strong Christian foundation

By AMANDA R. BRADLEY

Published Sept. 21, 1999

I believe that some of the "old ways" are the best ways. I believe in "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." Therefore I tend to get on the preverbial "soapbox" every now and then on some issues.

A friend handed me a piece of paper last week and asked me to sign it. I immediately read the paper and was was shocked at what I read.

Apparently an organization is trying to stop all Sunday worship services from being broadcast on the radio or television. This group successfully eliminated the use of Bible reading and prayer from schools 15 years ago.

This same organization is also campaigning to remove all Christmas programs, Christmas songs, and Christmas carols from public schools.

The petition to do all of this has 287,000 signatures and the organization has been granted a Federal hearing.

I don’t know about you, but reading all of this made me angry. I am appalled that an organization made up of people are in charge of taking away my right to hear church services on the radio or television and wants to take away my right and the rights of children to sing Christmas carols in schools.

My first question where are the parents of the woman who started all of this? Are they still alive? Is she still alive? Because this woman needs a spanking if anyone does.

I remember starting classes every morning with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. What a wonderful way to start every school day. I believe my class and all of us that participated in these events are better people for it. We certainly didn’t go around shooting our classmates or thinking about how to build bombs to hurt people. We were too busy studying, playing in the band, going to church and being involved in church youth activities to have time to think about doing those kinds of things.

I believe this is some of what is wrong with the world today. I believe a lot of this trouble begins in the homes of these children. Both parents are not there to raise them and they are left to their own devices. And not that a single parent can’t raise a good child, my mother was a single parent. But it "takes a village to raise a child" and that includes grandparents, aunts and uncles and the fellowship of a church.

If the children aren’t getting what they need at home, then their only other source is school. I know teachers can not do it by themselves, but if the children do not get what they need at home, and they don’t get what they need at school, then they are not going to get it and problems will only get worse.

I believe children need a good foundation in Christianity, religion, whatever you want to call it. It is a spiritual foundation that is needed to be the people we were intended to be. They need the love of a "higher power" to fill the "black hole" found inside of us, and if we don’t tell them about God, who will?

I certainly don’t want people to think that I believe Christianity is the only way because I don’t. But I do believe in God, also known as my "higher power," and I believe he is watching over all of us with his fleet of angels. It doesn’t matter to me whether you believe in evolution or creation because who is to say both are not correct? We may never know.

But we do know why this country was founded. If a child does not want to say the prayer, then let him stand or sit there quietly while the rest of the students participate. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. If he doesn’t want to sing a Christmas carol, then let him sit quietly. And if he gets tired of sitting there quietly, then let him change schools or go to where they practice his religion on a daily basis.

I like to hear church services on Sunday morning. I like to hear Christmas carols on the radio. I like to watch television when I don’t make it to church and get my daily dose of the good word.

We as Americans are becoming too tolerant. We need to take back our schools and our rights. I know that some schools are now allowed to have "moments of silence" and we have days for prayer, but that is not enough. I mentioned to a friend the other day that I hope the world is getting ready because all of these bad things such as hurricanes, shootings, etc., may just be practice for what lies ahead.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. James and Nanna for giving me the courage to write ths article. I believe God gave us voices for a reason. Not just to praise him in song and in words, but to speak out on his behalf. Needless to say, I signed the petition against what this woman and her organization is doing and if you would like to sign it, just contact me at The Messenger.

There is a reason and a purpose for everthing. Politics may be looking pretty good to me. It would definitely put my loud voice to good use.

Amanda Bradley is a staff writer for The Messenger.