More on that lovely publication

I'm back on the subject of "America, Return to God!", a book which has given me a wonderful time in laughing at stupidity. Unfortunately, these opinions are not as extreme as they might be. Included in the book are essays by leading lights of the Christian Right, including Ravi Zacharias, Jerry Falwell, Tim LaHaye, and James Dobson, all well-known and generally well-liked among the extreme right.

So when reading the following quote from Gary Bergel's essay, remember that millions of Americans consider it a reasonable position:

The removal of prayer from our schools was a violation of the third commandment which commands us "not to take the name of the Lord in vain." By the judicial act of forbidding invocation, the Cour audaciously elevated a securlarized system of education beyond the authority, reach, and blessing of God Himself. Worse than taking the Lord's sacred name in vain is treating it with contempt, denying it [sic] rightful place and stripping it from public use and even from the lips of children.

Well, actually, no. Taking the Lord's name in vain would be allowing it to be used in schools were non-believers would be forced (or at least pressured) to join in an invocation in which they do not believe.

But far more disturbing is Bergel's lack of faith. Even if such had been the goal, how could the ruling take "education beyond the authority, reach, and blessing of God"–how big a sissy is their God? He must be pretty damn wimpy if he can't get into schools unless the schools are leading the students in prayer.

But let's assume that he's right: not letting schools force children to pray is a disrespect to the supreme being to which they would pray. If that's true, then I demand equal treatment. If schools can lead prayers to the Christian God, they'd damn sure better lead prayers to the Flying Spaghetti Monster as well, or I'll sue for descrimination.

Or maybe the Christan Right wouldn't be so thrilled to have the state endorsing OTHER belief systems?