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From: wbpesch@ihuxp.UUCP (Walt Pesch)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Prayer in schools and WHY
Message-ID: <623@ihuxp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Feb-84 18:32:01 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxp.623
Posted: Wed Feb  8 18:32:01 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 02:30:49 EST
References: <198@mi-eec.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 33

Hmmm... we might get a real cooker going with this.

I will first say that religion has and does have a great effect on our
society.  This can be seen simply by looking at history.

From there, I will state that children should be aware of the various
religous beliefs that they will encounter in their fellow children
and in their life.

I do believe in religion in school.  I believe as sure as they have
social studies, or perhaps as part of social studies, the basis behind
people's religous beliefs should be explained.  Myself, who was raised
as a Roman Catholic, go to Parochial Schools, and went to church every
Sunday, can count on the fingers of one hand the numbers of times that
I have been to a non-Catholic place of worship, and these all stem
from either weddings or funerals.  I will admit that though I am not
of any religous persuasion at the current time, I am pretty much
totally unaware of the various religous beliefs.  I have a vague
understanding of Judaism, no real understanding of the various
Protestant sects, no comprehension of why the born-agains are
constantly babbling about, and I won't even mention Buddhism.

So my statement comes down to a support of the education in schools of
religion.  But only on a far basis where all the various belief are
presented equally, and more on a socialogical than religous basis.  I
have a feeling that the Reverend Falwell and I will disagree on this,
for I am sure that he only wants HIS religion in schools.



                                          Walt Pesch
                                      AT&T Technologies
                                     ihnp4!ihuxp!wbpesch