Plucking the Eagle's Wings

Plucking the Eagle's Wings

raised their children to respect God and country.

My family moved to Big Stone Gap when I was three years old. My father assumed a pastorate, and I began school at age six. I remember rising early each morning, getting my little leather pack with books, and walking across the concrete bridge to school. I also recall, very clearly, seeing my first grade teacher stand in front of the class, reading a story from the Bible and offering a brief prayer to bless the day. Sometimes she asked if one of the students would like to pray. I can remember the feeling of security and safety when I heard the prayer. Being a momma's boy, I missed home, but prayer reminded me of Dad and Mom. It comforted me. By fifth grade, we had moved to Arlington in northern Virginia. Not only did I experience culture shock, I also noticed something very different about fifth grade. No teacher offered to read the Bible or pray. I finally asked why and the teacher said, "We can no longer do that in a public school." I couldn't believe it! Perhaps the teachers in Big Stone Gap were doing it despite this new law. Being a kid, I hadn't watched the news or paid attention to adult conversation regarding this. In Arlington, things were different. I learned about the atheist who proudly boasted about removing prayer and Bible reading from school. Her name was Madalyn Murray O'Hair. The O'Hair Factor O'Hair used her son, William, to demonstrate how an atheist was disrespected by public school prayer and Bible reading. Years later, William Murray wrote this about his mother:

"I was born into a home of near constant rage and violence. My mother never married my father or my brother's father. As a result of my mother's constant angry outbursts she could not hold down a job and she, my brother and I lived with her parents and my unmarried uncle in a small row house in Baltimore, Maryland. My grandfather had never filed an income tax return and most of what he did do during his life was illegal or ill advised. He had no savings. My grandmother read tarot cards and sent out demons by burning human hair. My uncle kept boards of pornography in his room and my mother filled the house with statues of mating animals that she worshiped.

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