I think it is sad that we would even need a constitutional amendment to protect the freedom of religion, which would include the right to pray in public places.

Prayer is what we need more of....Infact I am praying we get more Christian groups to form in our schools. These kids need guidance and who better than Jesus Christ.

It is sad that lawmakers are wasting their time on this needless amendment. We DON'T need a constitutional amendment to protect freedom of religion. We have freedom of religion and are allowed to pray wherever we want.

In the UK people have the right to not only pray but to preach in public places. Right to pray and the right to peaceful protest in public places are basic human rights.

The right to practice your religious beliefs and pray in schools and such should be a given, I believe. It seems that schools, in general, started going downhill some around the time that they stopped prayer in the classrooms and started busing kids way out of their neighborhoods. I thought that we had freedom of religion already. Why are the politicians bringing this up now?

Rep. McGhee, when I was a school child in the 60's, I was shamed for some of my religious beliefs just because I lived in a Lutheran and Catholic community and I was Southern Baptist. It just happens. This is a big waste of our money to have this on the ballot and waste of time to come out and vote on this bill. Let's target some important legislation, shall we?

Something is def. wrong with the world when you have to pass a law making this ok. I pray everytime I eat, so if I'm at work, a restaurant or a park, I'm going to pray. One of my best friends is Muslim, no matter where she is, when it's her time to pray she prays, even in class she'll find a corner. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

We have as much right to pray as someone else has the right not to. I can't believe this is an issue to be voted on!! Why does praying bother some people?? How does a person praying affect someone who does not pray?? Praying is a part of a personal relationship with GOD. My family is Catholic and we pray constantly and quietly and I don't see how this is hurting anyone.If someone don't like praying then don't do it but don't intrerfere with others right to pray. You can pray quietly in public without anyone even noticing. What about hunger,unemployment and other issues?? They're worried about praying??? What in the world are they thinking???

I agree with everyone else. Freedom of religion is already our right. This is the way extremists are taking it away from us. They put these bogus amendments up for vote and make it an issue when it isn't. It gives them something to use against us later. How about going after those who are denying our freedom of religion. Doesn't that make more sense? I wish this nonsense would stop and we can go on to matters that need attention.

"As long as there are tests, there will be prayers in public school." Each of us has the right to pray or not to pray by ourselves. When students or staff or mayors or policemen or any official in a public place begin doing prayers that are perceived as representing the school/city/agency's beliefs, then there is a danger of violation of the 1st amendment establishment clause. I respect anyone's right to pray on their own but if this amendment is passed, there will be too many attempts to celebrate/recognize one creed or denomination over another. This amendment is not needed and potentially dangerous. We are a different nation now from many years ago...much more diverse and hopefully more tolerant.
Ed Wright Jr.

I agree with the majority here.....why do we have to vote on this? Is it a ploy to get our mings on unimportant issues, and take our attention away from the important ones.?? We already have this right....it's called 'Freedom of Religion'.

I mean minds.......not mings!

I admit that I have a hard time putting into words what I want to say, so bear with me, please. I am an elderly woman. Our constitution is being challenged by many today as the WH seemingly is taking us from a capitalism nation under God to a socialism nation under the Government's control. Our first admendment does give us Freedom of Religion...but it is more in today's world as Freedom from Religion. Yes, I believe that all should be able to worship in their own way; we are a nation made up of immigrints and our Indian population; our constitution states that...but seriously, ask yourself...where will we be if this thrend of 'tramping on our constitution' continues? Will we still have our 'Freedom of Religion'? I don't know, do you? National Day of Prayer for our country is being done away with...didn't have one last year. The year before that The Graham Orginzation was not allowed to pray...BILLY GRAHAM who has prayed with many many of our ex- presidents! I don't have many more years left here on earth but I have grandchildren, great grandchildren...I am concerned. I pray that saying what I have said did not offend anyone...that was not my intention. But we are at a very critical stage in our country...take the time to really read the admendment and try to see the why it could be very important to our future and the time it takes to go vote. Thank you for giving this posting your attention...GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR VETERANS!

