Our public education system continues to poison our society. Thanks (I think) to Linda for this news tip. (https://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2017/05/17/augusta-school-department-punishes-employee-for-telling-coworker-i-will-pray-for-you/)
In Augusta, Maine, a public school employee was recently disciplined with “coaching”–can these people do euphemisms, or what!–for saying, in a private conversation with another employee who is also a member of her church, “I will pray for you.”
Well, hey, hey! She was “instructed” never to say such a thing in any private conversation. Hello! Aren’t private conversations private anymore? Not in a public school, they aren’t. The employee has filed charges against the school district for religious discrimination.
Even more disturbing, school officials told her that she cannot use “phrases that integrate public and private belief systems.”
Whoa! Hold it right there! Since when does America have any “public belief system”? Has the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment been repealed? Did it happen while we slept? Who established a “public belief system” that binds us all? (“One ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them…” –Tolkien)
These people have got to be sent packing, before we all wake up behind barbed wire. Who do they think they are?
Wake up, O spirit of 1776! Wake up!
One element of this story I find most disturbing is that the complaint, apparently, originated from the fellow church member she promised to pray for. Now, IMHO, using secular authorities against fellow believers because of a petty problem is playing into the hands of all that is bad. Plenty of bad to go around in this situation but keeping in mind Jesus’ words to settle disputes among believers one to one seems to have been ignored in this case.
And we are instructed by Jesus in the Book of Matthew how to handle issues between brethren.
Matt. 18:15-17 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
It’s tragic to see people who claim to be Christians – that is, followers of Christ – behave in this manner.
The heaviness increases as we watch and yearn for His return.
The number of problems which could be avoided if all believers lived this advice is staggering. I’ve seen it time and again, yet some people seem to feel the need to drag others into a problem before making a good faith effort to solve the problem face to face.
In this case, no law was broken, so there’s no reason to appeal to secular authorities. It could have been handled in a much better manner.
Another thought – what sort of person must you be to refuse prayers for your benefit and blessing? And then complain about the person attempting to bless you? I’m always thankful for the prayers of my fellow believers on my behalf. Who among us is not in need of prayer?
Yep, there’s plenty wrong with this picture.
Have I missed something? I don’t see anything in the story about the co-worker complaining about “I will pray for you.” It only says this person thanked her for saying so.
If the conversation was private, how could the person offering prayer have been disciplined if the beneficiary of the prayer didn’t complain?
I read this story from another source, earlier today, and according to that article (don’t ask me where, but I recall reading it online) the coworker complained.
Be that as it may, the school is still dead wrong.
“Public belief system” indeed!
“Be that as it may, the school is still dead wrong.
“Public belief system” indeed!”
Agreed!
Some jerk might have overheard it, and complained.