What do you think?

That's quite a few questions.....the local elected officials (such as School Board) or whom are you referring so we can answer the questions, please advise.

Concernedperson. Excellent thought provoking questions.
1. Elections. I would like to know if I'm choosing to vote for an Atheist, Christian, Wiccan, Buddhist, Muslim, or Druid. However, their political leanings are probably more important than their religious affiliation. But, the less I know about a candidate the more important their choice of religion becomes. If I know the candidates well, and it's a 'toss-up', then religion becomes the probable deciding factor.

2. Public square. A big influence here is that today we seem to have migrated to a point where the majority no longer rules. If even one person claims to have been 'offended' then often everything changes to also accommodate that one person. So, that thought process influences the 'nativity' scene most of us grew up appreciating in the public square, or if we encourage prayer in school, then since the vast majority would assume a Christian prayer is acceptable must we then accommodate a prayer by a Satanic follower?

Keep Well

NO religion has a place in the public square.
I was raised Lutheran in the Falls, and was allowed to go to religious studies every Wed. in the middle of the school day. That was wrong of the schools to allow during a taxpayer funded school day.
I'm now Buddhist and can't imagine asking the teacher if I could meditate and chant in the classroom. Can you imagine...they'd freak!! And probably be very uncomfortable....well, that's probably how those few kids that stayed behind felt every Wed. during our school sponsored religious hour.

Your religion is personal...and should be shared with other like minded folks at your place of worship or in many other ways.... just not in the public square. We need to respect everyone.

The first whites to touch North American soils were the Norsemen (Vikings). Thor was their god, carried a hammer and enjoyed using it. His adherents, apparently, liked to copy ‘big papa” Thor’s example as they hammered, ravaged, raped, pillaged and killed anything that was “not of Thor.”

The next set of whites that came to America, was during The Catholic “Inquisition” period. The adherents of this flavor of Christianity, crucified, drew & quartered, burned at the stake, beheaded, ripped out entrails, ravaged, raped, pillaged, tortured and killed anyone that was not of “the One True Faith.” (Their faith.)

The Red man watched the white devils deposit viruses at Plymouth Rock for which their immune systems had no defense. The Rhino virus, Influenza, TB, Measles, Mumps, Whopping Cough, Diptheria, Typhoid & Scarlett fevers, Small Pox and (last but not least) Protestantism. These infections infected ravaged millions. Whole races and cultures disappeared. “Ethnic" cleansing? Pilgrims, Puritans, Quakers, and George Armstrong Custer figured they were doing God's Holy Will. Now, by the time July 4th, 1776 rolled around it had become fairly evident that religion and government were poor bedfellows. More than one bedmate, could only live in peace, in separate bedrooms.

For most of America’s history, “seperate beds and separate bedrooms did not mean “A divided house, shall not stand.” No, separate sleeping arraingments met the difinition: “Seperation of church and State.” It also meant that Christians of different denominations, (‘though in the same bedroom) slept in separate beds. Everything went along swimmingly with this setup until . . .

Monday, June 17th, 1963 . . . when the Idea, The Great Experiment, called “America” died. What happened? Well, on that fateful day, The Supreme Court overturned Baltimore Superior Court Judge J. Gilbert Pendergast’s 04/27/61 decision against Madalyn Murray’s lawsuit (Murray versus The Baltimore Board of Education). You see, Ms. Murray wanted to take “God” and “prayer” out of public school. Out of anything that had a single government dollar contributed to it. She hated God, (especially the Judeo-Christian God) and (by god) she wanted to spit in God’s eye. Well, at first, it looked like she had lost, and (as they say) “That was that.” WRONG! New York Times headline, 06/18/1961:“2 CASES DECIDED; Government Must Be Neutral in Religion, Majority Asserts Insists on Neutral Stand Seek to Soften Criticism Varied Voices Speak 2 STATES INVOLVED IN MAJOR DECISION Government Must Always Be NEUTRAL ON RELIGION, MAJORITY ASSERTS Find Conflict With Beliefs 'Decisively Settled' Argument Dismissed Says Proof Is Required Some Activities Exempted”

If you please, I direct your attention now, to this portion of the headline: “Government Must Always Be NEUTRAL ON RELIGION, MAJORITY ASSERTS.”

Question: Today, is the Federal Government really neutral when it comes to religion?
The answer? NO! Capital “N”, capital “O.” Today you see, the Christian religion is a safe, soft, target open to attack. To underscore my answer, just listen to comedians as they (safely) say anything they please about Christians to generate laughs. The ancient Romans did this, and not since those times, has the persecution of Christians risen to such heights. This not the case, however, with other faiths. Comedians dare not make fun of Satanists or the Moslems because they'll kill you and your whole family. Okay, (this may sound like a joke, but) comedy is not government. Comedians take their cue from government as to what is fair game and what is a “sacred cow” and should be left alone. The federal government, which, although at war with terrorists belonging to ‘The Nation of Islam” are protected in many identical situations, where Christians are not. Why? Because unlike their wild mustang years of genocide, Christians have become tame ponies. Today, they are closer adherents to what Jesus actually taught. Today, a true Christian will not slit Conan O’Brian’s throat if he makes fun of Christ. He and all the other jokers are safe because today’s Christians (finally) have learned to turn the other cheek. They forgive. They believe in mercy, and they believe that revenge is reserved only for God. He “taketh” and (there-for) only He . . . can “taketh away.” Remember, I'm talking about true Christians, those who actually follow and do what Christ taught.

How can I tie this up in a neat little package and put the genie (Madalyn Murray O’Hair) back into the bottle. How can Christians return to the “olden times,” the “good ‘ol years” before prayer was banned from public schools. The short answer? We can’t. (Yeah, I said "we." I’m a Christian) The long answer? We can’t, put prayer back in school without an amendment to the constitution.

As I write this, I must tell you, I’m just a spectator with an aisle seat. Best movie in town this here earth. For that’s all earth is, a stage play. When things seem confusing and frustrating for me . . . When things anger me . . . I just say to myself, “Phone concerned person." If crying on his shoulder doesn't help, I pray to the Lord "Tell me God, It’s only a movie, Right? It’s only a movie. Dear God, please provide me with an alternate ending.”

Earth feels like re-ality, tastes, smells, looks and sounds like re-ality, but it’s not reality. When I go out for popcorn (the hospital?) I may come back or I may go home to real Reality. When I leave this theater, I’m going to enjoy not arguing with six billion fellow actors each of whom believe that they're the stars of their own movie and the rest of us extras and pawns. Believe me, I won’t miss that kind of chaos at all.