Court Affirms: VMI Prayers are Unconstitutional

In January, 2002, a three-judge panel of the Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the tradition at the Virginia Military Academy of holding group prayers at supper were unconstitutional. A vote of the full court failed to overturn that decision, so the prayers will not resume. It is not known yet whether the case will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

As the Daily Press reports:

"Put simply, VMI's supper prayer exacts an unconstitutional toll on the consciences of religious objectors," the panel said in its unanimous ruling in April. ... U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon and the three-judge panel "properly interpreted the principle of separation of church and state to mean that state colleges, much like secondary and primary public schools, cannot organize a religious exercise and force students to participate," [Kent] Willis said.

Defenders called this "the most benign form of religious observance," but that only betrays their cultural blinders. These sorts of prayers are familiar and normal for those raised in a Jewish or Christian environment - members of other religions are used to rather different sorts of prayer meetings. Thus, in effect, these sorts of prayers establish a government preference for one sort of religious tradition over others. If VMI were to have prayer dances, prayer wheels, or prayer chants (all non-denominational, of course) that reinforced traditions from other religions, you can bet that evangelical Christians would cry foul.

You see, this is another case where Christians have gone around assuming that the way they do thing is simply the normal way that things should be done. People need to learn that Christian beliefs and Christian practices are not the default for the entire world - just as American culture and American habits are not the default for the entire world.

Read More:

• Separation of Church and State 101
• Religion in Public Schools
• School Prayer