New Rule #23 - Saying it doesn't make it so.

      A letter to the editor in today's daily newspaper  just leapt off  the page at  me because it was another case of having a conclusion in mind and making all sorts of groundless statements in support of the predetermined thesis. We seem to get a lot of this these days, in all media, not just here in The Villages.  we hear that certain segments of the populace oppose HPV vaccinations for younger girls, because apparently it would "encourage pre-marital sex," (like it needs encouragement!)  One is left with the conclusion that some parents would rather see their daughters  ill, than take the chance. The same is ascribed to the "morning after" pill; which does not induce abortion, but "who knows what kids will do if it's available?"
          Today's leap of illogic was a letter that blames every ill of society (violence, murder, lawlessness) on the Supreme Court "removing God from our schools."  This is ridiculous for a host of reasons which I shall attempt to state sensibly.

          First, if "God"  is anywhere close to the standard model espoused by most mainstream Christian sects,  the Supreme Court would be hard pressed to "remove Him" from anyplace he chose to be. The two principal USSC decisions regarding religion and public schools, Engel v Vitale and Abingdon Township v Schempp,  related  to public prayer, and the general premise was that even if the majority of the students agree, it still has the effect of establishing religion to the minority who are in the classroom, assembly, etc. (see the "Lemon Test")  What would be the reaction in most districts if Suras from the Kuran were posted on classroom walls or selections from the Bhagavad Gita read in class? In California, there was parental unrest because in one public school, meditation was taught as a way to relieve stress. Even though meditation is not per se a religious exercise and was probably beneficial, due to ignorance  it was out. If parents wish to have their children bring God to school, then let them do so. If they would have their children pray, then let them do so. Public ostentatious prayer  (the kind radical evangelicals. et al. want in schools ) is exactly what Jesus inveighed against when he chastised the Pharisees for their religiosity, as opposed to their religion.

          Second, blaming lack of school prayer for societal ills reflects a  monumental ignorance regarding History, Sociology, and Technology. Let's begin with history. Mass murder isn't new, and as horrific as recent events of the past year seem, none of these were products of the school. Loughner, Holmes, Seung-Hui Cho, all were emotionally disturbed adults. Adam Lanza was not a student in any school, but like the rest was emotionally disturbed. But, the writer says , all this is a new high in violence. Really?  On July 26, 1764, a teacher and 10 students were shot dead by four Lenape American Indians in Greencastle, Penn., in what is considered the earliest known U.S. mass school shooting .

          Herman Webster Mudgett,  alias  Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, was one of the first documented American serial killers in the modern sense of the term. In Chicago at the time of the 1893 World's Fair, Holmes opened a hotel which he had designed and built for himself specifically with murder in mind, and which was the location of many of his murders. While he confessed to 27 murders,  his actual body count was probably over  200. As  a  child his mother,  a devout Methodist, read the Bible to him every day, and I am sure prayer and Bible reading were a part of every school day as well.  You can learn more about the good doctor in "The Devil in The White City." Howard Barton Unruh  was another  American mass murderer who killed 13 people (including three children) on September 6, 1949, in Camden, New Jersey. The schools still had prayers and Bible reading then, too.  Charles Starkweather was an American teenager  who murdered eleven people, all but one during a two-month road trip with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, in Nebraska and Wyoming. Prayer and Bible reading were still in schools then, too.

          Ok, so why so much more in the news these days? You just answered it - The News. Few outside of Chicago  ever heard of Dr, Holmes, but imagine if he committed the same crimes today! First, Forensics would probably have caught him much sooner, and TV and Internet sources would alert  the entire nation in 5 minutes.  We hear more, we see more and in is almost impossible not to be exposed to it. Evil has always been around, and emotionally ill persons have always done heinous things, but what was local or regional is now international. The Norwegian Police arrested Anders Behring Breivik, a then 32-year-old Norwegian right-wing extremist, in late July, 2011 ] and charged him with the shooting deaths of 69 youths. Breivik admitted to having carried out the actions he was accused of and claimed the defence of necessity (jus necessitatis) He described himself as a "Cultural Christian." Americans followed this story from the onset. 

          In many ways this is the same pattern as child abuse, in that there is now no doubt that child abuse in the past was a well established pattern in entire families and cultures, but few spoke of it because of social pressures. Has child abuse increased due to "removing God from schools?" - assuredly not, since teachers and other adults are more vigilant than in the past. Do we hear of "more" child abuse? Probably,  due to media, but the actual incidence is down markedly. Today sex offenders are prosecuted and identified, not so 40 years ago, they lived and predated in the same neighborhoods for decades.

