Fellow Texans: We feel compelled by divine inspiration and current national events to launch this effort to reach every Texas resident in order to publicize this petition and gain as much support as possible to successfully amend the Texas State Constitution and secure the right to bring prayer back to our schools.
Our schools were founded and built upon biblical principles. We are in agreement that we need prayer back into our schools.
This petition was born of the inspiration and brought into existence by the ministry of Pastor Al Jandl of Living Stones Church in Alvin, Texas. He discussed the recent tragedy at Columbine High School and told us of how some of the parents who had lost a child to those killings expressed that "what our schools need is God". We all feel the impact and grief in the wake of this tragedy which affects us all very deeply. There have been previous incidences of school violence, but the Columbine High School incident was the worst in our nation's history and represents a rising and alarming trend. These tragedies prove we need prayer in our schools today! Ironically, the way to ask God to protect and cover our children and schools with blessings is through prayer, which happens to be the very way we communicate with Him.
We, who have heard the cries of the children and parents of Columbine High School, unite with one heart and mind, to support this petition for school prayer.
We were called to action after Pastor Jandl read the "Regents Prayer", which was declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in 1962, and challenged us by saying, "It took the power of one woman to do this (referring to Madolyn Murray O'Hare) ...think what you can do." THERE IS SOMETHING WE ALL CAN DO! and this time, it will not be one voice, but many. Let us all take this stand together -- to raise our voices for what we feel crying in our hearts and what we know is right. Let us give our children and our schools, as well as school boards, principals, teachers, and administrators, the gift to pray for God's blessings, inspiration, and guidance. With united effort, we can have the ultimate power to overcome and achieve our goal of school prayer.
Through this petition, we are seeking to amend the Constitution of the State of Texas, by adding the Texas Religious Freedom Amendment. Our plan and goal is to have as many signatures as quickly as possible to convince the legislature to act favorably on the Amendment.
We will then personally submit all of the petitions to our legislators and the governor. Amending the Texas Constitution requires a two-thirds favorable vote by both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate, followed by a majority vote of approval by voters in a statewide election. We are hoping to get legislative approval through either a regular session of the current legislature or a special session called by the governor as soon as possible. We need to gain voter approval for the amendment in the election to be held next November. By Christmas, our children will know that school prayer will be coming back in Texas public schools.
We encourage you to gather as many signatures in support of this petition as you can. Let your elected officials know where you stand. By way of suggestion, take the petition to your local schools, churches, job sites, and family members and encourage everyone you know to sign up on this very important cause. Be sure to mail the petitions to Living Stones, so we can collect and keep track of the petitions.
In conclusion, this is prayer from us to you. This is a personal expression of what is on our heart and expresses what we'd like to share with you:
"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon thee, and we beg thy blessings into every heart and mind of all men, women and children in Christ. We pray your grace into their everyday lives at homes, schools and places of employment and invite your presence into all. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Stay tune to this web site for the latest in this effort!
Wherefore, the US Supreme Court, beginning with its decision in Engel v. Vitale (US 1962) has prohibited organized prayer in public schools. These cases have been wrongfully and disastrously decided and have not taken into consideration the wishes of the American people, and violate the religious freedom of Christian believers.
Wherefore, the "Regents Prayer", which states "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon thee, and we beg thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our Country," and later declared unconstitutional by Engel, reflects truths that are crucial and must be taught to our children.
Wherefore, we have witnessed a nearly fourty-year assault on religious faith in our schools and public institutions, and which has resulted in the following: America leads the world in the use of illegal drugs; America leads the world in pregnancies to unwed teenagers; America leads the world in violent crime; America leads the world in the percentage of the population incarcerated in prisons; and, America leads the world in divorce. In reading skills, America's students fall behind students from every other developed nation. Americans with serious reading disabilities comprise almost one third of the population.
Wherefore, the recent horrific killings throughout the nation's public schools, combined with the absence of morality being taught and declining quality of education at these schools, should be a wake-up call that something is terribly wrong with our nation's schools.
Wherefore, the cornerstone of the United States is on the Bible and the freedom of Christianity.
Wherefore, the practice of beginning each school day with a school prayer was a long tradition of the United States.
Wherefore, that school prayer plays an essential part of moral education, and plays an important role in the moral development of children.
Wherefore, this amendment is necessary to guarantee and secure religious freedom in our schools and to restore a proper understanding of the First Amendment.
Be it therefore, that the following amendment be adopted and made a part of the Constitution of the United States.
The School Prayer Amendment
Section 1: Nothing in the United States Constitution shall be deemed to prohibit the offering, reading from, or listening to prayers or Biblical scriptures, if participation therein is on a voluntary basis, in any governmental or public school, institution, or place.
Section 2: Nothing in the United States Constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group silent prayer or reflection in public schools. Neither the United States nor any state shall require any person to participate in such prayer, or reflection, nor shall they encourage any particular form of prayer or reflection.
Section 3: Nothing in the United States Constitution shall be deemed to prohibit making reference to, belief in, reliance upon, or invoking the aid of God or a Supreme Being in any governmental or public document, proceeding, activity, ceremony, school, institution, or place, or upon any coinage, currency, or obligation of the United States.
Section 4. Nothing in this article shall constitute an establishment of religion.
We would like personally hand deliver as many signed petitions as we collect by the 21st -- however, our goal is to actually BURY Governor Bush with signed petitions up to his very eyeballs -- Com'on, Let y'alls light shine -- Let's do this TEXAS STYLE. We know this will speak very loudly and clearly. We suggest that you ask people in your neighborhood and at local schools and churches for their signatures. If you miss this date, however, please still mail your petition in to us for submission, which will still be very effective
Pursuant to Article 17 Sect. 1 of the Texas State Constitution, the undersigned, do petition the Governor of the State of Texas and the Legislature of the State of Texas to support and propose to the voters -- the Texas Religious Freedom Amendment to revise the Bill of Rights of the Texas State Constitution. If necessary, the undersigned support the calling of a special session of the legislature to consider this matter. The text of the Amendment is as follows: "Section 1: To Secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: that the state of Texas shall not establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or tradition on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed.
The State of Texas shall not require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion."
"Section 2: In Texas, nothing shall be deemed to prohibit the offering, reading from, or listening to prayers or Biblical scriptures, if participation thereon is on a voluntary basis, in any governmental or public school, institution, or place."
