DAVID was heard muttering to PAUL NIXON 
 about WE? 
 PN>We have no right not to be offended, if his religion harms no one than
 PN>nobody has the authority to tell him he can't.
 DRN> 
 DRN> What if his religion involves eating his enemies?  There's no freedom
 Would you consider that a religion that involves eating yer enemies
 harms no one?  That is the qualifier.
 DRN> I can think of that is or should be absolute!  Not even free speech!
 DRN> You put your finger on it when you said "if his religion harms no one".
 Oh.  Okay.
 DRN> Consider free speech, you have the right to tell someone they're fat
 DRN> but common courtesy prevents you from doing so.  You're right to swing
 DRN> your fist stops at my nose, any freedom of religion stops when someone
 DRN> else is harmed. 
 Exactly.
 DRN> I admit I have a little trouble seeing how school prayer harms anyone,
 There are some that make the case that there is pressure on the
 children who don't wish to participate.  Besides, if we can allow, or
 require prayer for one group do we then have to accomadate every group?
 DRN> I suspect there's a lot of people that can't understand that.  But
 DRN> taking away the right to school prayer is a long way from stopping
 DRN> someone from practicing their religion, isn't it?
 Depends on how they define the act of school prayer.  A moment of
 silence where students may or may not pray, or think of any subject
 whatsoever I have no problem with.
 Better, though to scrap the whole state educational system, privatize,
 give the taxpayers back their productivity to buy whatever education
 they choose.
--- FMail 1.02
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