re: #226 HappyWarrior

I think I noticed that when I had some conservative Catholic neighborhood friends who did not go to public school insist to me that you can’t pray in public school. I had to politely explain that there was no forced public prayer which is really the foundation for the Engle v Vitale decision that supposedly outlawed prayer in school. I like to joke that you certainly can pray in public school because there are no atheists in a seventh period Mathematics pop quiz on a Friday afternoon. *

*I actually did have Math seventh grade & seventh period and it was one of the most difficult academic experiences of my life.

I know you’re joking, but I was an atheist under those circumstances. When you are raised without religion it often doesn’t occur to one that prayer could provide one with useful answers to math questions.
It’s the same with atheists in foxholes. You don’t suddenly call on a deity you don’t think exists, though if you are simply a backslid believer, you might well do that.