Note: I have always admired Andy Rooney on "Sixty Minutes." He often says what others feel and he just has the nerve to say it. He's outspoken and sometimes rather crude (and he needs some serious work on those eyebrows) but I like what he has to say here:
Andy Rooney says:
"I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.
Yes, and this is the United States of America and Canada , countries founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad , I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China , I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome .....
But what about the atheists? Is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humour us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, "You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!"
God bless us one and all. God bless America and Canada , despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nations of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
Let's make 2011 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.
Keep looking up.
2 comments:
The loudest voices are always heard first! This is true on every issue that ever comes up! Most of us have been losing out on recess since we were five years old, just because some loud mouth kid was giving the teacher a hard time (or something). But why did we get punished? Most of us are just too accommodating, we don't want to offend anyone, so we'll give up our prayers, our patriotism, our rights, our cigarettes (it's part of the same thing), our freedom....just because a fanatic of whatever sort doesn't want the rest of us to have the same freedom that allows him to complain long and loudly about what he or she wants!! As my dad used to say, "Who died and left him (or her) boss?
Actually I kind of want the US of 1960-63 back...that was before everything began changing....not always for the better!
(I guess we Boomers have slipped over into curmudgeon-dom....at least some of us have!)
Rooney was too restrained! :)
Boy, you said it. I am sick and tired of losing what few freedoms we have.
I was so proud of my town. They actually put a Nativity Scene on the courthouse lawn. And so far, there haven't been any complaints.
I don't know about going back to the early 60's.. I was a highschooler and that was not a fun time for me. Change can be good. Like the civil rights movement and woman's lib. But as far as a few trying to change the beliefs of many, I don't like it!
Curmudgeon-dom...what a lovely term for me without my Prozac!!
JE
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