Is it me, or do you find it amazing that our liberal, free speech advocates - promoters of tolerance and political correctness - are just plain "stupid!" There I said the S word. And let me follow it up by using the N word - nincompoops, and the F word: fools!Apparently we can all get along until the Christian religion - specifically the words "God" or "Jesus" are brought up in the public forum as if it is pornographic. Yet we are to be tolerant of other religions, scientific theories, sexual promiscuity as well as various other political views and lifestyles that are in direct opposition to the biblical world view we've been called to die for. These "bans" are foolish and dangerous displays of arrogance.
A teacher had a banner in his class room that quoted the Declaration of Independence. A banner, which had been displayed for seventeen years, contained this excerpt: “All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator.”
One school official in Ann Arbor, MI justified himself as he banned the 1st amendment expression by claiming a Muslim student might be offended by the slogan. HERE is the complete article.
When was the last time you heard Christians suing the government to end Jewish or Muslim rights in the public forum? Christians have sued, but as far as I can tell, it is to keep their freedom of religion and speech, not reduce that of others.
In 2nd grade my brother had a black friend. Peter used to come to the house to play and was just one of the kids. His parents were educated at Yale, and they drove a gray Mercedes. Living in an all white New England town they were well liked and accepted - well, until some bigots tried to burn a cross on their front lawn.
In 4th grade my teacher was Jewish, and she told her wide-eyed, predominantly Catholic class, all about Hanukkah and the other holidays she celebrated without censure. No one complained.
When I was in 5th grade, we learned about government and politics. Richard Nixon was running against Hubert Humphry and George Wallace that year. MORE Mr. Pokrob, who was probably a liberal, presented the platforms of all three candidates without prejudice. Our class had a vote and Nixon won - well, the other guy was for education and we were stuck in class - what would you do? In January, we watched Nixon's inaugural speech on TV.
My point is simply that race, religion and political affiliation were just part of life. It seemed like all moderate - and some strong expressions - of individuality were accepted without question. What absolutely appals me is that we continue to take to court, cases that waste time and effort to redetermine, what seem to be reasonable and moderate expressions of faith, and opinion protected by our 1st Amendment rights.
How is it that our basic personal freedoms are at stake in cases like this. Folks pounded the Bush administration for listening into to overseas phone calls by possible terrorists that would harm us. Sure, it is an attack on privacy and personal freedom. But for those that are above the law, it isn't that big a deal. The same is true of video monitoring in stores and drunk driver check points. If you are not committing a crime, who cares?
The biggest threat to freedom I see is the government telling us what we have to purchase, such as health care, and what we can't buy; potentially firearms. Neither gives us freedom. If you want to cover the uninsured, do it, but don't force them to buy something they may not want. Firearms? Enforce strict licensing laws, there is no problem with that. If folks are not committing crimes they will comply without question in the same way they take their shoes off at the airport.
God in the public forum, it can't be as offensive as letting child molesters go on small bail bonds and short prison sentences, can it?
These persecutions are certainly on the rise, and I guess that it part and parcel of the End Times. What do you think, are you happy with your constitutional rights?
8 comments:
I'm very happy with how the Founding Fathers instituted my constitutional rights.
What I'm not happy about is the manner in which those rights continue to be eroded, altered and even ignored by an overzealous federal court system and power mongering politicians.
But that's just my cup of tea...
Although the end times are written in stone that they will happen, It is our responsibility in the mean time to defend our right to worship and say God / Jesus with out being silenced by S-N-F people.
Had Christians stood up and said Whoa! several decades ago, we may not have had to put up with this nonsense today.
Once again, thanks for providing links to the relevant details in the case.
It looks like the right things happened. The Pomona school district made a poor call to demand the teacher pull down a banner that had been up for nearly a generation. The US Federal Judge reversed this, and pointed out in detail (per your reference) that the school's decision was Looney Tunes (well, at least Daffy Duck).
Schools are famous for erring on the side of caution - or CYA. And while I am a liberal, and this is a defence, the school is still wrong.
"When was the last time you heard Christians suing the government to end Jewish or Muslim rights in the public forum?"
I have lots of links, but that's not so interesting. Instead, lets look at a classic liberal institution DEFENDING Christian practice in the public realm. The ACLU supports lots of rights, including that of religion.
http://www.aclu.org/aclu-defense-religious-practice-and-expression
- a Narnia muse
Great post David!
I really appreciated the article about the teacher with Poway school district down in San Diego and was delighted to read that the judge upheld that teacher's rights.
I relate to your frustration expressed here. I often feel that in the efforts of our politically correct culture to be tolerant and diverse, that some how it's come to be that Christians are discriminated against.
Narnia muse - I've got to tell you that I had come to see the ACLU as "the enemy", but that link you posted provided lots of food for thought.
Great post David!
I really appreciated the article about the teacher with Poway school district down in San Diego and was delighted to read that the judge upheld that teacher's rights.