In his new book, "Its OK to say God," author/lawyer Tad Armstrong debunks the many myths that so many believe. Like, you can't pray in school. Of course you can. The school cannot force you to pray, or institutionalize prayer, but you can pray anytime you want. Or, you can't say the pledge in schools because it says, "under God," also totally false and the right to say it has been upheld by the Supreme Court. There is no question there is a concerted effort by some to sanitize our country of religion. The fact that someone feels compelled to pass this amendment is an example of this misunderstanding. We all need to stand up for the rights we have, rights that were not granted by the Constitution, but by God. Read the Constitution. It does not grant freedom of religion, it clearly states that right is granted by God and the Constitution simply prohibits the government from infringing on those rights. The problem is religious people just believe what the anti-religious kooks keep repeating. Read this book. It will totally change your view.

I happened to be looking through an old high school yearbook of mine(1967) and was reminded that we had a bible study group. Can you believe it, a bible study group in a public high school. I don't know exactly where we started to go wrong, but the age of political correctness is destroying our nation. Isn't the feedom to practice any religion of ones choice already a constitutional right?

Back in the 1990s. Christian parents in the Ladue School District organized a religious group that met in schools right after school ended for the day. A group of Jewish parents complained that the organization was being used to proselytize among their children, that the young children couldn't tell that it wasn't the school that was trying to convert them. It's one thing to allow children to pray and another to recruit them to pray in a religion that is not their own. We need to be careful.

As long as there are tests in school, there will always be prayer in school.

This amendment is needed. The agnostic/atheist view of government makes schools a sterile environment.

If those in the majority in any community would be sensitive to the beliefs of those in minority in a community, there would be no need for this type of debate. Hopefully everyone can agree that in a healthy democracy, the majority should not trample on the minority making them feel unwelcome in public spaces by forcing them to listen to religiously specific prayer.

Here's an example of why we may need this amendment: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/father-jordans-nightmare/

Earl, you keep citing separation of church & state, yet no one is arguing that. That doesn't mean that the two are enemies. We know this because it also guarantees religious freedom. It was one of the biggest reasons for leaving England in the first place, religious freedom. That's the purpose of separation of church & state, and that's what this is about; freedom. Guaranteeing that the government would never be able to overrule your religion (like Obamacare), or tell you how to worship.
I'm against new & more legislation almost 100%. The government is getting too big to pay for, and it's actually the very reason why people have less with which to pay for it (no matter who tries to make you think it's business).
But, it's hard to be against a law that guarantees freedoms (in a day where they are being systematically taken away). So, in that regard, I agree with you, but on the other hand, I have worked for a public-school-owned daycare system, and have seen a teachers'-aide be told not to bring a bible into the school. Right or wrong, that's the way it is. But those things DO happen.
No-one is "bullying" (nice hot-button word there, too btw) their religion on anyone else, as you said. You can hate Christians all you want, but this isn't a Christian law, it's a PRAYER law. Pray to whoever you want. You have the right.
If that's what this law is, fine. However, again, we never know what other garbage is in these bills. In that respect, it's just like every other bill.

Quick PS
What if this backfires on you?
This has just a much of a chance to open the door for people to vote against this right & take it away. Maybe even as much as it could guarantee that right.
So, if you're not careful, you could be responsible for these rights being toted right out the back door, all because you tried to save them.
Fair warning: Tread lightly.
Be careful what you wish for, or whatever. Just make sure this isn't an emotional decision, make sure you've thought through all of the outcomes here.

The bill: http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills111/biltxt/truly/HJR0002T.htm
The section of the MO constitution that it replaces: http://www.moga.mo.gov/const/a01005.htm .

