Dealing with prayers from the church school across the street

[teach1st]

I live across the street from a large private church school. They begin classes much later than the school at which I teach, so I'm sometimes home at their dismissal. The school's closing exercises are blasted all over the neighborhood through outdoor speakers. The exercises always end with a prayer. I'm an Athiest, but I do feel some guilt at ignoring the prayers completely. As an act of respect, when the afternoon prayers broadcast, should I:

[Bertha Venation]

1. why feel guilt? Ignore.

Unless it's really disruptive, in which case complain to the school.

[teach1st]

5. In all seriousness, that's the first thing we've tried...

Didn't work. There are other annoyances from the church as well. Town officials don't want to hear our complaints, since this particular church is a big contributer and sits more than a few town officials.

Ween is sounding better and better.

[Bertha Venation]

6. may I ask

the church's denomination? Just my own curiosity.

Religion corrupts, man. It's so easy to use people.

[teach1st]

15. Catholic

[blondeatlast]

That makes my reply different. Are other neighbors annoyed as well?

Is there anyone in the neighborhood who belongs to the church?

I try my very best not to step on anyone's toes concerning my beliefs. Most Christians really feel the same as I do. Is it that they CAN'T turn the PA down, although I find that hard to believe?

I would ask other neighbors to go with you to the school. Leave all reference to religion out of it, that would only make them feel defensive. I would HOPE against hope that they would try to accomodate you and your neighbors.

As long as you are respectful, I hope they would respond in kind. If not, they need to do a bit more Bible study; let me know. Maybe I can straighten 'em out.

[teach1st]

18. Yes, they are.

But it's hard to organize anything. We're a very poor neighborhood and they pretty much feel there's nothing they can do.

[theorist]

2. Song of Solomon. That would get the kids pumped up about God. n/t

[Whitacre D_WI]

3. Ween

I suggest "Push th'Little Daisies" on repeat.

[Droopy]

4. Light up your peace pipe and do a little dance

[blondeatlast]

7. You need feel no gui--and I'm a Christian. Since you are not IN the school

there is no need to concern yourself with it. If you were a guest at an occasion with some spiritual significance, respectful silence might be in order (no need to bow your head, either). But you should feel no obligation in this case.

Think of it this way: someone's dog yapping loudly doesn't mean YOU should feed it! It's pretty much the same thing, an uncomfortable (and possibly unavoidable) intrusion.

You might very respectfully ask that in the name of neighborhood peace that they turn down the PA. It has nothing to do with religion; I'd be there asking them to turn it down in respect to my property values!

[geniph]

8. Once the weather warms up, think lawnmowers,

chainsaws, jackhammers, etc.

My husband has an (inadvertent) way of dealing with this - when he's working on cars, he gets louder and louder and more and more profane until you can hear him shouting "GOD F***ING DAMMIT!!!" three blocks away. The religious school around the corner shuts their windows, as do the Mormons next door. He doesn't MEAN to scream curses that loudly, it just ... happens.

[blondeatlast]

12. Yep--you can "choose" not to be offended!

Again, I'm a Christian, but when someone inadvertently offends my sensibilities, I "turn the other cheek."

There is a HUGE difference between an accidental offense and some of the intentional ones that have been directed to me. I ignore both, but it does test me to forgive the latter. But I do.

[name not needed]

9. Recite Robb's Prayer of the Dingbats

[MrSlayer]

10. Necronomicon is always the right choice.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

11. Disturbing the peace is against most local ordinances.

If you have a friend in the local precinct, maybe you should complain. I'd make a nuisance of myself. I'm not an atheist, but they're pushing their religion on you. I think if you really wanted to know what was going on at their school/church, you'd go find out.
Duckie

[onebigbadwulf]

13. Tell the police they're disrupting the peace

[Snow]

14. How do you suppose those folks would react to

visiting a muslim country and hearing the muezzin call prayers from the mosque (usually with a PA) 5 times daily?

[TrogL]

16. Call it in as a noise complaint

There's no reason for them to be broadcasting it.

We had trouble with fundies when I was living in a condo. They would come out and start parading up and down the street and yelling. The police shut them down because they didn't have a parade permit.

[PVnRT]

17. Get a loudspeaker and a wall of amps

and "answer" them :evilgrin:

[DuctapeFatwa]

19. Plan music appreciation time to coincide with their prayer schedule

Resolve that if kids take one thing away from your class, it will be an appreciation of percussion instruments in the history of music from Africa to Alabama.

[TreasonousBastard]

20. My evil twin brother...

suggests just blowing the place up.

Other than that, playing a recitation of those words of Jesus about praying loudly and in public. Or the entire Ring all day long. Or rap. Make sure your speakers are LOUD. If enough neighbors are put off by this, perhaps a symphony of lawnmowers, chainsaws, and accompanying boomboxes could be organized at the appropriate time. A perfect time to tune up unmuffled Harleys, too.

Actually, since TPTB in the town seem to be beholden to these holy rollers, there is little that can be done without a lot of support from your neighbors, and possibly a good lawyer.

I am from that Christian tradition that believes throwing my beliefs and practices in your face is rude, at best. Do not feel guilt at be put off by having these people ruining the peace of the neighborhood. they are doing it deliberately.

Somewhere not too far from here, I forget where, one guy is spending a bunch of money to get one of the local churches to stop the bell chimes on the hour. And stop Christmas carols. That is, perhaps, going a bit too far, but there are complex and time consuming legal remedies if one wants to pursue them.

Most people tend to think it's not worth it and just suck it up if the other side is not cooperative.

After a while, you don't even hear it any more. Just like people who live near train tracks.