High School Valedictorian Stuns Audience After He Rips Up Speech and Delivers the Lor

[InTheLight]

Yes. "Jesus died for you" is a story too.

No, that is a four word sentence.

It means what it says. They axed prayers from graduation events and thus took out the invocation.

It doesn't say that speakers aren't allowed to pray.

Graduation events encompasses more than the invocation. Sheesh!

 

[Zaac]

Once again you are inferring things the way you wish to see them.

And you're not?:laugh: You seem to be seeing somewhere that they said the speakers couldn't pray. So please show me so that I know longer have to infer that they didn't tell the speakers they couldn't pray.

Axing prayers from graduation events covers the ability of speakers praying during graduation events. It's clear to just about anyone.

But I'M inferring?:laugh: It must not be clear to everyone as they took out the invocation and said NOTHING about speakers praying.

 

[InTheLight]

And you're not?:laugh: You seem to be seeing somewhere that they said the speakers couldn't pray. So please show me so that I know longer have to infer that they didn't tell the speakers they couldn't pray.



But I'M inferring?:laugh: It must not be clear to everyone as they took out the invocation and said NOTHING about speakers praying.

Show me where the invocation was specifically mentioned as the ONLY prayer to be removed.

 

[Zaac]

No, that is a four word sentence.

You work for Pickens County now as the Story Police. If it tells a story, it's a story and there's no amount of haggling you can do to change that.

Graduation events encompasses more than the invocation. Sheesh!

Who said it didn't? The invocation isn't a graduation event. It's part of a program.

 

[Zaac]

Show me where the invocation was specifically mentioned as the ONLY prayer to be removed.

You got another prayer in the official program that they mentioned? If there were another prayer removed, they would have mentioned it along with removing the invocation from the event. All the hubbub is about the invocation and prayer.

So when you find that they took another prayer out of the official program, let me know.

 

[InTheLight]

The invocation isn't a graduation event. It's part of a program.

Yep, done with responding to you.

 

[Don]

Here's the part y'all are missing: he ripped up his previously-approved speech.

Was that the only draft? Had he submitted other versions that included statements about God and/or Jesus, and was told to edit those out? Was he told to write a speech without using those references?

Y'all want to niggle and quibble about the invocation; try focusing on what he did. Did he write a speech; was told to change it; and subsequently submitted one that met approval, and then went with his original speech anyway?

What really happened here?

 

[go2church]

And I knew you would come out of your lurking closet for this post and display your hatred for a public display of Christianity and the glorifying of God.

So then you don't know if he lied or was spontaneous? Or perhaps you don't care that he lied cause lying to talk about God is ok

 

[Zaac]

Yep, done with responding to you.

Good I wish you had reached that conclusion after your first response. Some of yall on here just like to look for reasons to be contrary with every story mentioned.

You just got to have something to complain about or something to point at that you feel like the person did wrong.

Get over yourselves already.

 

[go2church]

Shouldn't you have asked the second question first?

I applaud the young man. Reading the story gave me a Chris Matthews-like thrill up my leg. I LOVE it when I see Christians taking a stand about God's word instead of some issue du jour!!!

Does it really matter which question is first, does that somehow change things

How exactly is he taking a stand, grandstand perhaps but hardly a stand.

So then you would be happy if a student who was Muslim got up and recited a prayer from the Koran?

 

[InTheLight]

Here's the part y'all are missing: he ripped up his previously-approved speech.

Was that the only draft? Had he submitted other versions that included statements about God and/or Jesus, and was told to edit those out? Was he told to write a speech without using those references?

Y'all want to niggle and quibble about the invocation; try focusing on what he did. Did he write a speech; was told to change it; and subsequently submitted one that met approval, and then went with his original speech anyway?

What really happened here?

As I read it, he decided to protest the new "no prayer at graduation events" by purposely staging an act where he rips up a couple pieces of paper (which may or may not have been his actual prepared speech) and then give his two sentence 'testimonial' and then recited the Lord's prayer.

He had submitted a totally secular version which was approved. Also he said the school district removed prayers from everything.

“Originally, they were only supposed to take away prayer in the school district before meetings — [but then] they blew it way out of proportion, taking prayers out of anything,” he said.


http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...id-it-we-have-freedom-of-speech-for-a-reason/

 

[Zaac]

Here's the part y'all are missing: he ripped up his previously-approved speech.

