by Joseph Hiller

Created on: July 05, 2008

I understand that this is not a debate, but may be my post will make it one as I want to speak against having the pledge in schools. Having served my country in the military, I believe in and support our Constitution. We all know it states that there has to be a seperation of church and state. To bring God into the schools violates that part of the Constitution. That is, in public schools.

Our Constitution also says we have the freedom of religion. Therefore, if we allow the Christian God into our schools, don't we now have to allow Allah, Buddah, and even Satan into our schools as well? After all, if you are going to allow one religion into the school system (Christianity), don't you have to allow all others (Islam, Buddism, Satanism)?

I don't know how many religions there are in the world, but I know there are more than 100. You can't allow one in and ban the others. What about the children who don't believe in the Christian God? Do you force them to say the pledge? Or do you allow them to say, "One nation uner Allah or Satan"? Obviously neither is a viable option. The only choice that makes sense is to not say the pledge at all. Forcing students to do so only opens up problems that no school wants to deal with.

If you are all for having the pledge said in school, think of this; What if your child was in a school where Islam was the most popular religion, but you are a Baptist. What if they had a pledge every morning to Allah and your child had to say it. Would you be okay with that? I'm not sure anyone could answer yes to that honestly. Religion is very strong in so many people. We live in a world of multi-races, multi-cultures, and multi-religions. It's incomprehensible for anyone to expect a child to make any pledge that goes against their religion to satisgy their own wants.

Recently George Carlin died. I was/am a huge fan. Years ago he did a routine on the 10 commandments where he reduced the 10 to 3. The third was "Keep thy religion to thy %&#$(&^ self". I couldn't agree more. Everyone has the right to practice the religion of their choice, but not to push it onto others.

I don't think people really take the time to think before they speak or act. Everyone is entitle to their opinion on religion. But how many think about what they are saying before they say it? So many people think, "This is how I think things should be", and they push as hard as they can to get others to follow. Why? Are they getting some kind of commission from their church? Believe what you want, worship how you want, and believe in whatever Higher Power you think is out there. Just don't push your beliefs on others. Let them make their own decisions.

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