>>>>
>>>>Perhaps (but I rather doubt it) some of the parents now understand how I feel when I go to a public event (football game, graduation ceremony, etc) and hear the invocation followed by "We ask this in Christ's name."
>>>
>>>So you don't believe in Christ I assume. So, then what difference does it make to you? Will it corrupt your non existent soul (assuming agnostic)
>>
>>Why in the world would you make that assumption????????
>
>You have an issue with people mentioning Christ. That is why.

I don't know if this is the case with Rich, but there are other people of faith - Jews, Moslems, Jains, Hindus, Buddhists and some Christians - who may have a problem with public secular events having specifically Christian invocations.

I think a lot of it depends on what kind of Christians one has been exposed to. (and in another area, what Moslems ) I was raised by some pretty nice Methodists in a very loving atmosphere. My exposure to Moslems was of the modern, Turkish, sufi variety.

Even though I don't personally believe things that are essential to be considered a "believer" in either non-unitarian Christianity or Islam, I don't feel automatically threatened by manifestations of either and find it pretty easy to be supportive and respectful of the faithful.

But it is not hard to imagine how someone whose exposure to Islam is primarily reports of jihadi crazies or whose exposure to Christians is to those of the most judgmental and hellfire and brimstone versions could find any sign either is gaining ground to be threatening.

It's too bad and I think people of faith on the whole are a plus for the society - though not a prerequisite for being good citizens or good neighbors.

But both Christianity and Islam share a "you're on the bus or off the bus" world-view - albeit different buses - and that is bound to create some resentment.