The new bill just lists rights already guaranteed and commonly exercised in Missouri and nationally, WITH ONE BIG EXCEPTION. This new bill explicitly says that elected officials and employees of the state get to lead prayers on govt premises, and that they can hire clergy to lead prayers, too. That's right -- everyone bow your head while the teacher tells you what to pray. Teachers, governors, and others will signal to schoolkids and citizens that there is a "right" religion, pushing the specific religion by praying publicly at their jobs. It would mean that teachers would get to lead morning prayers in the classroom -- Christian prayers, Muslim prayers, pagan prayers, what have you -- and if you don't want your kid to sit through that prostelyzation opportunity, too bad. The governor will be happy to tell you which religion is right -- his! This is precisely what the founding fathers wanted to avoid when they prohibited the establishing of religion, and what the supreme court has prohibited in case after case.

No thanks to that! I'd rather keep the already-guarantted rights for me and my kids' rights to pray, but leave out the new religion-establishing "rights" of teachers to indoctrinate my kid, or make him sit through preaching/mass prayer at soccer games.

I don't believe we should take a vote on any amendment that places our religious rights over anyone elses through the Constitution. I agree with so many comments on this topic that we may get just the opposite of what we want. Religion haters have found the secret of taking our religious rights away. When we try to pass a law to protect ourselves, they find a way to turn it against us and it backfires. What I believe every Christian should do is use your rights under the Constitution by placing a religious symbol in your own front yard. Teach your children how important God is to all of us as our creator and our father. If your children are in a public school, put them in a Christian school away from the horrible teachings of crap that the government is passing on to OUR children. They cannot take your religious freedoms away from you or future generations if we become as forceful as they are in your beliefs. Support your religion in their fight against the government. Teach your children to pray before each meal even at school. Teach your children to love God and talk about him at every opportunity (freedom of speech) . American people have got to start fighting back and the only way to do that is constant speech, writing, symbolism - putting your beliefs out there to everyone whether or not they agree with it. That's what America is about, we all have to accept one another and no one has the right to step on other's freedoms. That goes both ways.

What a hoot. This is already the law. But not many people will vote against Jesus. And if the law empowers state employees to lead these prayers, SCOTUS will find it unconstitutional. Nobody wants to stop anybody from praying if it doesn't interfere with public activities. Sure you can find some example of someone violating the law because of ignorance, but this is so minimal it's ridiculous to mention.

SGB,
I agree with your comments except one.

This is not the governor's bill. It's a GOP bill. The govenor put it on the August ballot in order to keep it separate from the general election.

I view this as yet another "fear mongering" tactic deployed by the GOP to motivate the social conservatives to get out to vote. It's a desperate move and yet another example of how far we have fallen from the age of reason.

There is a reason why God, nor Jesus, nor the Holy Spirit are mentioned in the United States Constitution, and it's because it is a set of secular laws. Our police force is secular. Our military is secular. Our firefighters are secular. Our public schools are secular. There are plenty of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormon's in all of those institutions, but those tax funded organizations are purposely secular.

Thomas Jefferson (original drafter of the Declaration of Independence) and James Madison (Father of the U.S. Constitution) worked together in Virginia to ban any religion as the official religion of the State of Virginia. They then took their secular public views and tied them to the Constitution.

Tax money should not be used to promote any religion, or any version of any religion. (As the Baptist Superintendent Terry Noble would say, "Who's version of creation would you teach anyway?")

Children are allowed to pray in school. They are not allowed to disrupt education. Public employees paid for with tax dollars are not allowed to lead prayer.

The pilgrims didn't write the Constitution. The Patriots of the Revolutionary War did and they worked in tandem with the various religions of the time to keep the church out of government and government out of church.

I am for one amendment to the Constitution and that is if that preachers use their pulpit as a political soapbox, their church should join the tax roles.

Maybe you mean Jeremiah Wright?

