Paul Harvey and Prayer

Recently, I received a forwarded email with the following text:

Paul Harvey says:

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue
somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I
don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a
lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory
of evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be
endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer
before a football game.

So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there
reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a
God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the
players on the field and the fans going home from the game

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue.

Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country
founded on Christian principles. According to our very
own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others
better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody
chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem,
I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad,
I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

If I went to a ping pong match in China,
I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended.
It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome ..

"But what about the atheists?" is another argument.

What about them?
Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to
pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If
that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear
plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand.
Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or
two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do.
I don't think a short prayer at a football game is
going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other
cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our
parents and grandparents taught us to pray before
eating; to pray before we go to sleep.

Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a
handful of people and their lawyers are telling us
to cease praying.

God, help us.
And if that last sentence offends you,
well ... just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we
let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard
... that the vast majority don't care what they want. It
is time the majority rules! It's time we tell them, you don't
have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance;
you don't have to believe in God or attend services that
honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your
right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our
rights away. We are fighting back ...
and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all ... especially those who denounce
Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still
the greatest nation of all.

God bless our service men who are fighting to protect
our right to pray and worship God.

May 2005 be the year the silent majority is heard
and we put God back as the foundation of our
families and institutions.

Keep looking up.

Honestly? The Christian majority feel that their rights are being taken away? The only "right" that appears to be taken away is the ability to force everyone in the nation to live by your religious beliefs. Sure, you aren't forcing us to attend your church or adopt your beliefs (at least not the silent majority Mr. Harvey speaks of). However, laws continue to be made based on the rules of the Christian majority. I don't conceive that to be a loss of rights at all, at least not for this silent majority.

I would argue with Mr. Harvey that a 30-second Christian prayer at a football game could infringe on one's pursuit of happiness. Have you ever been to a football game where a prayer was said? It is given the same reverence as our national anthem. In doing so, those with different beliefs are left to respectfully stand through an homage to Christianity. If you argue that the Christian prayer is OK, then the others there should have equal representation. There should therefore be a 30-second moment for each religion present to pray, not pray, or whatever tradional homage to their beliefs there may be. This silent majority can silently (and respectfully) sit through each of these prayers as everyone else sat through theirs. Mr. Harvey's arguement that those with different beliefs, such as atheists, can do something else such as listen to their walkman (I believe this has been replaced by the iPod), should be reconsidered. When choosing to respectfully omit themselves from these moments directed at beliefs other than their own, such people are often not given the same respect for their choice and are shunned or chastized for not singing "God Bless America" or reciting the prayer. I concede, however, that those being disrespectful may not be considered part of Mr. Harvey's 'silent majority'; at least not while intoxicated.

I understand Mr. Harvey's arguement that if he were to attend sporting events in other nations, he would expect to hear prayers for the religions of those respective nations. The difference between them and the United States is that many of those other nations have national religions. The US is not a Christian country. We are a melting pot. Yes, Christians are the majority; but our Bill of Rights states explicitly that there is freedom of religion and there shall be no national religion. Just because the nation was founded based on moral and ethical principles that coincide with those of Christianity does not mean that it is a Christian nation. Those same principles coincide with many other religions as well.

I respect Christianity just as I respect other religions. I am not arguing that there is not a place for religion in public. We have freedom of religious expression, so feel free to express yourself. It is just that I feel this should be done on an individual basis. To have a group, stadium-wide prayer at a football game infringes on the happiness of others and their pursuit thereof. If you feel a prayer is necessary before the game, say one individually; it is more respectful of the diverse individuals attending the game, and I would argue that it is more meaningful than the group prayer because you choose to do it on your own, not per the suggestion of the people with the microphone.

To not be part of the Christian majority during such a moment is extremely awkward. I can imagine how Christians would feel at the game if an Islamic prayer were said during that 30-second period instead. Recent history of this 'Christian Nation' has indicated that the Islamic prayer would likely not be said again, at least not without a 60-second Christian prayer.

