by Sam Whiskey 469 Replies latest jw friends
This has caused quite a stir and I hope it awakens people to the fact that everyone has a right to freedom of speech, even Christians.
Suppose he was a Muslim and recited an Islamic prayer. Think that would still be OK with all the fundies there? Everybody gonna rally around his "freedom of speech" then?
Nah! That'd be inappropriate. Maybe a hate crime.
Doc
Would you be so giddy if the student had been a Hindu and stood up and recited- 'We worship thee O Three eyed One, Lord Shiva'.
DOC: Suppose he was a Muslim and recited an Islamic prayer.
designs: Would you be so giddy if the student had been a Hindu and stood up and recited- 'We worship thee O Three eyed One, Lord Shiva'.
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Both comments are spot on.
You see, to people like Sam Whiskey, "freedom of speech" means the Christian view- and only the Christian view.
I'm sure SW would've had a real problem with this Valedictorian reciting anything but the Lord's prayer. "Freedom of speech" has its limits.
Sam - would you have felt the same if the valedictorian was Muslim and read a Muslim prayer?
EDIT: I wrote this before reading the last three comments. I don't expect Sam will chime in
Here's what Sam REALLY means when he talks of the need to include god, prayer and freedom of religious expression in school:
"It's a powerful message. The message is that while schools themselves have attempted to remove every vestage of God, young Christians are fed up with the shenanigans and are standing up to school officials"
"Repression" of Christianity = Christians currently do not have 100% control.
"Shenanigans" = everyone has equal freedoms under the law.
The Muslims are getting a lot of bad press lately. But I hear this little voice in the background saying that true Islam is a religion of peace, much like true Christianity claims to be.
That being said, I'm not so all-fired sure that I would have minded if the Valedictorian recited a passage of the Koran, if it was a bridge-building passage, rather than a kill 'em all passage.
tolerance
But I hear this little voice in the background saying that true Islam is a religion of peace
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Not so. Read the Koran.
I think if it's their speach they should say what they like. I personally wouldn't care if they said praise Jesus, Allah, Vishnu, Zeus or whoever. If they want to say thank you to their god. Who cares? I don't. As long as they don't get extra time because they want to waffle on for hours. No one wants a preaching session.
I'd be sitting in the audience going But it's their choice how they want to use their time.
Good grief you all,
This speed was completely inappropriate. He used a public forum, not a religious one, to espouse his own personal religious beliefs. What arrogance. Why would he think that anyone else would want to listen to it, and would you all feel the same way if his god of choice was Allah, Buddha, Mohammed, the rock behind the school or any other imaginary creature? Would he be feeling the love if his prayer was to Satan? That he is in a "majority" right now in this moment of time makes it nonetheless pathetic. My only caveat is his youth.
If it was to Satan...I'd stay awake to hear that...LOL
