In response to Aaron Woell’s column on prayer in schools on Nov. 17, I agree with your statement, “we just don’t pray enough.”

However, you get much more into the issue of prayer itself and contradict this statement. You conclude, “religion is a crutch intended to provide comfort in times of pain.”

You say that “using [prayer] from time to time poses no harm, but immersing yourself in it is dangerous.”

It appears you are saying prayers of panic might be OK, but when it comes to day to day issues, prayer is silly.

Prayer is the basic building block of a relationship with God. Consider the importance of communication with those who are close to us. Without communication, we have little more than a casual acquaintance.

We cannot get close to someone, much less God, if we just communicate when we need something. This point is crucial in understanding the issue of prayer. That is why I begin by establishing what prayer is.

Your topic was prayer in schools. You discuss this briefly, but then get more into the issue of prayer itself. I agree with you that there is concern for having prayer in public schools, but probably for different reasons.

On one hand, if we were to require prayer in public schools from instructors before class, how do we know that they really understand what prayer is or even how to pray? And to whom or what would they be praying to? Anyone can pray; it’s not reserved for clergy or those who appear as deeply religious. Yet if prayer is forced or misunderstood, it can quickly lose meaning and become a daily, mundane task.

Who or what would they be praying to? Is it Allah or a prophet or some idol or shrine? Or is it to the god of Christianity? To me, there is a very important difference for the following reasons. Many have claimed to be divine or a prophet of some god, but only in Christianity has Jesus claimed to be God and supported it by performing vast miracles, fulfilling numerous prophecies and, most of all, by rising from the dead.

The reason I get into this issue is because it makes a huge difference about the power of prayer. If we are praying to an object or person who has no power, then yes, prayer is futile and for the disillusioned. But if it is to someone who has all the power in the world, then it is your loss if you make the choice to live life without it.

I can think of countless times in my life where God has answered my prayers for both the large and small issues of life (including lost car keys). Let’s also not forget the past public school tragedies where students were shot for praying or for saying they believed in God.

These events speak clearly of the power of God and prayer in our nation. How many would die for something they knew to be a lie?

Prayer is much more than a legal issue or an educational issue. Just because it is legally taken away, doesn’t mean no one will pray anymore. This is why students continue to pray publicly, even at football games. They understand the power of prayer and know to whom they are praying.

Susie Kinzenbaw

Senior

Management information systems and finance