Lastly, for those who admire this email and the information therein because it is from Paul Harvey, think again. From TruthorFiction.com:

This commentary is not from Paul Harvey.
It's from the pen of Nick Gholson, a columnist for the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas, published in September of 1999.

Priceless

From DailyKos:

Blunt Calls Special Session at Taxpayers' Expense to Appease Special Interests

Legislators to consider abortion law

Young Republican. Same old tricks.

Senator Joan Bray of St. Louis has the right idea. The rest of you need to see a doctor about your tunnel vision. If you want to reduce abortions, banning them won't help much (though it will certainly help increase the number of injuries due to attempted abortions). To reduce abortions, reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. It is absolutely hypocritical to ban abortions, and at the same time, eliminate the availability of emergency (and regular) contraceptives and education.

When will you get it through your head that there are people in this state that don't believe sex for reasons other than procreation is evil? If you ban abortions, the rape victim can terminate the pregnancy that would result in her bearing the child of her attacker. If abortions are legal, your wife can still have the child you two have been waiting for. Which one sounds more like "America, Land of the Free"?

I understand the issue is more complex than this, especially in regards to minors, etc. To be honest, I have digressed a bit. My initial concern is the fact that a special session, which costs the state more money, has been called to make sure the special interest groups are appeased. I wonder if I can get them to listen to my special interest group if I tell them (and I'm probably lying) that I'm a "God-fearing Christian" (and a white male) who stands for "values" and has millions of dollars to give. I wonder if they'll continue to listen when I tell them my group's interest is to for all legislaters with an 'R' after their name to attend all sessions strung up by their big toes...

Focus on What's Important: Stay Home for Labor Day

Watching the news right now is difficult. I want to help. My wife and I visited New Orleans for the first time in June. We fell in love with the character that city has. We also got a good look, for the first time, at the absolute poverty many people down there live in. I cannot even begin to imagine what life must be like for them now; everything is gone, and it appears their government has abandoned them.

The President decided to cut his vacation short on Wednesday, maybe Tuesday. What sacrifice. Where was he on Saturday and Sunday when it was glaringly obvious a disaster was pending? Why didn't he have every possible resource gathered on the borders of the storm, ready to mobilize and cover the affected areas with aid the moment they could get in rather than late Tuesday/early Wednesday?

Why the hell is he flying around on a helicopter, assessing the damage on Friday? If it isn't obvious yet, let me save you the time and free up that helicopter for saving lives, Mr. President: it is a freaking devastated disaster area. Towns have been obliterated, a major city is underwater, people are dead and dying because they don't have the aid they need, and you are flying around gawking at it like it's a wreck on the side of the highway!

The people there have become much more than disenfranchised. There are riots, looting, and violence, all because no one (or at least not enough) was there in a timely manner to provide aid and maintain order. Most of the people down there are minorities living in poverty who already felt abandoned. Now it seems like the government is all but ignoring them; and why? Because they are black? Because they are poor? Because they didn't vote for Bush?

It has become clear that the administration does not understand the urgency of the situation. Therefore, it is up to the rest of us, the caring Citizens of the US, to continue doing what we can and more. Right now, there are many people worried and complaining about rising gas prices, especially the sudden rise in the wake of Katrina. To be honest, I don't care. I haven't lost everything; paying $3, $4, $5, $6 or more per gallon is certainly not a big deal. Stop worrying about gas and worry about the people in need.

I would like to offer a suggestion to the people of our country who want to help. Don't travel for Labor Day; stay home. Stay home to love and appreciate your family and to love and appreciate your home. There are many people right now who cannot do that. Take the money you save from not consuming two or three tanks of gas and donate it to hurricane relief. Doing this does two things, it raises more money for aid and reduces the demand for gas on the most traveled weekend of the year.

Simply change your plans for one weekend. Give that extra $50, $100, $200(I know some of you have SUV's and drive long distances). Personally, I want to help more, I want to be hands-on, but this is the best I can do right now, so I'm asking others do do the best they can so that we can start to catch up where our government has fallen behind.