<< Back 8/21/02 Keep religion in the home and at church SMN There are two places in which it is appropriate to teach and practice religion: the home and the church. I am reminded, as children head back to school, that there are those out there still demanding that we have official prayers and other religious activities in our public schools. When I think of the many inappropriate ways I have been subjected to the religious beliefs of others as an adult, it frightens me to think of the effect these fundamentalist religious bullies would have on small children if they were allowed to run amok in our schools. A well-dressed lady came to my door recently with bible in hand and announced she was there to read scripture with me. As she opened her bible and told me what chapters and verses would be read, I told her I was not interested. With a look of shock on her face, she asked if I read the bible. I told her my religious practices were a private matter and closed the door. Several years ago I answered my doorbell to find a man there who shouted in my face “have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?” Then there was the visit from the church bus on Saturday seeking recruits for Sunday school. A man stood in my driveway and, after hectoring my 9 or 10 year old son, shook his finger at me and said “I want him on the bus in the morning.” I told him that would be my son’s decision. I attended a cookout a few years ago at which a man I was introduced to five minutes before stood up and bellowed “everybody rise” as he launched into a longwinded prayer just as it was announced that the food was ready. I asked the host if he or his wife had asked this person to lead a prayer and was told they had not. We had a staff lunch at work one day. Just as I walked into the room the boss directed everyone to hold hands as he said a prayer on state time. Exactly who granted the authority to these arrogant people to bully others into accepting their religious beliefs? What right do these people have to come to someone’s home and read scripture or demand that children be sent to their Sunday school? What right does a guest have to order other guests to pray his prayer at a cookout? Why should a boss be able to order his staff to engage in a hand-holding that I found uncomfortable? I could have and should have refused to participate in the cookout prayer and the office hand-holding. I felt I was ambushed and used in both cases. I have since approached events of this kind anticipating what might happen. I have enough awareness of the situation now that I will, if necessary, simply walk away while the grandstanding bible thumpers have their few minutes in the spotlight. My prayer time with God is not open to the public. Just imagine a child in kindergarten or first grade being subjected to religious zealots such as I have encountered. Make no mistake about it. If official prayer is ever allowed in schools, the local fundamentalists will be coming out of the woodwork to invade schools and volunteer to lead prayers. They will go berserk if a priest, rabbi, or imam would presume to tread on “their” turf at school. They will use our schools to instill fear and hatred in our children and promote attendance at their churches. After all, they will argue, we are a Christian nation. The special treatment accorded to Christians will not, of course, apply to those Christians who belong to denominations other than their own. I love bluegrass music and consider myself a bluegrass historian. Gospel songs make up about one-fourth of the music in this genre. The message is usually based on fundamentalist teachings. As I listen to gospel songs from my CD collection almost daily, I think of the beauty of the simple message of faith conveyed by this music. It is unfortunate that there are those who would use this message to try to make others conform to the only way, their way. Let’s protect our children and keep our schools off limits to right-wing religious bullies. Let these little ones learn from mom and dad about the God who loves them all. (Bruce Steinbicker is a retired CPA who spent his career in state government. He lives in Asheville).