• some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 year ago

    I remember saying the pledge of allegiance every morning in the first grade.

    “One nation, under god…”

    It may have been simply what my teacher told us to do, but what an adult says to do is pretty mandatory at that age.

    • GreatGrapeApe@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      That’s not a prayer though as you aren’t asking that God for anything which is literally what prayer is.

      • axont [she/her, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        that’s splitting hairs, it’s still a creepy mandatory indoctrination speech. Fun fact, the “under god” part was added in 1954 because of pressure from the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organization. The idea was to distinguish Americans from the scary evil godless commies. The initial Francis Bellamy version didn’t have a mention of god, even though the guy was a Baptist minister.

        shouldn’t be in schools, get it out.

      • agent_flounder@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        No it isn’t a payer.

        But the larger context is that the 1st amendment doesn’t specifically call out prayer but instead prohibits establishment of a national religion.

        As such, the government isn’t permitted to endorse religious belief. “One nation, under god” isn’t specific I guess, but it is tied to the belief in a god, as opposed to no belief or belief in multiple gods. It sure seems like endorsing some religions over others or none.

        I fail to see how this is still allowed in school except that nobody is required to say the pledge. (As far as I know).