Long, long ago, when Blast Off! was just a 98-post weakling, I had an occasional series called “Bumper Sticker Review.” There were some crazy stickers around, especially in Brevard County at that time (2004), and it was all too easy to laugh at their idiocy.
Well, maybe it’s about time to bring back the ol’ BSR. I saw the following sticker this morning on I-95 in Palm Beach County:
Oh, Jesus H. Christ with salisbury steak and chocolate milk. Do the wingnut fundies fail to see the obvious: prayer has never been out of school!! No authority has ever advocated, to my knowledge, that one can’t pray in school. Hell, even I was known to utter a prayer now and then: “Please, God, let me pass this exam” or, more likely, “Please, God, let [fill in girl's name] notice me — and in a good way this time.”
It’s just organized prayer that is illegal. How about you keep your prayers to yourselves, where they belong? The Bible (yes, I’ve read it, more than once, actually) says that worship ought to be private and that faith shouldn’t be worn like clothing. (Yeah, I’m paraphrasing — so sue me.) Organized prayer does exactly the opposite. And you fundies who want prayer back in school have plenty of private school options so your kids can be brainwashed indoctrinated into whatever value system you think is appropriate. So keep your religion off of my kids, thanks.
An oft-overlooked lesson of history is that the separation of church and state was included in the Constitution (remember that?) not to protect religion from oppression by the government, but to prevent religion from unduly influencing government. You know, like it is today.
Practice whatever religion you want, fundies. Just remember that practice doesn’t always make perfect.