Was that the only draft? Had he submitted other versions that included statements about God and/or Jesus, and was told to edit those out? Was he told to write a speech without using those references?

Y'all want to niggle and quibble about the invocation; try focusing on what he did. Did he write a speech; was told to change it; and subsequently submitted one that met approval, and then went with his original speech anyway?

What really happened here?

Why would I focus on him tearing up his speech and wondering if he took references out?

The story is about prayer. The school board axed prayer not references to God/Jesus.

His tearing up of his speech seemed to be to make the point that he felt it was more important to speak to THIS than it was to give some rote graduation speech.

 

[go2church]

And I knew you would come out of your lurking closet for this post and display your hatred for a public display of Christianity and the glorifying of God.

You're too strong here, I don't hate public displays of Christianity, do it every day and especially on Sunday when our service is broadcast on TV.

What I think is unwise and counterproductive are these score a point, look at me moments that are mistaken for "taking a stand".

How did he take a stand?

 

[Zaac]

Does it really matter which question is first, does that somehow change things

Yes.

How exactly is he taking a stand, grandstand perhaps but hardly a stand.

Again, y'all call it what you want. I applaud him.

So then you would be happy if a student who was Muslim got up and recited a prayer from the Koran?

Who cares if I would be happy? Did they tell the speakers they couldn't stand up and recite a prayer from the Koran?

If not, there's no need for them to get upset over a student saying a prayer. They removed "state sanctioned religious" references just as the government has attempted to do with everything else.

They can't stop individual speakers from speaking on religion. That's just as much discrimination as the atheists have claimed.

 

[Robert Snow]

Unbelievable!

Christians protesting that this man talked about God and then had the audacity to actually pray! I would expect this from atheists, but not from Christians.

He didn't cause a disruption or have to be removed from the activity. It seem that some here are more upset than the school board over this. How strange.

 

[Don]

Unbelievable!

Christians protesting that this man talked about God and then had the audacity to actually pray! I would expect this from atheists, but not from Christians.

He didn't cause a disruption or have to be removed from the activity. It seem that some here are more upset than the school board over this. How strange.

Robert, where I draw the line is "deceit." I'm not sure this qualifies as such; but if he led the school leadership to believe he would be delivering a certain speech, but then delivered another without prior notification - what kind of message does that send about Christianity, that we'll basically lie in order to get our message across?

Paul didn't lie to the authorities; he told them he was going to preach Christ. And he did.

 

[InTheLight]

Unbelievable!

Christians protesting that this man talked about God and then had the audacity to actually pray! I would expect this from atheists, but not from Christians.

He didn't cause a disruption or have to be removed from the activity. It seem that some here are more upset than the school board over this. How strange.

I'm upset because I didn't think he said enough. He had a platform and his talk about God was restricted to one phrase thanking his parents for leading him to the Lord. He then recited a prayer that is heard so often and is so universal that it's impact has almost been rendered nil.

He could have used the opportunity to talk about how he trusted God during his high school years to get him through tough spots and how he is trusting the Lord to lead and direct his life as he enters his college years. People were expecting a speech, instead they got a minute and a half protest action.

Also, as Don pointed out he deceived the school because he submitted a speech for approval, then didn't use it, and then violated their stated policy regarding prayer.

 

[Salty]

Did this student do the same thing as Brother Andrew.

 

[go2church]

Still no answer to how he actually took a stand for anything other then rebellion against school administrators if indeed this was planned and not spontaneous.


"I have been asked to not make any religious references or prayers during my speech today. Though I disagree with this policy, in deference to my school, I will comply and instead tell you my religion is very important to me and would love the opportunity to tell why. If you're curious, please look me up and we can discuss it over a cup of coffee or ice cream cone, I'll even buy."

Why can't something like this be said instead of making a show?

 

[Don]

Did this student do the same thing as Brother Andrew.

Personally - I don't think so.

In 1957 Van der Bijl travelled to the Soviet Union's capital Moscow in a Volkswagen Beetle, which later became the symbol of Open Doors, the organization he founded. An older couple that mentored him had given him their new car, because it could hold several Bibles and spiritual literature. Although Van der Bijl was violating the laws of some of the countries he visited by bringing religious literature, he often placed the material in plain view when stopped at police checkpoints, as a gesture of trust in God's protection.