Let Them Pray Or They'll Sue

The Liberty Counsel, with the full support of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, is determined that any religious expression (that agrees with theirs) be allowed as part of upcoming high school graduation ceremonies across the United States. Falwell warns that anyone who tries to stop it will get hauled into court. This is an excerpt from Falwell's message:

I’m proud to stand with Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law, and his wife Anita, president of Liberty Counsel, in the national “Friend or Foe” Graduation Prayer Campaign.

This program is designed to educate and, if necessary, litigate to ensure that prayer and religious views are not suppressed during graduation ceremonies across the nation.

As part of this year's campaign, Liberty Counsel has created red prayer wristbands which students can wear as a reminder to pray at graduation and all throughout the school year.
The wristbands are embossed with “I WILL PRAY” and “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING (THESS. 5:17).”

The wristbands serve as reminders to students that they have the constitutional right to wear religious jewelry and to pray during non-instructional times while at school. Liberty Counsel also has a free legal memo on graduation prayer which is available online at www.LC.org.

Once again, the religious right seeks to force their will upon government officials (school boards that have jurisdiction over graduation ceremonies) under the guise of promoting "religious freedom."

Does that sound a bit harsh? Then consider this:

Back in Jesus' time, I'm sure there was something at least vaguely resembling today's commencement ceremonies. What if a school back then prohibited any religious expression during what served as their graduation. Can you picture Jesus approaching the decision makers and encouraging them to allow it? Perhaps. If His request was rejected, can you them imagine Him taking the issue to court? If you are even vaguely familiar with the Gospels in the Bible, I hope you can't.

Jesus didn't seek to shape civil laws in such a way that they encouraged, if not outright forced, people to acknowledge Him. He made it very clear that it was up to each individual to develop his or her own relationship with Him--that's what determined their destination for eternity. All of the civil laws, certainly the ones of the Phairasees in His time, wouldn't make any difference.

If Jesus had wanted to rule the government and establish a theocracy, He would have. He certainly could have, but it was not God's will. Jesus taught us humility and the importance of a one-on-one relationship with Him.

Try as they might, the religious right can't litigate or legislate that.