Thoughts and Prayers for Texas
I remember, way back in 6th grade (1963), a lot of stuff happened. Mrs. Libby was our teacher. I really liked her. She was strict but she would let me do extra science experiments from the big box when I was getting too far ahead in my reading program. Most of my classmates don’t remember her so fondly. Probably the biggest bad thing that happened was JFK being assassinated. The biggest good thing (to me) was when daily recitation of the Lord’s Prayer was halted, thanks to Madelyn Murray O’Hair.
The Most Hated Woman in America was My Shero. I hated having to recite this every morning, after the Pledge of Allegiance (which I did not hate). It was bad enough that this was my PUBLIC school, but it was extra bad because we Catholic kids were not supposed to say the last phrase (“for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory …”) because that was the PROTESTANT version. Oh no. Way to divide tweens when all they want to do is blend in, right? Say The Lord’s Prayer in Church? No problem. At home, or during the rosary with Cardinal Cushing’s mumbling drone? We were ready. But NOT in school, in the rules of life according to young Fenway Fran.
Today’s article in the WaPo about the latest shattering of the line between Church and State brought it all back to me. I believe the Texas Lege has drunk too much holy water. Pop those 10 Commandments in every classroom! Replace those trained school counselors with ‘chaplains’! These hypocrites have forgotten what Matthew said about loudly praying in public. They’ll have some ‘splainin’ to do when they meet their Maker.
Of course they will require the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments, too. Catholics and Protestants number them differently.
1I am so with you about the Lord’s Prayer. Having come from a Catholic background (Holy Ghost Catholic Church), it was so uncomfortable to not recite the Protestant ending to the Our Father, as we called it. Although my dad’s side was Mississippi Baptist, we were raised Tex-Mex Catholic. Never seemed right for public schools, and still doesn’t. As a former public school teacher (CFISD for 32 years) I was much more comfortable with the “moment of silence”. However do not get me started on the Texas pledge, with its uncomfortable “under God” thrown in at the last minute.
2I find the concept extremely disturbing.
All the belly aching about age-appropriate books and topics, but let’s force teachers to explain these big archaic words like covet, adultery, graven images, Sabbath… Then again, google will probably take care of it.
Of course, as I understand, the Bible was still a primary source for teaching reading in Texas up until the 60’s. Sigh.
3People for millennia have made this all so difficult. Why not do what Jesus said, and treat people like you want to be treated? Of course that would pull the plug on the GOP – they want to be treated like kings, but treat us like slaves.
4When orange face was in Office, the Pledge of Allegiance was to him and NOT America .
5They’re doing it while they still have the political power to do it. And they figure that six NSGOP justices on the Supreme Court won’t overturn what they do. I know Biden had a lot on his plate during his first two years, but not expanding the Court was a big mistake.
6As a fellow Catholic, I was offended by the extra stuff at the end of the prayer, too.
Which brings up the fact that there are several versions of the Ten Commandments. Which one will prevail and why?
7‘chaplains’
8I see a religious war coming down in texass.
Which “brand” of chaplain??
Muslim?
Jewish?
Which “brand” of Baptist?
Howard@2, I almost threw in something about the Texas Pledge but decided to keep on the church track. I was a substitute teacher in TX during the 5 years I lived there before moving northward again. As I recall, at the HS I frequented in FBISD, the pledges were only once a week. Half Empty can verify this memory. The Texas Pledge was so offensive to me that I would sit and say nothing during its recitation. The kids didn’t notice, and if they did, they didn’t care; after all, they had a sub for the day!
9While there will certainly be a lawsuit to stop any posting of the 10 commandments, since the Texas Leg has thrown in with the Protestant version, I’d really love to see lawsuits from Jewish, Catholic, and Orthodox Christian leaders pointing out that picking a specific version of the commandments is also a violation of the establishment clause. And what about the 10 Commandments in Deuteronomy? Doesn’t that get equal time?
109 Commandments in Texas. They don’t believe in No. 5 (Catholic roster)
11The Christofascists attempt to yet again violate the centuries old USA ‘separation of church and state’ doctrine, and cram religion [a very specific cult brand of it] into Texas schools has fortunately just flamed out in the Lege:
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/texas-legislature-ten-commandments-bill/
12I don’t reckon anyone cares but, I don’t really care for either. They both rub me the wrong way and leave me feeling that someone is trying to impose pressure on others that to conform to their own standards or lack thereof, as the case may be!
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