The Lord's Prayer in School

I've been asked to post my take on the big issue in Taber right now, prayer in school.

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Thine is the kingdom,
The power and glory,
Forever and ever.

If I harmed you by writing that, I don't think the problem is the prayer. I think you need to sit down and examine your life a little closer and determine why it hurt you.

You don't have to believe in God for this prayer to have power. It works just as well translated into plain speak and internalized:

'OK, Ty. Everything's going to work out fine. Get through today, it'll be alright. Everybody makes mistakes, so don't dwell on those made by others. Don't eat that second helping of cake, and don't shoplift that chocolate bar. Just stay out of trouble, and remain humble.'

It's more or less a poem about how to be a good person. Saying it hurts absolutely nobody. They aren't teaching creationism in their history class. It ain't broke, so don't fix it. Fighting about whether or not it's said in a group setting will accomplish absolutely nothing in the big picture, but it will hurt the children caught in the crossfire of the conflict.

Opinions

We are currently living in a society that thinks its members has the right to speak their mind, but they do not. Our Charter Right to freedom of speech only means that we cannot be prosecuted by the criminal justice system. Sharing your opinion publicly will often lead to persecution in the court of public opinion, and can lead to dishonour, unemployment, and loss of social status. I think this is total crap.

I feel that everyone is entitled to their opinion. This entitlement should apply to every opinion, no matter how inappropriate, uneducated, or offensive. Speaking your opinion in a public setting invariably is an invitation for everyone to express their own on the topic. This is how we learn about the works around us, and it is a good thing. What is not a good thing is when the lynch mob tries to ruin your life over it.