Reply #103: Thanks for the clarifications. [View All]

[Warren DeMontague]

Nevertheless, people HAVE the right to free exercise of religion; what they don't have the right to do is enlist state institutions in sponsoring it. So even in your hypothetical case of "what if everyone in a class; school; school district; state" agreed that they "want" a specific organized prayer in school (and how to determine which sample size constitutes the acceptable determining 'group' is another matter entirely) it would still be unconstitutional. That's not to say that people can't freely choose on their own to pray any damn time they feel like it- it's another right wing lie that kids "aren't allowed to pray" in schools. What isn't permissible is organized, group, school-endorsed prayer. Kids are also allowed -in many cases- to form church and prayer groups that can meet after school on school property; but the schools have to make space available for other religions, etc. Again, that's not the same thing as having organized prayer in schools, endorsed by the school, in class, on school time. Subtle difference, but significant.

As for what I believe, honestly I'm not the expert on tantra or, more specifically, tantric sex.. (Oh, I've dabbled...) however, I brought it up in response to your prior shock re: the t-shirts that anyone might consider sex to be a religious act. In my humble opinion, it is a statement on how far afield many religions have wandered from what I would consider their original mandate, namely pure celebration of life, joy, pleasure and nature, that people honestly can't grasp the notion of sex being "religious" (note, too, that "religion" doesn't always connote "god". I would consider Buddhism a religion, but most Buddhists do not believe in anything resembling the Western concept of "God") ... My thinking is that's part of the damage caused by thousands of years of control-minded religious leaders telling followers that sex is "sinful".

But that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.