The Vision of Christ that thou dost see
Is my vision�s greatest enemy.
Thine has a great hook nose like thine;
Mine has a snub nose like to mine.
Thine is the Friend of all Mankind;
Mine speaks in parables to the blind.
Thine loves the same world that mine hates;
Thy heaven doors are my hell gates.
Socrates taught what Meletus
Loath�d as a nation�s bitterest curse,
And Caiaphas was in his own mind
A benefactor to mankind.
Both read the Bible day and night,
But thou read�st black where I read white.

- William Blake , from The Everlasting Gospel , 1810 (or so) -

Advocates of the bill recently passed by the Florida House allowing prayer in public schools make it sound harmless enough:

"A prayer would have to be given by a student volunteer chosen randomly � not by majority vote � and would have to be "nonsectarian and nonproselytizing." It also specifies that school staff can't participate in the prayer or pick a student to do it."

Seems to me, however, that this is taking us precariously close to the slippery slope which will send us sprawling into a heap of church and state integration at its bottom.

I don't want anybody doing my praying for me. At least I'm well out of high school and (thank God) soon to be out of Florida.