Christianity Disappearing
From Fox News:
There is a very simple way to decide if a religious display or endorsement goes against the 1st amendment, the words "have to."
I'll explain.
If a child spends a couple of minutes in prayer before class starts he or she is freely exercising their 1st amendment right. If the teacher tells all the children that they have to pray before class starts, that is a violation of the 1st amendment. If a teacher tells the child praying that he or she has to stop praying, that is a violation of the 1st amendment.
The "have to" rule works in all sorts of situations. To wit:
If you are told that you have to stop and admire a nativity scene, that is a violation. If you are told you have to take down your nativity display, that is a violation.
See how easy it all is? If you have to do something in regards to religion then the activity is illegal. This works both ways, you also can't force those who have religion to stop displaying their affiliation. If people would just learn to ignore what they don't agree with we'd all be happier.
As I've said before, I'm an atheist but I have no problem with children drawing nativity scenes or Christmas carols being sung in school. The truth is, the majority of people in this country are Christian. Because the majority rules in this country those who don't agree with Christians are going to have to learn to be tolerant to a degree.
The same religious freedom that allows me to be atheist also allows Christians to express their religious views.
Burning the flag is considered free speech; erecting crosses as roadside memorials is not. The FCC allows the "F-word" on television, but thanking God at a high school graduation is a no-no. And some schools freely dispense condoms to kids, but pencils that read "Jesus loves little children" were confiscated from a first-grade class in Virginia.
Some, like "War on Christianity" author David Limbaugh, say the list of examples is long and is evidence of an undeclared cultural war on the religion.
But those on the other side of the battle, like Elliot Minceberg of People for the American Way (search), point to the Constitutional separation of church and state as the reason behind keeping religion out of public life.
The truth is, the Constitution doesn't explicitly discuss separating church and state. Instead, what it does say is that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...," which means that, unlike in England, the United States decided not to form an official national religion, nor can the government interfere with the practice of any religion.
There is a very simple way to decide if a religious display or endorsement goes against the 1st amendment, the words "have to."
I'll explain.
If a child spends a couple of minutes in prayer before class starts he or she is freely exercising their 1st amendment right. If the teacher tells all the children that they have to pray before class starts, that is a violation of the 1st amendment. If a teacher tells the child praying that he or she has to stop praying, that is a violation of the 1st amendment.
The "have to" rule works in all sorts of situations. To wit:
If you are told that you have to stop and admire a nativity scene, that is a violation. If you are told you have to take down your nativity display, that is a violation.
See how easy it all is? If you have to do something in regards to religion then the activity is illegal. This works both ways, you also can't force those who have religion to stop displaying their affiliation. If people would just learn to ignore what they don't agree with we'd all be happier.
As I've said before, I'm an atheist but I have no problem with children drawing nativity scenes or Christmas carols being sung in school. The truth is, the majority of people in this country are Christian. Because the majority rules in this country those who don't agree with Christians are going to have to learn to be tolerant to a degree.
The same religious freedom that allows me to be atheist also allows Christians to express their religious views.
Zsa Zsa
Rob
Neiman
goon
Chief RZ
Hairy Polemic
docdave
HG
Bat One
