My argument as to why being against prayer in schools is a Christian value

[Horse with no Name]

I believe that everyone should pray or meditate or whatever else gives them a feeling of peace and tranquility. I believe it is the most personal of any relationships we have throughout our lives. Many times, we are the only ones that are aware that we have stepped outside of our faith, and it is up to us to repair the relationship.
However, arguing with East Texans as to why there shouldn't be prayer in schools always leaves me feeling like a traitor to my Christian values.
This is something that I have wrestled with, and I finally came up with what I feel is a good argument.
I don't pray in schools because I am a Christian and I was taught to live by the Golden Rule. In fact, the Golden Rule or the ethic of reciprocity is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion.
If I attend school with others of different faiths, why should my faith be put above another's? What happens if in the future, that our leaders aren't of the Christian faith? Does that mean that I will be forced to become a practicing Muslim? or a practicing Catholic? or a practicing Jew? or a practicing Atheist?
By understanding that by forcing others to pray to my God, it only opens the door to force me to pray to their God and infringe on my special and personal relationship that I have with my faith and my God.
As a Christian, one of the first life lessons is "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself". Forcing someone to pray to a God that they don't believe in certainly falls in the category of doing something to someone we wouldn't want done to us.
Why do some Christians feel the need to break the Golden Rule?
Isn't that the ultimate in betrayal to the faith?
In fact, when they claim that I am not a Christian, are they not judging me by standards that they do not follow?

[Malva Zebrina]

1. I dunno

being an atheist, I am most surely for maintaining separation of church and state.

It seems to me that those who would push to have their particular faith invade every secular institution are under the fantasy that making this a "Christian Nation" and insisting that all of it's secular activity is based upon Christian morals and ideals, and then working toward a theocracy, are not capable of understanding that once they are tied to the state in the way they seem to desire, they indeed, will be the first to lose their freedom of religion.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Much more succinct than I was able to put it

which is the exact reason that our forefather's left England so they could have freedom of religion.
I'll tell ya one thing, I won't call this the "Mother" country when I leave, I'll call it the "Mutha".:)

[Poiuyt]

3. Remind them of what Matthew said

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Matthew 6:5

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6