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Valedictorian rips approved speech!

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tosca1

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I don't know if this has been posted already, if so please excuse me.
But I just want to share about this brave young man exercising his freedom to speak and express his belief.





:good_job:

:rock


I think we're starting to see our Christian youth and young folks really getting involved. From wearing a t-shirt that glorifies God, creating video games, to groups proselytizing in inner cities......etc..,

In this day and age of drugs and crimes, parents' best hope is to try their best to introduce their children - the younger the better - to Jesus Christ, and the Christian life..... and to teach by example.
 
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Yes, you're all so ****ing persecuted for not being able to shove your religion down everyone else's throats.
 
Viktyr Gehrig said:
Yes, you're all so ****ing persecuted for not being able to shove your religion down everyone else's throats.
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It's called the freedom of religion. Try reading the First Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
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There's already a very active thread about this going on in Polls. Has been going for days.
 
a777pilot said:
It's called the freedom of religion. Try reading the First Amendment.
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You forgot one part of that though.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
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No, I did not.

A student giving a speech that mentions and even praises God is not, in any way, an establishment of a religion.

I bet if he had said, "God bless President obama" you would be conflicted, but would say that is OK.
 
tosca1 said:
I don't know if this has been posted already, if so please excuse me.
But I just want to share about this brave young man exercising his freedom to speak and express his belief.








:good_job:

:rock


I think we're starting to see our Christian youth and young folks really getting involved. From wearing a t-shirt that glorifies God, creating video games, to groups proselytizing in inner cities......etc..,

In this day and age of drugs and crimes, parents' best hope is to try their best to introduce their children - the younger the better - to Jesus Christ, and the Christian life..... and to teach by example.
Click to expand...


hope the late Falwell and Pat Robertson are not the examples they follow ... in fact, I hope they follow Jesus Christ and become liberals ... he was everything cons are not ... "He rejected greed, violence, the glorification of power, the amassing of wealth without social balance, and the personal judging of others, their lifestyles and beliefs." Let's hope this young man truly knows what being a Christ follower really is and not what cons pretend he is ...
 
a777pilot said:
No, I did not.

A student giving a speech that mentions and even praises God is not, in any way, an establishment of a religion.
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It is when it's done at a function of a public school paid for by tax dollars allocated by the government.

a777pilot said:
I bet if he had said, "God bless President obama" you would be conflicted, but would say that is OK.
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And that is a bet you would lose.
 
It is when it's done at a function of a public school paid for by tax dollars allocated by the government.
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LOL! You mean with those dollar bills that say "In God We Trust" on them? Those dollars?
 
This happened at my former high school. Really is it so unusual that this gets media attention? Well, they worked 4 years so they can say whatever in that few minutes. I just think it's silly and inconsiderate to spend that time repeating the same things heard every week in church or auditioning for a ministry career, instead of reflecting on the graduating class' memories, accomplishments, and future goals. Many of them will never see each other again.
 
If he had said praise be to Allah he would be under arrest
 
windowdressing said:
hope the late Falwell and Pat Robertson are not the examples they follow ... in fact, I hope they follow Jesus Christ and become liberals ... he was everything cons are not ... "He rejected greed, violence, the glorification of power, the amassing of wealth without social balance, and the personal judging of others, their lifestyles and beliefs." Let's hope this young man truly knows what being a Christ follower really is and not what cons pretend he is ...
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I don't know anything about the two names mentioned.....but there are a lot of false preachers/prophets around.
 
samsmart said:
It is when it's done at a function of a public school paid for by tax dollars allocated by the government.
Click to expand...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Here is an explanation for that:

3. The First Amendment starts with the words “Congress shall make no law …” But don’t we sometimes limit First Amendment freedoms?
Yes, at times we do limit First Amendment freedoms. While the text of the First Amendment references that “Congress shall make no law,” there are some limited types of speech that do not receive free-speech protection. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously expressed this point when he wrote that “the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.” Holmes’s famous phrase means that not all forms of speech are protected. For example, the First Amendment does not protect obscenity, child pornography, true threats, fighting words, incitement to imminent lawless action, criminal solicitation or defamation.
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 The First Amendment | 1 for All

