A South Carolina valedictorian grabbed the nation's attention after he ripped up his graduation speech and recited a prayer instead.
The prayer he recited is called the Lord's Prayer and goes as followed:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in Earth, as is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us for our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Roy Costner IV, the 18-year-old Liberty High School graduate, was reportedly upset by his school's decision to ban prayer.
"God's such a big, important part of our life with everything going on, our community really needed it," Costner told The Blaze. "Our community is really strongly opposed to the school district's decision to remove prayer."
Costner reciting of the Lord's Prayer was an act of protest against the school district. Officials said the decision was made after atheist groups bombarded the district with complaints, according the Christian News.
"Originally, they were only supposed to take away prayer in the school district before meetings - [but then] they blew it way out of proportion, taking prayers out of anything," Mr. Costner told The Blaze.
Costner reportedly warned his family of his plan to say the prayer rather than give his pre-approved speech. His father is a youth pastor and was supportive of his son's decision.
No disciplinary action was taken against the graduate, according to reports. The video of his prayer went viral on social media and he has been praised for his actions by commentators, stating that it was Costner's First Amendment right to do so.
"I didn't know what kind of response I was going to have," he told The Blaze. "I was tearing up on stage. I was overwhelmed on the stage. I did not expect a response of that magnitude."
According to reports, Costner is overwhelmed by the positive reactions on the Internet, even though he has received negative comments.
"Don't let the few hold you back. Stand up for what you believe in," he told The Blaze. "We have freedom of speech for a reason."
