Fun_People Archive
22 May
True story, sounds like a joke, isn't

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Thu, 22 May 97 01:05:30 -0700
To: Fun_People
Subject: True story, sounds like a joke, isn't

[Hmmmm... perhaps just a little too good to be true...  -psl]

Forwarded-by: Bea Lackaff <beal@comtch.iea.com>
Forwarded-by: Charlie Cockey <chasfant@ix.netcom.com>

Forwarded-by: Janos Gereben

Real letter forwarded by a real person, not identified here
to be protected from the wrath of one deity or another:
>
>  Dear John,
>
>  As you know, We've been working real hard in our town to get
>  prayer back in our schools. Finally, the school board approved a
>  plan of teacher-led prayer with the children participating at
>  their own option. Children not wishing to participate were to
>  be allowed to stand out in the hallway during prayer time. We
>  hoped someone would sue us so we could go all the way to the
>  supreme court and get the old devil-inspired ruling reversed.
>
>  Naturally, we were all excited by the school board action. As
>  you know, our own little Billy (not so little, any more though)
>  is now in the second grade. Of course, Margaret and I explained
>  to him no matter what the other kids did, he was going to stay
>  in the classroom and participate.
>
>  After the first day of school, I asked him "how did the
>  prayer time go?"
>  "Fine.
>  "Did many kids go out into the hallway?"
>  "Two.
>  "Excellent. How did you like your teachers prayer?"
>  "It was different, dad. Real different from the way you pray."
>  "Oh? Like how?"
>  "She said,'Hail Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners...'"
>
>  The next day I talked with the principal. I politely explained
>  I wasn't prejudiced against Catholics but I would appreciate
>  Billy being transferred to a non-Catholic teacher. The
>  principal said it would be done right away.
>
>  At supper that evening I asked Billy to say the blessings. He
>  slipped out of his chair, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes,
>  raised his hand palms up in the air and began to hum.
>
>  You'd better believe I was at the principal's office at eight
>  o'clock the next morning. "Look," I said. 'I don't really know
>  much about these Transcendental Meditationists, but I would feel
>  a lot more comfortable If you could move Billy to a room where
>  the teacher practices an older, more established religion.
>
>  That afternoon I met Billy as soon as he walked in the door
>  after school.
>
>  "I don't think you're going to like Mrs. Nakasone's prayer,
>  either, Dad."
>  "Out with it."
>  "She kept calling O Great Buddha..."
>
>  The following morning I was waiting for the principal in the
>  school parking lot.
>
>  "Look, I don't want my son praying to the Eternal Spirit of
>  whatever to Buddha. I want him to have a teacher who prays in
>  Jesus' name!"
>  "What about Bertha Smith?"
>  "Excellent."
>
>  I could hardly wait to hear about Mrs. Smith's prayer. I was
>  standing on the front steps of the school when the final bell
>  rang.
>
>  "Well?" I asked Billy as we walked towards the car.
>
>  "Okay."
>  "Okay what?"
>  "Mrs. Smith asked God to bless us and ended her prayer in Jesus'
>  name, amen just like you."
>
>  I breathed a sigh of relief. "Now we're getting some place."
>
>  "She even taught us a verse of scripture about prayer," said
>  Billy.
>
>  I beamed. "Wonderful. What was the verse?"
>
>  "Lets see..." he mused for a moment. "And behold, they began to
>  pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and
>  their God."
>
>  We had reached the car. "Fantastic," I said reaching for the
>  door handle. Then paused. I couldn't place the scripture.
>  "Billy, did Mrs. Smith say what book that verse was from?"
>
>  "Third Nephi, chapter 19, verse 18."
>  "Nephi what?"
>  "Nephi," he said. "It's in the Book of Mormon.
>
>  The school board doesn't meet for a month. I've given Billy
>  very definite instructions that at prayer time each day he's to
>  go out into the hallway. I plan to be at that board meeting. If
>  they don't do something about this situation, I'LL sue. I'LL
>  take it all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. I don't
>  need schools or anybody else teaching my son about religion. We
>  can take care of that ourselves at home and at church, thank
>  you very much.
>
>  Give my love to Sandi and the boys.
>
>  Your buddy,
>  Juan
>  CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH

© 1997 Peter Langston