholics, normal Protestants, fundies, Baptists, Pentecostals, Chick theologians, those who follow Pat Robertson, anyone who uses the special Westboro Baptist Church Edition of the Bible (which consists of an index card that has Leviticus 18:22 written on it), Jews in four different flavors, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindi, ancestor worshippers, idol worshippers, Satan worshippers, Wiccans, non-Wiccan Pagans, Scientologists, followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster...you get the idea.

[longship]

4. Make a deal with the "devil"

The "devil" will never keep their end of the bargain.

Interesting pact, though. No hope at all that they'd go for it.

Guess we'll just have to keep "under god" out of the pledge.

[MercutioATC]

5. Great post!

Very well written. Perhaps my favorite lines: "There is a great place to teach Christian religious doctrine. It's a big building with a cross on the roof."

:applause:

[Az]

7. Watch here to see if they take you up on your offer

But don't hold your breath.

http://www.infidels.org/wire/