Do you think that the Mayor of NYC leans more toward government control, or life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness? There are literally tens of these stories per day. NONE of them indicate a move toward freedom. ALL of them take away basic freedoms.
SGB, you either don't seem to know what you're defending, or you refuse to see what's happening.
Bloomberg wants to, and IS, controlling what you can & can't order at a restaurant, outlawing salt & sugar. Why does the government need to do that? How is this not socialism/communism/marxism? How does it promote freedom, or the free-enterprise system? How is it their responsibility? How is it not illegal? Why should this be a source of income for the government?
Rights are taken away everyday. Pretending it isn't happening, doesn't make it go away. THAT'S the reason for this protection of prayer. That & the fact that the government is already trying overrule religious beliefs with healthcare. The very thing they taxed away.
NONE of these 'bans' are from the right. NY, CA, & IL are the bluest, yet poorest, most tax-raising states in the country. CA led the fight against paper bags, urging folks to use plastic. Yesterday, they banned plastic bags. That means their solution failed, and actually created a new problem. IL can't figure out that they keep killing jobs by raising taxes, bringing in less money, leading them to think they have to raise taxes again. Chasing it's tale at the expense of the tax-payers & their own income.

It seems to me that our religious freedoms entitle those of all religions to have equal protections. How comfortable are Christian parents with having your children praying Muslim, Jewish, Buddist prayers each morning..."Good morning children, please open your Koran to page 300..." Is there some God given right to say Christian and not Jewish public prayers?" If you are so caught up in your child praying, teach them to pray. They don't have to make a public spectacle of it for God to hear them. Or do you have some other motivation for their prayer?

Anyone can pray anywhere. The US Constitution already protects this right.

This is just another example of the Missouri Legislature wasting time on non-issues. The same Missouri Legislature that is the butt of jokes on the Tonight Show, Steven Colbert, etc. It would be nice to has a legislature that focuses on funding public education and growing jobs in Missouri.

Exactly, Devon, and tried to pre-empt with the laws written into our Constitution.

Devon,

There already is separation of school and state. It's called parochial and private school.

Public education was mandated in the Missouri Constitution and the schools have curriculum committees. It would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution to promote one religion over another.

1. Type of government has nothing to do with religion. A couple quotes from Adolf Hitler. "I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so." As well as "My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. ...Today, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact that it was for this that He had to shed his blood upon the Cross." - Adolf Hitler, speech on April 12, 1922

2. You can play semantics with the word education. However, most would consider, if they thought about it analytically, "religious education" to be somewhat of an oxymoron. The reason is it's reliance on faith, not on empirical evidence and observation. Most importantly, it can't be falsified.

If you trust your public school science so much, where are the textbooks on Nikola Tesla? There should be tons of them, yet there are none.
Edison stole everything he ever "discovered" (or "invented" as he would incorrectly call it), yet he's in those textbooks. He's even still given credit for those thefts.
Without Tesla, you wouldn't have feasible electricity, (which Edison public destroyed animals trying to dispute) no MRI, no X-ray, and about 1700 other things we use daily. There would be no free-energy, no war, no weather control, no anti-gravity, oops, that's right, can't tell anyone about those.
Trust "what you're allowed to know" as science if you want, but I just proved a negative.

Ok. So, Devon. This will be the last thing I say on the subject and I'm certainly not going to get in a straw man argument about Edison and Tesla.

1. The U.S. Constitution says in it's very first Ammendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

2. The Missouri Constitution of 1820 said (and this was a requirement for statehood by the Federal Government) "Section 1. Schools, and the means of education, shall forever be encouraged in this state; and the general assembly shall take measures...one school, or more, shall be established in each township as soon as practicable and necessary, where the poor shall be taught gratis."

3. The current Missouri Constitution goes on to say, "Section 1(a). A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people, the general assembly shall establish and maintain free public schools for the gratuitous instruction of all persons in this state within ages not in excess of twenty-one years as prescribed by law."

4. My point about Hitler and his Christianity had nothing more to do with anything other than the point that religion and types of government are not inherently tied together.

