That's nice but do you think "Mike" should've been told to stand during prayers as a gesture of respect? Do you think "Mike" was disrespected? Do you think religious people are entitled to respect simply because of their beliefs?
~Barbara
"Mike" definately should be standing!!! This is not a religious view of mine, as I can cite a precedent.
Here in Australia, when you go to an RSL club (returned serviceman's league), there is a minute of silence and remembrance for all the soldiers that died. This occurs every day at dinner time. A speaker goes over the PA system and announces that the remembrance ceremony is about to begin.
Everybody stands, and after the speaker is finished with the memorial, a minute silence is observed. After this, everyone is free to sit down again and resume eating, drinking, socialising etc. Standing up in this case is showing respect for the institution that you are in. You do not have to be an Australian to show this respect. But if you are in the club at the time, you are expected to show respect for the RSL club and the memorial ceremony and stand up for it.
Your scenario of "Mike" is exactly the same. It is extremely rude and undignified for Mike to be sitting down whilst all the other students are standing up. I think that this view you have expressed is way over reacting and political correctness gone mad.
Standing up is a formal manner of proceedings in many situations. Eg, you stand up in court for different parts of a proceeding, including the final verdict of a jury. You stand up when singing the national anthem, whether it's in your local ethnic club or a sports event. It is considered extremely rude when everyone is standing up to be sitting down.
This is not a religious thing as you suppose. For this reason, Mike should definately be standing up. Just because he stands up does not mean he's being forced to be a Christian. He is simply showing a sign or respect for his school and classmates in a formal ceremony. Nothing more and nothing less. If Mike was told to say a prayer or read out aloud part of the Bible, then yes, you would have a legitimate complaint. But just standing up during prayer whilst every other student is standing up is entirely right and appropriate, and the school has every right to insist that Mike shows appropriate respect. It does not make any difference whether it was an Islamic school, Christian, Jewish etc.
LoisGriffin said:
When I went to a baseball match during my vacation in America everyone stood for the national anthem. I joined them in standing because I wanted to respect their traditions.
I have always believed in respecting those around you. I don't see the problem with standing quietly while everyone else is praying.
Where I live religious schools are choices and have rules so if parents want a child to go to that school they need to ensure their child respects the rules. There are plenty of non-religious schools too.
Exactly. I think it's wrong to be picking and choosing what events they will stand up in. I'll tell you the the truth, I really hate Islam as a religon. Period. But if I was in a mosque and some speaker announced something that everybody stands up for, I would have no problem standing up to show respect for the mosque I was in and all the Muslims in it. It doesn't mean that I am agreeing with or endorsing Islam. I can still hate it when I walk out the door. But I show respect for others by standing with them when they stand.
P.S. I love Lois Griffin! She's one hot cartoon woman. Haha. But I digress.
Cantata said:
What do you think would be the negative consequences of sitting quietly rather than standing?
Well, why don't you come here to Australia at one of our RSL clubs during rememberance ceremony, and you'll quickly find out what the "negative consequence" would be. You'll be told off quick smart I can guarantee you that. Ditto for any event where our national anthem is sung.
And more importantly, the real "negative consequence" is that Mike is being trained up to be an overly politically correct spoilt brat that doesn't show respect where it's appropriate.
OrphidiaPhile said:
That is ridiculous, if he does not want to stand he should not have to stand, more people need to challenge authority and not be blindly led by the nose.
Mike is not being forced to pray, read the Bible etc, as you are implying when you say, "blindly led by the nose". He is being asked to stand when all his classmates are standing.
And where would you stop all this challenging of authority? Why stop at standing during ceremonies, whether it's prayer in a religious school, singing of a national anthem, saluting and raising the flag, rememberance ceremony, court proceeding etc? What about if Mike wants to "challenge" the wearing of a school uniform? Why not let him wear anything he wants if all the other students have to wear a uniform? Why not let Mike "challenge" having an earring or some far out hairstyle, (spiky punk) or wearing lots of bling etc? Yeah, let all of today's spoilt brat children in schools "challenge" everything and affirm their "rights" and "freedoms".
The kids of today are fast becoming one big lot of spoilt brats. And these hippy 60's attitudes of "fight the power" and "challenge authority" are helping to turn kids into disrespectful ingrates with their political correctness, "rights" etc.
I'm sure your Mike will come along nicely in this department. If I don't want to stand during the an RSL rememberance ceremony, then I shouldn't go to an RSL club. Mike shouldn't be there if he's not prepared to follow reasonable rules, and standing up as a mere sign of respect when everyone else is standing, is very reasonable. Wearing a school uniform when all the other kids wear one is reasonable. Not wearing earrings, nose rings, bling etc when no other kid wears it is reasonable.
Personally, I believe that the school is well within it's rights to ask Mike's parents to transfer him to another school if he won't obey simple, reasonable rules.
(I have more exclamation marks, I win)
