I would like to underscore certain pressing issues in society today. The killings that we hear about everyday in our society are like a boomerang for the exclusion of God in our public life. I believe that an individual is created to serve his Creator, and when he/she fails to do this, he/she pays allegiance to nothing or to something/somebody else rather than the Almighty God. The true God is "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," and most especially the God of Jesus Christ. We are supposed to be free to worship God the way we want, and when the worship of God is impeded by a set of rules that prevent citizens from expressing their faith freely, freedom is tampered upon, and the consequences are disastrous - hatred, killing, promiscuity, intolerance, lack of forgiveness, and in fact, a total degeneration of moral values.
When children prayed in school, there were less killings. Religion should teach us love, forgiveness, dialog, peace, honesty, solidarity, unity, patience, kindness, politeness, respect, justice, equity, equality, sympathy,etc. These values will go contrary to violence, hatred, revenge, abuse and so on. When children learn from childhood to be respectful, they grow with that in mind. Things will be different when our entire life respects the Creator. We may not be able to stamp out evil, but we will reduce it to the bearest minimum.
The human being is one single individual with all his body parts in tact. The spiritual separation of "pray in private and not in public" disintergrates man. Such a separation does not bear upon the love of God; it is man's desire to control and manipulate the underprivileged, and to give room to the atheists. The atheist has the right not to pray or say anything about God. His right is protected when we ban spiritual activities from public institutions. We promulgate laws that defend the freedom of the atheist. What about promulgating laws that defend the freedom of the believer? Praying or carrying out spiritual activities in public institutions does not disrupt the freedom of the atheist, because he is not forced to take part in such activities, but banning prayer in public life infringes in another's freedom - the christian.
I will teach children to respect God in public and in private. Society will become better when we realize these values and make good use of them. When people learn the values of Christianity and live by them, the society becomes more loving.
Dear God, help world leaders to know and honor you as the One, True God, living and true for all eternity. Amen.