5. Geez, Louise.

Exactly, but the Supremacy Clause isn't an excuse to create a dictatorship, socialism or grow government. This doesn't equate to Shays Rebellion 150 years ago.
Today, the Federal government has declared war on business, the economy, the Constituion and it's people (anything that drives an economy), forcing them to pay AGAIN for government blunders. Many believe they're intentionally crashing things so that they HAVE to come in & "fix" it, creating more of what got us here, - bigger government. I've given evidence (& there's tons more) showing that they've done just that. They continue to disregard the Constitution by moving into areas they don't belong.
The Federal Government (current administration especially) has NO respect for those words you just wrote.
This law (as I said) is pre-emptive. It's a tack-strip. If they don't go there, the law won't matter. If they do, they get a flat-tire in Missouri. (Again, I hope it's on THEIR Interstate they want us to buy a minimum of 3 more times. I say we take them up on their promises of "investment in infrastructure". Withold those tax dollars that are supposed to be designated to maintain their roads. Keep them here. Are they not witholding that money from us? The only difference is, it's OUR our money, NOT theirs to steal, lord over us, or re-appropriate to something else without recourse.)

Tesla is just one of MANY examples. Instead, should I mention that science hasn't produced a single cure since Jonas Salk 60+ years ago?

Funny, I thought this thread had to do with "public prayer". What the heck happened?

dictatorship? socialism? "shay's rebellion"? "Tesla"? This is nothing buy crazy talk. Turn off the ignorant fools on the radio and come back to the real world.

Just a case and point, even if you had a socialist president (and we don't...corps rule now) we would still live in a republican democracy.

Back to the original point. Prayer is allowed in school. Prayer can not be led or endorsed by taxpayer money because it is a violation of our original Constitution. It also cannot be a distraction to other students. You can choose your opinions, your friends, and your faith, but you can't choose your own facts.

Ok. I'm finished on this thread for real now. :)

Notice. Even here, Tesla's accomplishments that I listed earlier have been removed. Hmmm.

Here are just some of those again:
Radio, TV, the Electric Motor, AC electric, Fluorescent Lighting, Hydro-Electric Plants, MRI, X-Ray, Mechanical/Electrical Resonance, Step-up/Step-down Transformers, the Lazer Beam, Remote Control, Robotics, Electro-Magnets, Polyphased Power, Step-up/Step-down Transformers, Vertical Take-Off Aircraft, Water/Solar Power, Special Vaccum Tubes (making Photography possible), Carbon Button Lamps, Wireless Communication, Wireless Information Transfer Technology, Wardencliffe........

Newton & Freud (who were both wrong about 90% of the time) are all over your textbooks, but these discoveries & their discoverer, are not worthy.

Ask yourself why we aren't supposed to have this information.

I can't wait to see the christian taliban go into an uproar the first time someone prays to Buddah or Mohammed. Or when a coven of Wiccans decides to host some sort of seance.

Devon, not only are your comments crazy talk, but they are way, way, way off topic. If you have something to say about "Public Prayer", then say it. Otherwise your comments will be flagged as inappropriate.

Read them all. I didn't change the subject. I responded. Someone else brought up Hitler, Shay's Rebellion, and their trust in what they learned from public school science class, I didn't. I know it's hard to recognise, but I addressed the points that were made. Also, all of these things are connected. Basic rights are being taken away every day in every aspect of life. This "prayer protection law" is in response to that. It's an attempt to make sure this right isn't taken away as well. Regardless of religion.
Turn off the radio? Turn off the TV.
You are welcome to verify my points or prove them wrong, but you've addressed me multiple times, twice now without making a point.
So, prove me wrong if you like, but you haven't yet. Just saying: "that's crazy" & making threats won't be enough.

Well, we no one thing for sure, Edison promoted DC and Westinghouse (also sold nuclear tech to Iran in the 70s) / Tesla advocated AC. Without which, we would have no Back in Black, and none of which came as the result of prayer.

Proving a negative are we?

Barbara, what is the problem with Muslims donating money, and people learning about their religion (learning about is not equal to following). Are you living in real life? Right to pray means EVERYONE, not just people like you who have your heads up your asses.

Have you ever noticed when there is a crisis of any sort people say "Oh God Help", they want His help in all emergencies but not in schools where our children and future voters are! This should be a no-brainer, get real and vote!