You're taking it out of context. The student gave his explanation why he prayed to our God.
 
chromium said:
This happened at my former high school. Really is it so unusual that this gets media attention? Well, they worked 4 years so they can say whatever in that few minutes. I just think it's silly and inconsiderate to spend that time repeating the same things heard every week in church or auditioning for a ministry career, instead of reflecting on the graduating class' memories, accomplishments, and future goals. Many of them will never see each other again.
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Another cliché speech, you mean?
Save those class memories and accomplishments for reunions - 10 years from now. They're best relived that way.
And why would future goals be so important in a speech? It would be more practical to be prudent in talking about one's goals lest 10 years from now at that class reunion, some insensitive peer comes up and asks, "What happened?"


Many of them will never see each other again. Yes.
This graduating class would go out to trek their own adventure. A lot of them will marry someday and become parents. They'll hold jobs and perhaps some of them will hold public office. Everything is summed up in his opening line about his parents. The prayer glorifies the One that made it all possible.

He shared the best he can give......how through Christ we can be moulded to be the best citizens any nation can hope for.
Not to mention, how through Christ you can live forever.
 
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tosca1 said:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Here is an explanation for that:

The First Amendment | 1 for All

You're taking it out of context. The student gave his explanation why he prayed to our God.
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I'm not taking it out of context.

What your explanation addresses is the use of free speech.

What my explanation addresses is the Establishment Clause.

Religious practices should not be held at public services of the government or in places funded by the government.
 
samsmart said:
I'm not taking it out of context.

What your explanation addresses is the use of free speech.

What my explanation addresses is the Establishment Clause.

Religious practices should not be held at public services of the government or in places funded by the government.
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Establishment clause:

6. What does the establishment clause mean?
This is a difficult question that divides legislators, educators and members of the Supreme Court. It clearly means that the government may not establish a national religion. It also means that the government may not pass a law that favors one religious sect or group over another. To many, it also means that the government may not pass a law that favors religion over nonreligion.
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The First Amendment | 1 for All

That may be how you'd want it to be or how you wish it would be....but wanting or wishing does not necessarily makes it so.

His speech/prayer did not any way suggest that the government had established a national religion, nor that it passed a law that had favored one religion over another, or over the non-religious. The student merely exercised his freedom to express his belief.
Perhaps next time, the valedictorian will be an atheist, and he can express his own belief in his speech.
 
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captainawesome said:
If he had said praise be to Allah he would be under arrest
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I'm just wondering if certain people here would still praise that valedictorian if he had praised Allah,Buddha or even Johnny Cash instead of Jesus?
The kid worked hard,and deserves his moment in the spotlight.I'm not a christian but I have absolutely no problem at all with anything that person said on that podioum.
 
Verthaine said:
I'm just wondering if certain people here would still praise that valedictorian if he had praised Allah,Buddha or even Johnny Cash instead of Jesus?
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Muslims, Buddhists, or even fans of Johnny Cash would..... perhaps.
 
A lot of people, obviously not everyone, take religion like a fashion. They love it when someone gives them even the slightest problem over it because it makes them feel edgy and cool, and they get the same feeling when they try to be controversial with it.

I imagine that this guy was thinking more about how rebellious and cool this would make him rather than real inspiration of any religious feeling.

A kid throwing out his graduation speech and going for something different is nothing new, why is it so special now?
 
tosca1 said:
Muslims, Buddhists, or even fans of Johnny Cash would..... perhaps.
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But not those who's religions are different?

Is there somewhere in the bible prohibiting Christians from recognizing the achievement of someone from a different religion,giving them a pat on the back,and saying "good job,kid"?

Sounds real petty to me.
 
a777pilot said:
LOL! You mean with those dollar bills that say "In God We Trust" on them? Those dollars?
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And they really shouldn't. The First Amendment means that the public sphere does not endorse religion at all. No government spending or action to support any religion at all, nor to stop it. It's a public event paid for with public money, so no religion allowed.
 
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