          So, if the theory holds that a secular society is far worse than a religious one, there should be plenty of historical and present day examples to prove it, no? NO! Let's start from an historical perspective. A prime example of a religious society  is 10th and 11th century Western Europe. Religion was the focus of life throughout the region. What did this produce? 200,000 deaths in the Crusades, a conservative estimate, to be sure, but no need to inflate numbers. The Spanish Inquisition killed close to 5,000 individuals.  Their crimes? being  Jews or Muslims. Of course during the period all learning was firmly in the hands of the Church. Once the Spanish rediscovered the "new" World, they showed the same compassion for the Indians that they showed Jews at home. Spanish commanders read a document known as the Requerimiento  to native  American populations, in Spanish of course, which required them to convert and acknowledge the Pope as supreme, and Ferdinand and Isabella and their heirs as their sovereigns. This was sometimes read aboard ship, as a formality and of course no Indian heard it. If Indians were foolish enough to believe that their own customs traditions and religions were fine the results are described here "But, if you do not do this, and maliciously make delay in it, I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country, and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of their Highnesses; we shall take you and your wives and your children, and shall make slaves of them, and as such shall sell and dispose of them as their Highnesses may command; and we shall take away your goods, and shall do you all the mischief and damage that we can, as to vassals who do not obey, and refuse to receive their lord, and resist and contradict him; and we protest that the deaths and losses which shall accrue from this are your fault, and not that of their Highnesses, or ours, nor of these cavaliers who come with us."  (And our God Loves You!!) Nice, huh?  But, you say that was long ago, we Americans aren't like that! Wanna bet?

          Setting out from Fort Lyon, Colonel John Chivington  (a Methodist preacher and  freemason ) and his 700 troops of the First Colorado Cavalry, Third Colorado Cavalry and a company of First New Mexico Volunteers marched to Black Kettle's campsite along the Washita River. Black Kettle was a southern Cheyenne Chief who flew an American flag over his tent and was abiding by reservation boundaries, while some younger  males had infrequently raided neighboring white ranches  taking cattle for food.  The night of November 28, soldiers and militia drank heavily and celebrated their anticipated victory.  On the morning of November 29, 1864, Chivington ordered his troops to attack, sparing no one. Two officers,  refused to follow Chivington's order and told their men to hold fire. Other soldiers in Chivington's force, however, immediately attacked the village. Disregarding the American flag, and a white flag that was run up shortly after the soldiers commenced firing, Chivington's soldiers massacred many of its inhabitants. An eyewitness description says it all: "I saw the bodies of those lying there cut all to pieces, worse mutilated than any I ever saw before; the women cut all to pieces ... With knives; scalped; their brains knocked out; children two or three months old; all ages lying there, from sucking infants up to warriors ... By whom were they mutilated? By the United States troops.".  Yes,  under the command of a Christian minister!

          Here's an excerpt from an "Oath of Allegiance":  "I swear that I will most zealously and valiantly shield and preserve by any and all justifiable means and methods the sacred constitutional rights and privileges of free public schools, free speech, free press, separation of church and state, liberty, white supremacy, just laws and the pursuit of happiness"  This was an oath administered by several KKK branches in the 20th century in America, of course, their "Christian" (Protestant, of course) ethic did not support any of these lofty ideals for Jews, Roman Catholics, or persons of color.  Again,  the Bible and prayer were still firmly ensconce nationwide. It is estimated that these fine Christian folk, all charged up with their daily dose of the scripture and prayer, lynched  3,446 blacks and 1,297 whites in the name of God and country.  These numbers do not include more recent murders, maiming,  and beatings of blacks and whites during the Civil right movement. Where were southern Christians? (I mean , they had Bible reading and prayer in schools everyday) Well, in Birmingham, Alabama, they  probably attended  churches pastored by  the white ministers who chastised and chided Dr. King for "stirring up trouble."  

          In conclusion, it makes little sense to tie violence on today's society with advocating Christianity in schools, since Christians and/or followers of the Christian faith have so frequently been the cause of such violence.  If one actually wishes to live in a country where one religion  dominates daily life and prayer is mandatory in schools and students pray  every day, here's an idea. Move to Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia. If Islam ain't your thing, move to India, where the wrong move by a woman can get her gang raped and the rapists get a pass. If that won't work, go to Ireland, but don't get pregnant and have septic complications, because the vestiges of Roman Catholic fundamentalism still exist in their arcane approach to abortion for any cause. Move to El Salvador, whose laws on abortion are worse than Ireland. Most of  the most brutal regimes in the world have been those established and governed by religious fundamentalism. Most of the really hideous atrocities of war have their roots in religion, and the list is long. Muslim/Hindu, Muslim/Christian, Christian Germany/European Jews, Serb/Bosnian ( Orthodox/Muslim) , Turks/Armenians, England/Ireland, which just skims the surface.

          Blaming today's violence for the lack of school prayer shows a total lack of common sense  and critical thinking skills. There is no statistical linkage, and upon inspection it becomes obvious that the discontent really is the offence taken by those who have the supreme arrogance of the true believer, i.e. "I'm right and everyone who disagrees with me is wrong." I'm a believer in the John Lennon school of philosophy: "Whatever gets you through the Night" but I place the accent on the "You." If it works for you, I'm happy for you, but don't ritually slaughter  my chickens a la Santeria or make me or mine mindlessly recite your rote memorized prayer in school.