Three topics to be avoided during any holiday gathering include religion, politics and money. Politics is a definite topic to stay away from – sure to inflate blood pressure in many individuals.

Money is another – salaries, spending, inflation, etc. However, talking about and walking the walk of personal faith seems to be an equally touchy subject.

On Facebook, friends ask for prayers when loved ones are undergoing surgery, have experienced a death in the family or are in need of a miracle.

Twenty-six people were shot and killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14, 2012.

Upon hearing gunfire, one of the teachers told ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer she locked her classroom door, took all her students into the bathroom, locked and barred the door, and told them if they believed in the power of prayer, they needed to pray.

She told those who didn't believe in prayer to think happy thoughts.

On Sept. 11, 2001, as the tragedy of the terrorist attacks on America was unfolding, members of Congress gathered on the steps of Capitol Hill for a moment of silence and then began singing "God Bless America."

In September, students in schools across the Lehigh Valley and the nation gathered at their flagpoles, for the annual See You at the Pole event, to offer prayers for their fellow students, teachers, administrators and districts.

In addition, mothers in 25,125 groups in 143 countries pray weekly for the students, teachers, administrators and school districts in which they reside as part of Moms in Prayer International.

When I was in school, we had a moment of silence (maybe they called it prayer), at the beginning of each school day.

I remember bowing my head like all of the other students – some praying for a miracle for not doing their homework, prayers for a good grade on a test or just taking a moment to prepare for the day.

Some talked through the moment of silence, discussing the previous evening's events.

With the way our world is today, would there be a downside to having a moment of prayer or silence re-introduced into the school day?

I don't see one.

In 1960, Madalyn Murray O'Hair sued the Baltimore school system because her son was being forced to pray in school.

Her suit and the actions of the American Atheist Organization resulted in the Supreme Court ruling to remove prayer from schools. Additional lawsuits continued throughout the 1960s.

The group, Alliance Defending Freedom, alleges the American Civil Liberties Union has taken aggressive measures across America to wipe away prayer.

At a middle school in New Jersey, officials stopped Christian students from praying at the school flagpole.

In Tennessee, the ACLU allegedly filed a federal lawsuit against a district for the school's celebration of religious holidays.

The group also allegedly sent a written notice to school officials in Michigan complaining about voluntary prayers by the high school football players.

Last month, at a public charter school in Rock Hill, S.C., the band director told his students they could not perform "Joy to the World" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" to avoid conflict or controversy.

Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter to 13,000 school districts nationwide Nov. 20 explaining the constitutionality of religious Christmas carols in school productions.

The band director reversed his decision.

This coming week, school holiday concerts begin. As the years have progressed, there has always been a mixture of songs from all holidays commemorating various religions.

Although, in my family we prefer "Silent Night" and "Oh, Holy Night," my children loved singing the Hanukkah song, "I Have a Little Dreidel."

I didn't raise a stink, call the district, hire a lawyer or demand the music to cease.

I sang along with my children, helping them to understand how lucky we are to live in a country where religious freedom is embraced.

Like it or not, government and God are connected.

This past weekend, I watched "Miracle on 34th Street" where the judge makes a ruling on whether there is a Santa Claus pointing out the words "In God We Trust" on our currency.

"[The currency is] issued by the treasury of the United States of America," said the judge in the movie. "And it's backed by the government, and the people, of the United States of America.

"Upon inspection of the article, you will see the words, 'In God We Trust.' We're not here to prove that God exists, but we are here to prove that a being just as invisible and yet just as present exists.

"Federal government puts its trust in God. It does so on faith and faith alone. It's the will of the people that guides the government. And it is and was their collective faith in a greater being that gave and gives cause to this bill's inscription.

"Now, if the government of the United States can issue its currency bearing a declaration of trust in God without demanding physical evidence of the existence or the nonexistence of a greater being, then the state of New York by a similar demonstration of the collective faith of its people, can accept and acknowledge that Santa Claus does exist and he exists in the person of Kris Kringle!

"Case dismissed."

It is time to stand up for our faith, no matter what our religion, and start guiding our children toward a greater good, without fear of repercussion.

And, we need to lead by example. Worship together as a family. Stand up for your rights and do not allow any groups to muzzle our religious expression.

Oh, and by the way, Merry Christmas!

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press