Why is it cool to persecute Christians?

[Joe Biden 2020]

First of all, I do believe President Obama is a Christian, just like I believe President Bush is a Christian and President Clinton before him.

Second, we're not persecuted in the same way that our brethren are in Arabic cultures and other third-world countries, but it still exists.  More and more, people are trying to silence us.  They're trying to tell our pastors what to preach, they've taken prayer out of the schools and sporting events and increasingly out of the courtroom and the Congressional chambers.  They've taken the 10 commandments off the courtroom walls.  They've taken the Nativity Scene off courtroom lawns at Christmas.  The next thing they'll do is take away our right to spread our faith wherever we want.  They're trying to keep Christianity inside the home and inside the church building walls, and trying to eliminate it from the outside.  They're basically telling Christians to leave their faith in their home and not bring it with them.  They can also legally arrest you for praying on the steps of the Supreme Court building or the steps of the US Capitol.

Everybody is trying to find where we went wrong in our schools and why its going down hill.  You have to look no further than 1963 when prayer was taken out of the schools.

However, they cannot and will not take God and prayer completely out of schools.  Students and even Faculty can still pray, if not out loud, then silently in their hearts or bless their food at lunch.  Moreover, they can live their lives as Christ would have them live it.  Actions do speak louder than words.

While I am concerned about where this country is headed, I do know that my God is still on the throne and still in control and HE will have the last word.  Nobody, liberal or conservative, has that priviliege.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Everybody is trying to find where we went wrong in our schools and why its going down hill.  You have to look no further than 1963 when prayer was taken out of the schools.

What's the correlation between prayer and education?  I honestly don't see how one affects the other in any meaningful way.

It goes back to 2 Chronicles 7:14 (I'm going to sound like jmfcst for a moment).  That verse says "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then, will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land."  The way this verse relates to education that we should pray to our God and lift up our children that they will have the ability to learn effectively and our educators that they teach as effectively and impartially as they can.  It doesn't mean they teach Christianity, for that belongs in the home and in the church, but that they impart moral values and ethical conduct to their students and that they conduct themselves in a way that is honorable and can not be second-guessed on the intent of such conduct.  We pray to uphold this thing called "integrity".  It is severely lacking in today's public schools, and even a lot of private schools.

Plus, if we pray for our education system and those involved, both learning and teaching, that will in turn affect the corporate and working world that integrity and ethics will reign supreme.  Again, we don't have to teach Christianity, per se, but praying can only help, it can't hurt anything.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Everybody is trying to find where we went wrong in our schools and why its going down hill.  You have to look no further than 1963 when prayer was taken out of the schools.

What's the correlation between prayer and education?  I honestly don't see how one affects the other in any meaningful way.

It goes back to 2 Chronicles 7:14 (I'm going to sound like jmfcst for a moment).  That verse says "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then, will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land."  The way this verse relates to education that we should pray to our God and lift up our children that they will have the ability to learn effectively and our educators that they teach as effectively and impartially as they can.  It doesn't mean they teach Christianity, for that belongs in the home and in the church, but that they impart moral values and ethical conduct to their students and that they conduct themselves in a way that is honorable and can not be second-guessed on the intent of such conduct.  We pray to uphold this thing called "integrity".  It is severely lacking in today's public schools, and even a lot of private schools.

Plus, if we pray for our education system and those involved, both learning and teaching, that will in turn affect the corporate and working world that integrity and ethics will reign supreme.  Again, we don't have to teach Christianity, per se, but praying can only help, it can't hurt anything.

So, they pray at home, and kids who don't need religion for that little thing you call "integrity" do just fine without the act.  Problem solved!

Seriously, I try not to demean people based upon religion (or in general), and I accept that we have different world views, but Christianity does not have a stranglehold morality, nor is it the sole gate to education.  I mean, how do you account for Western Europe, whose countries' educational systems aren't dominated by religion?

I believe God is the God of all the world, not just of America or certain parts of America.  He is the same God who is the God of Oklahoma, as California, as France, Cameroon, Australia, Jordan, and even Bangladesh, just to name a few places.  Not all these places recognize that God is in control, but that doesn't deny His existence and His longing to have a relationship with them.  He doesn't need any body, but He desires a relationship with them, but that's a discussion for another thread.  He does desire to guide us in all of our decisions, from our personal life, education, corporate world, retired world, scientific world, and so on.  God does not need anybody, but everybody needs God.  Its that simple.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I believe God is the God of all the world, not just of America or certain parts of America.  He is the same God who is the God of Oklahoma, as California, as France, Cameroon, Australia, Jordan, and even Bangladesh, just to name a few places.  Not all these places recognize that God is in control, but that doesn't deny His existence and His longing to have a relationship with them.  He doesn't need any body, but He desires a relationship with them, but that's a discussion for another thread.  He does desire to guide us in all of our decisions, from our personal life, education, corporate world, retired world, scientific world, and so on.  God does not need anybody, but everybody needs God.  Its that simple.

That's nice.  I still don't see why that proves that public schools need 2 Corinthians to be successful, especially when the countries that top the OECD's education ranking don't bother with it.  If you don't like the Western Europe comparison, fine, let's go with Asia.  Taiwan and South Korea top Math and Reading, respectively.  Do you think their success is due to Christianity?

Honestly?  Yes, I do.  God is at work despite and even inspite of humans.  Again, God does not need us to tell him what to do and where to do it.  He bestows his blessings on anyone He chooses, and quality education, I believe is one of His blessings.