Two groups of kids refuse to join in school prayer during lunch at Hollister Missouri High School

[Capt. Obvious]

Background:

Hollister schools told to halt organized prayer, restrict ministers' access to students

It started when a Hollister parent saw a video, widely shared on social media, showing a local youth minister leading students in a midday prayer at the middle school.

The alarmed parent reached out to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which sent a letter to Hollister Superintendent Brian Wilson. The Feb. 10 letter stated the organized prayer was an "egregious violation of the First Amendment and must be stopped immediately."

"The video depicts an adult leading the entire lunchroom in a prayer with all of the students surrounding him in a circle," Patrick Elliott, the foundation's attorney, wrote in the letter. "The parent's child also reports that students were directed in a similar prayer all of last week and this week as well during the seventh-grade lunch."

....

Source

[trotsky]

1. If only these Christians would just heed their own damn bible.

Matthew 6:5-6 - "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

[Canadian Interloper]

9. And that's from the New Testament

You know, that part of the Bible these (ahem!) "Christians" base their religion on.

[Iggo]

14. "...your Father, who sees what is done in secret..."

He sees you when you're sleeping.

He knows when you're awake.

(Sound familiar, kids? You bet it does.)

[Warpy]

2. Looks like 4 of them opted not to have their food get cold

two on the far left and two on the lower right. The rest of them are watching the grease on their cafeteria food congeal while Mr God Bothererer blathers away at them. Bastards do love the sound of their own voices.

Why the fuck anybody thought this is OK is beyond me.

[kdmorris]

4. Looks like a group of 3 on the lower right

But the point stands... that's incredibly fucked up. I would be angry.

[mountain grammy]

3. I thought the prayer in school thing was settled over 50 years ago.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. The only thing that you want around children less than a youth minister...

is a Catholic priest.

[Fumesucker]

6. Amen

[progressoid]

7. "apparently unaware that it was against policy"

Against policy?

Not to mention against the law.

[es35]

10. Democracy a joke when it exempts the largest voting blocs - religions

How can this country work when it exempts from all its regulations and taxes the groups with the largest voting blocs - the religions. Wake up you silly foolish Americans, you're being had big time!

[es35]

11. HHHOOORRRAAAYYY for the brave kids!! They are the leaders of the next generation!!

HOORRAAYYY!!!

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. They appear to be different schools

The video is from the Hollister middle school, and the article you link to. The still picture is from what looks like a high school judging by the age of pupils, and the only place I can find it is reddit - which just claims it's "Hollister High School".

If they really are both prayers in cafeterias in separate schools in the district, then it's a pattern, and not just the one-off "a student asked him to pray" it's explained away as in the article.

Even if the repeated prayers are normally student-led, it looks incredibly intimidating - it's not just people saying 'grace' over their own food, but taking up positions around the room to surround anyone who doesn't join in. It's the first stages of a cult.

[Gore1FL]

13. I hope the Satanic Temple Visits soon! n/t