I relate to your frustration expressed here. I often feel that in the efforts of our politically correct culture to be tolerant and diverse, that some how it's come to be that Christians are discriminated against.
Narnia muse - I've got to tell you that I had come to see the ACLU as "the enemy", but that link you posted provided lots of food for thought.
I'm at a loss as to how the majority religion in this country, that literally has their stuff paraded all over the place and infused throughout our culture, can be persecuted. What's happening is that we are starting to realize that Xians don't have the right to push their religion down everyone else's throats. So, when you cry about religious freedom, are you really pursuing religious freedom for everyone or for the ability for Xians to hold their undeserved and unearned place above all others in our culture/country?
And, yes, Xians cry foul at all sorts of heinous offenses, like atheists putting up billboards with such offensive suggestions as "Don't believe in god...you're not alone."
"But for those that are above the law, it isn't that big a deal."
Huh? No one is above the law.
"If you are not committing a crime, who cares?"
So, you wouldn't mind the vid screens in 1984 that allowed Big Brother to check on your doings at literally any time?
"What do you think, are you happy with your constitutional rights?"
Let me ask you this: Would you be satisfied if our currency carried the slogan "In Allah we Trust?" How about if our pledge of allegiance said, "One nation, under Krishna?"
@GCT - If you'd like to engage, you need to stop stereotyping. As you are aware, it is a form of ignorance that comes from being uniformed and sometimes misinformed.
I am not sure how come you are using the term Xians, is it a way of expressing your displeasure with Christianity?
For the sake of future discussions, let's stick to the point.
I am finding it hard to engage with someone that quote says "don't have the right". The whole point of this blog is that we all have constitutional rights to express our beliefs and religion.
I am sorry that you feel that our Christianity heritage is so offensive. However; it is doubtful that we'll rewrite history. There have been many who died in the fight for freedom so that we could enjoy our constitutional rights, and I am not looking forward to giving mine up, or watering them down.
As far as Big Brother - as I said, if I am not breaking the law, who cares? I suppose it could be a problem for some committing a crimes.
And no, I don't really care what it says on the dollar bill. As long as it onto control by a minority special interest group, I'm cool.
As far as persecution, when a persons right to religious freedom (without committing a crime) is infringed upon, it is persecution. It has notging to do with majoities or what is infused our our culture.
Thanks for commenting - God bless you.
"@GCT - If you'd like to engage, you need to stop stereotyping. As you are aware, it is a form of ignorance that comes from being uniformed and sometimes misinformed."
What stereotyping?
"I am not sure how come you are using the term Xians, is it a way of expressing your displeasure with Christianity?"
It's shorthand, and one with a very rich and accepted history within Xianity.
"I am finding it hard to engage with someone that quote says "don't have the right". The whole point of this blog is that we all have constitutional rights to express our beliefs and religion."
Nowhere did I say that you don't have the right to express your belief or your religion. Nowhere. What I said was that you don't have the right to shove it down the rest of our throats, as that would violate our rights. Yet, this is what is happening in our country with alarming frequency. Every courthouse that displays the 10 Commandments is doing this. Our currency is doing this. Our pledge of allegiance is doing this. Etc.
"I am sorry that you feel that our Christianity heritage is so offensive. However; it is doubtful that we'll rewrite history. There have been many who died in the fight for freedom so that we could enjoy our constitutional rights, and I am not looking forward to giving mine up, or watering them down."
I'm not asking you to water down your rights. I'm asking you to recognize that you don't have the right to force your religion on others. Many Xians in this country get upset and claim their rights are taken away when the courts rule that they aren't allowed to be given preferential treatment, but this isn't taking away your rights. You don't have the right to preferential treatment, nor does your religion.
"As far as Big Brother - as I said, if I am not breaking the law, who cares? I suppose it could be a problem for some committing a crimes."
Well, I care - even when I'm not doing super-secret, super-illegal atheist stuff. Privacy is an important concept that allows us to live the quality of life that we live. The founding fathers felt it was important enough to include in the Bill of Rights. (As a side note, I find it ironic that someone who seems to identify as a conservative wouldn't have an issue with government intrusion in this area.)
"And no, I don't really care what it says on the dollar bill. As long as it onto control by a minority special interest group, I'm cool."
I find it hard to believe you wouldn't care if Allah was emblazoned on our money. Really? Either way, it is supporting a special interest group, to the detriment of all non-Xians. It constitutes an endorsement of Xianity, which is in violation of the separation of church and state. By removing it from currency, we wouldn't be taking away your rights - you have no right to have your religion endorsed on our currency - we would be restoring the rights of all non-Xians.
"As far as persecution, when a persons right to religious freedom (without committing a crime) is infringed upon, it is persecution. It has notging to do with majoities or what is infused our our culture."
That's a very lax definition of persecution and it doesn't fit anyway. Xians aren't losing their right to religious freedom. What's happening is that Xians are losing their privileged place in society so that everyone can enjoy the same rights to religious freedom.
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