Engel V. Vitale the Beginning of the Battle Against...

â€Å" One of the most highly debated aspects of American life and liberty is religion. America’s foundation is based upon the idea that religion should be a freedom and a choice of the person involved, not a requirement by the government. Yet religion is one of the very things to United States was founded on. In the last half of the 20th century, the differing opinions Americans held on religious conviction became an ongoing debate on where and when is the right time to observe one’s faith. Most notably this debate extended to the public schools. One of the most prominent cases was that of Engel v. Vitale. The court case of Engel v. Vitale became known as the School Prayer decision and was the first of its kind in the American judicial†¦show more content†¦Mr. Justice Stewart stated in his dissent â€Å"I cannot see how an â€Å"official religion† is established by letting those who want say a prayer say it† (Constitutional Conflicts). While I, personally, agree with Justice Stewart, the true facts of the Establishment Cause contradict the idea that the formation of an â€Å"official religion† was not present in the Regent’s prayer. Lynda Beck Fenwick, in her book Should the Children Pray? : A Historical, Judicial, and Political Examination of Public School Prayer, asserts that â€Å"something less than an actual establishment may nevertheless be found to respect an establishment, and as a result is prohibited† (124-125). In conclusion, I believe that the decision made in the Supreme Court case of Engel v. Vitale was correct. Although this case was the springboard for many of the more radical ideas of the likes of Madlyn Murray O’Hare, this case did uphold the ideas and beliefs of America’s Founding Fathers. Many have made the dispute over school prayer out to be a point of division in our nation. Yet the majority believes religion should be a part of our school systems. According to an article by John C. Green and James L. Guth, a â€Å"1983 Gallup poll found 81% of the â€Å"aware† public favoring aShow MoreRelatedSepartion of Church and State Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pagesthought and freedom. The Establishment Clause was one way that civilians were protecting religious liberty by the separation of church and state. Within our political and school systems there have been a number of controversial issues to include religious holidays, school prayer, teaching evolution and aid to church based schools. The Supreme Court has ruled in many cases in regards to these religious controversial issues. The First Amendment states â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishmentRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage and Religion: An Inappropriate Relationship8330 Words   |  34 Pagesdifferent groups of people. Those who engage in the debate believe strongly in their convictions; the two loudest voices tend to come from the gay community and the religious community, the former arguing in favor of same-sex marriage and the latter against it. Religious groups, predominantly from a Christian based faith, seem to be the single most influential force in the attempts to keep same-sex marriage illegal. Proposition 8 passed by a vote of 52% to 48%; according to one exit poll 81% of self-identified