High School Student Receives Death Threats for Opposing School Prayer

[ExRetailDrone]

Story here.

In summary, Damon Fowler, a Louisiana senior who happens to be an atheist, opposed the fact that at his public school, they conduct a led prayer during the graduation ceremony. He brought up his objections to his school superintendent and said that he would contact the ACLU if the prayer was not removed since it violated the Constitution. After it got leaked that it was this particular student who began this, he threatened and demeaned by both fellow students and teachers, his parents threw him out of the house and disowned him, and he has been ostracized by his community.

Hmm, sounds like these people are acting like perfect, little Christians

It disgusts (albeit doesn't surprise) me that all this has come about because a student stood up for his rights. In an interview (found here), Damon stated:

A prayer at graduation to one specific god does nothing but separate the class into religious groups, anyway. The class of 2011 can’t unite under one specific view if they don’t all carry that view.

This should not be a point of contention, but sadly it still is.

[Sarah Valentine]

As soon as I saw what type of area he was living in it didn't surprise me that they all reacted that way toward him, I think that they should've just dropped the stupid prayer since religion has no place in school.

[gremcint]

His parents disowned him? holy shit. can some people please start practicing what christianity claims to preach (forgiveness and honoring thy neighbour and treating others how you wish to be treated.)

[smileyeagle1021]

His parents disowned him? holy shit. can some people please start practicing what christianity claims to preach (forgiveness and honoring thy neighbour and treating others how you wish to be treated.)

sadly a lot of Christians no longer ever pretend to preach that

As far as the original story, absolutely nothing surprises me about that, I see the exact same thing in Utah except with Mormons rather than (I'm assuming Evangelical) Christians. Obviously they are the ones who are right, so anyone who doesn't believe as they do are being done a favor by being forced to participate.

[Eisa]

I'm surprised that didn't happen in Idaho. That's just fucking pathetic.

Way to practice what you preach there, guys. He's RIGHT. A prayer like that has no business being in the school.

[Kaylyn]

Ha. Yeah. My neck of the woods.

No, not surprised at this at all. I wish I was the same person I am now, back in high school. I'd be protesting right alongside him. But, back then, I was a good little Christian, and though I wouldn't have treated him the way the "Christians" are treating him now, I doubt I would have stood up for him, either. I've grown up a lot since then.

[Greenday]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43273932...ews/?gt1=43001

School in Texas got a federal appeals judge to force prayer on the non-religious at their graduation. The non-Christians don't give a crap if people pray. They'd just like it if it wasn't shoved down their throats. Can't even graduate without them forcing a prayer on you.

One of my local high schools also got in trouble for having a prayer last year at their graduation. People are all up in arms about it. What is it that makes these nuts go crazy? Last I checked, state is supposed to be free of religion.

[Nyoibo]

I am constantly reminded of what Gandhi said once "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

[AdminAssistant]

The Sunday before graduation we had a Baccalaureate service. It was basically a sermon, and it was optional. However, there was a lot of peer pressure to go. The only people who didn't go where the one outspoken atheist and the two pregnant girls. The gym it was held in wasn't air conditioned and one of them passed out during graduation practice, so it was suggested that they stay home. To my memory there was no prayer during the actual graduation ceremony.

[Rageaholic]

Sadly, kicking the kid out of the house doesn't surprise me. I've known many extreme Christians who would have reacted the same way. For those people, it's all about rules and traditions all at the expense of the emotional well being of others. These people make me absolutely sick.

Oh and if you want a good example of "Macho conservative asshole", check out this comment.

Damn little kids like this piss me right off.. He cant even deal with saying a 10 second prayer in the morning… lol I cant wait to see how he reacts to real problems in life. This kid is what I would like to call a “cracker ass” its kids like this that complain about everything all the time. Its really sad that people give in when all he probably needs is a good ass whooppin . PARENTS WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO PUNISHING YOUR CHILDREN FOR BEING STUPID PRICKS?! This type of kid is the soul reason america has no hope in the future. We cant get over a school prayer when world population is reaching is max.. the governments all around the world become more corrupt, and america has lost almost all of its economic power. Lets compair… this little fag cant even say a 10 second prayer that is more about just bringin the student body together in a positive mind set than trying to conform these children into believing in god. So this is more of a positive than a negative. ANd this kid opposes it because it offends him??? he really cant just sit there and not say anything?> he has to bitch and moan until the rest of the students were like really guy school is bad enough now we have to hear this fuck complain about this stupid shit?? this kid needs a beating in my opinion// he needs to learn that reality isnt pretty and there are alot of things in this world that he isnt going to like.. and cant do anything about. technical definition for these type of kids __cracker asses— these kids and people like this make america look bad, the rest of the world laughs at little bitches like this… and in third world countries these type of people dont make it to 25… darwinism… this kids at the bottom either way lmao

To break it down.

-The kid needs an "ass whoppin".
-He's the reason why America is going to hell.
-All the kids of today do is complain. (he calls them "cracker asses")
-Reality is tough and uncompassionate so we should all be the same.

What an idiot.

[smileyeagle1021]

Rageaholic, you forgot to mention in your breakdown that apparently because he's atheist he's also homosexual.

[Rageaholic]

And according to some, they're also liberals, communists, muslims, and the devil.

[derangedperson]

When it comes to God, I'm a big fan, but not of the fanclub.

This is why.

These assholes are the most closed-minded, hypocritical, judgmental bunch of pricks I've ever seen. I guess "turn the other cheek" and "love thy neighbor" and especially "judge not lest ye be judged" were just lip service to these folks.

[Andara Bledin]

These people aren't Christians - They're Churchians. I despise people like this.

What baffles me is that they could just turn it into a moment of reflection or some such and all of those who want to pray could do so, while all of those not so inclined could just, well, reflect, and everybody would be happy.

^-.-^

[Salted Grump]

What baffles me is that they could just turn it into a moment of reflection or some such and all of those who want to pray could do so, while all of those not so inclined could just, well, reflect, and everybody would be happy.

^-.-^

/sarcasm But that would mean *Shock! Horror!* Compromising with the enemy! They shouldn't be allowed to Breathe our air that God gave us, much less have opinions that do not venerate our God! /sarcasm

If I knew how they could honestly call themselves 'good <insert religion here>' while violating somewhere between 40 and 95% of the book they claim to follow, I'd be either completely stir crazy, or able to cause peace to break out between the major religious ideologies.