Hey Earl, this is unrelated, but I'm not sure how to contact you directly. I have a blog series on climate change in the Eureka patch that I thought you might be interested in following. If so, here is the link:

http://eureka-wildwood.patch.com/blog_posts/global-warmingclimate-change-post-4-of-12-conversation-with-dr-michael-mann

If you think this is a good idea, read this: http://i.imgur.com/ODLOi.jpg . Comments?

State Reps only look at their own narrow viewed agenda. See below from the State of MO . Public schools will be holding worship assemby during school.

Upon voter approval, this admendment guarantees a citizen's right to pray and worship in all public areas including schools as long as the activities are voluntary
and subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to all
other types of speech.
A citizen's right to choose any religion or no religion at all is
reaffirmed by prohibiting the state or any of its political
subdivisions from establishing an official state religion and
from coercing any person to participate in any prayer or other
religious activity.
The resolution also reaffirms the right of employees and elected
officials of the State of Missouri to pray on government premises
and public property and ensures the General Assembly and other
political subdivisions the right to have ministers and clergymen
offer prayers or invocations at meetings or sessions of the
General Assembly or governing bodies.
Students are allowed to express their religious beliefs in
assignments free from discrimination and cannot be compelled to
participate in assignments that violate their beliefs. Public
schools receiving state funds are required to display the text of
the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States in a
conspicuous and legible manner.

One more thing. I hope voters will read the original constitution section in addition to this admendment to really understand what they are voting for. Don't let your emotion regarding "religious freedom" guide your vote. You may not get what you expect. As for me and my family, I am voting NO to this admendment. This past session from the House of Representatives has been a do-nothing. I expect worse results this coming fall.

Feel free to believe in a 2000 year old book of fables with numerious contradictions and factual errors. Praise Buddha, Allah or whoever. Everyone should be free to worship who they want. I still think this God fella probably likes an Athiest who treats people with dignity, kidness and respect to a "devout christian" who is a real jerk to his fellow man. Just saying.

Just vote NO. Why legalize something that is guaranteed by the U.S. constitution.?
for the pros & cons: http://www.ballotpedia.com/wiki/index.php/Missouri_Public_Prayer_Amendment_(2012)
A "no" vote will not change the current constitutional provisions protecting freedom of religion.

We have enough freedom of religion. We need more freedom from religion. You can pray in your home or in your church. That's enough already.

People, please please, if you are really against big government, you must vote against this completely silly and unnecessary amendment to the Constitution. Everything that is in the amendment is already enshrined in law, the amendment is just silly political pandering and fear mongering. Today is the day to put up or shut up-say no to wasteful, unnecessary government expenditures.

These lines worry me: "that students may express their beliefs about religion in written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their work; that no student shall be compelled to perform or participate in academic assignments or educational presentations that violate his or her religious beliefs;" (from http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012ballot/fulltext_1.pdf)

This amendment will allow any student to opt out of any assignment that they feel contradicts their religious beliefs. So since evolution is the cornerstone theory of biological science, does this mean that a student can then opt out of anything taught in that required class for graduation? I can just see the lawyers lining up for this one. I just returned from voting "NO" on this unnecessary amendment.

This is so awesome. Now I can insist my daughters to wear the full hijab coverings and my Sikh neighbor's boys can wear their turbans to school and the school can't do jack to them or you taxpayers will be giving me a big fat check from the lawsuit. That I will promptly send to build a fabulous mosque along 'Church Row' on 40 West of 270.

Praise Allah, He truly works in mysterious ways.

I too voted yes on this while wondering why it was necessary to be voting on this matter at all. Politicians and society has jaded me so that I have to wonder what the agenda was behind this. I fear it was not to protect our Christian American Traditions but I suppose we will have to wait and see. God Bless!

Kids are already allowed to pray in school and people are allowed to pray in public all you have to do is close your eyes for a few seconds and think the words you want to sau to g-d want this law is really about is making sure that hospitals and places like them dont have to give their female workers birth control

*what this law