No. 1078 - A PERSONALIZED LORD'S PRAYER!

No. 1078

Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN

A PERSONALIZED LORD’S PRAYER

In the Bible it says in Isaiah 11:6, “And a child will lead them.” This is a true statement.
Recently I discovered where another child has made a modern-day contribution. It came to me when a friend sent me a personalized rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer.” This prayer has been published in print and on the internet numerous times since at least 1999, and has been attributed to teens from Boston to Arizona. This particular version was attributed to a 15-year-old teen in Minnesota. As I read his or her words, I was reminded again that, in our great nation, we are in danger of losing our religious freedoms if more of our God-fearing citizens do not take a stand for our Christian beliefs.
This brave student’s rendition begins: “Now I sit me down in school where praying is against the rule, for this great nation under God, finds mention of Him very odd. If scripture now the class recites, it violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow becomes a Federal matter now.
“Our hair can be purple, orange or green, that’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers aloud are a serious vice. For praying in a public hall, might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God’s name is prohibited by the state. We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks. They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible, to quote the good book makes me liable.
“We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen and the ‘unwed daddy’ our Senior King. It’s inappropriate to teach right from wrong, we’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong. We can get our condoms and birth controls, study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles, but the Ten Commandments are not allowed, no word of God must reach this crowd. It’s scary here I must confess, when chaos reigns the school’s a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: should I be shot; my soul please take!”
To this I can only say, “WOW,” how close can you be the telling the truth and telling it like it is? This student really hit the nail on the head. This is why the Bible says that a little child shall lead them. Now, with your permission, please allow me the opportunity to put things in perspective. The things I have just shared in this student’s rendition of the Lord’s Prayer is by no means permitted or present in every public school in the nation. It really comes down to leadership and local control, which is the system we have had in place for a long time. Each community holds school board elections to elect board members that determine, based on community values, what is permitted and not permitted in each local school.
For example, if you have the board’s chief representative, the local superintendent, being a Christian, the policy will be very different from those who do not have Christian leadership. Just a few months ago, Janis and I attended a Chamber of Commerce annual banquet in a nearby community, and the local public school superintendent gave the opening prayer. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that things are different in this school than many others. I might add, this is where parents want their kids to go, and the community is growing as a result.
Sadly, in some parts of our great nation the name of God or Jesus is seldom mentioned, except in vain, and most of the time you will find chaos reigns. I just simply say, “We can do better.”
---
(Editor’s Note: Bookcase for Every Child – Changing Lives & Futures – ONE AT A TIME. Please visit our website: www.bookcaseforeverychild.com)