January 5, 2016::End of the day round-up

This Pastafarian just schooled Georgia officials for refusing to respect his spaghetti-worshipping religion

A so-called “Pastafarian” who claims to worship the “Flying Spaghetti Monster” is fighting Georgia officials for the right to wear a spaghetti colander in his official driver’s license photo.

Chris Avino said the state’s decision to bar him from wearing the religious headgear violated his First Amendment rights — and on Twitter he suggests he’s preparing legal action against the state.

The state initially allowed Avino to wear a colander on his head for a temporary driver’s license photo, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explained, but officials recently decided that he would need to take a new photo — without the colander.

A follow-up to a story posted previous,,,

Raw Story Uses Video Editing To Defame Kent Hovind

The section that Raw Story excerpted from starts around 4:56 and runs to around 8:00 for a total of over 3 minutes of which Raw Story included less than half. The part that Raw Story left out was Kent explaining why he did not think the particular passages from Acts under discussion were contradictions. Kent's riff, included by Raw Story was about what purpose apparent contradictions might serve. There is a bit of Hovind grandiosity there as he indicates that the heavenly father is doing things much as Kent would if he were the big guy, but Kent Hovind is not saying that there are contradictions in the bible,

 Pennsylvania Man Fakes Tumor To Swindle Church, Friends: Cops

To pay tribute we wanted to reflect on what she meant to others and listen to their stories and experiences with this amazing individual who has passed away on December 25, 2015. To honor her legacy, a panel made up of Aron Ra, David Fitzgerald, Miguel Conner, and Dr. Robert Price along with the Mythicist Milwaukee team, discussed the impact that Acharya’s work and friendship had on their lives.



A New Year's Resolution For Science Advocates: Don't Cry Wolfe

A Challenge to WND and David Barton on Thomas Jefferson and Slavery

Let me issue a challenge to Barton and World Net Daily: Allow me space to rebut these promo pieces. Stop misrepresenting my arguments and the evidence and link to this post. Right now, your behavior is a right wing version of the liberal bias you assert is true of the mainstream media. If you are so sure you are correct, then have the courage to back it up.

 Gordon Klingenschmitt Blames Demonic Influence For Failure To Defund Planned Parenthood

"So you see the invisible spirits, the Holy Spirit of God with his angels and the demonic spirits are speaking to each of these human actors in this scenario. And we can discern, for example, upon those who promote a pro-abortion agenda the demonic spirit of murder who is influencing them and forcing us, as taxpayers, to collaborate with them to fund the killing of innocent children and that is wrong and that is evil and that is demonic."

Pondering,,,

We all know that Ray Comfort is an idiot and any other adjective you would like to assign to him. I like to "know thine enemies" and came across this gem whilst looking for something else. I didn't make it past the first 10 minutes of the promo before vomit began to rise.

Anyways, I know this hack job is a few years old but the first thing that jumped out was Comfort's attempt to equate evolution to a religious belief.. But there is no "faith" involved (something he tries to make a point of further along). 

One either accepts the evidence for evolution or one does not. Evolution is based in the scientific method, religion is not. Religion is based on revelation and can not be objectively verified.

Evolution answers "how" life came to be where it is today. Religion tries to provide an answer for "why" we are here. Two distinct questions. Regardless of whether Creationism or ID, evolution is scientific fact.

I know I'm speaking to the choir but there is a point that I hope to get to later in the month (maybe,,,lol) that goes along the line of, "woo" never saved anyone's ass but science does. It is something I am reminded of every morning since July when I wake up and pop my pills that keeps my brain from exploding again

Theocracy alert! Justice Scalia says U.S. honors ‘God,’ not religious neutrality

Clearly, Justice Antonin Scalia does not understand what the framers understood. In a speech Saturday at a Louisiana Catholic high school, he claimed that the Constitution doesn’t require governmental religious neutrality. He also made an embarrassing show of “God is on our side” hubris by proclaiming:

“God takes care of little children, drunkards and the United States of America. I think that’s true. God has been very good to us. One of the reasons God has been good to us is that we have done him honor.” (The first part of the quote was lifted from a very similar one that first appeared in 1856 in Harper’s magazine.)

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Scalia told a small audience at Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie that just because the First Amendment forbids the government from playing favorites among the various sects, that doesn’t mean the government can’t favor religion over nonreligion.

If people want strict prohibition against government endorsement of religion, let them vote on it, Scalia said, adding ungrammatically, “Don’t cram it down the throats of an American people that has always honored God on the pretext that the Constitution requires it.”

Scalia thus denied that the Bill of Rights was adopted, in part, to ensure that some rights, such as freedom of conscience, would be placed above the vicissitudes of tyranny of the majority.

 Kim Davis Predicts She Is 'Just The First Of What's Going To Be Very Many'

“The stand I took affects every church, every person that lives and loves God, that holds the word of God precious and dear and intimate in their lives,” Davis told EWTN’s Catherine Szeltner in an interview broadcast on December 17. “I’m just the first of what’s going to be very many. You can rest assured of that. And it’s not if it happens, it’ll be when it happens. And maybe my stand will encourage others who will be in the same position.”

Szeltner reported that Davis told her that her time in jail was a “joyful and peaceful time” and that she “knows that it is a possibility” she’ll return.

 

5th Annual International Day of Protest Against Hereditary Religion - taking place on January 23rd of 2016

Cancer quack Dr. Stan Burzynski is attempting to dodge his court hearing date. He brought a doctor's note. Really, it's a note. "Please excuse Stanley (sic) from gym, I mean, the hearing." He is suffering from heart artery blockages. See the court filling here. https://t.co/NcsRq8MLUG

January 4, 2016::End of the day round-up

Gay Malawian appeals for justice; now he’s in hiding

Friends stopped coming to chat at his place, some sent him messages explaining that they cannot go on chatting with a Satanic; one person went up to throwing a stone at him as he walked by.

“I withdrew, I stayed indoors. My brother heard of the rumours and he told me that as much as he hopes that I will stop being gay, the family cannot disown me but again they cannot support me in my being gay.”

Nobody has ever told his father fearing that his frail heart will topple over. The father however has also heard of the rumours and when he asked Fortune, he flatly denied all in the name of protecting the father from a heart attack.

This is Why She Left the Jehovah’s Witnesses (VIDEO)

‘Christian’ Preachers: God Has Very Good Reason Why We Need Our Private Jets

The prosperity gospel is possibly the most deceptive “gospel” in all of Christianity. It involves preachers telling their parishioners, “Give me money, and God will return it to you ten-fold,” more or less, and people buy it, making these preachers rich. Two such preachers, Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis, used the prosperity gospel along with their god to justify having enough wealth for private jets, and it’s probably as close to the opposite of Christianity as one can get.

First off, Copeland and Duplantis both say that God wants to keep them off of the airlines because of dope-filled air full of demons. Copeland explained how Oral Roberts used to fly airlines, and people would bother him by asking him to pray for them and such. They can’t deal with all of that now. They can’t get to their flocks, to the world, to help God make things right, without their wealth and their private jets. They need their jets for that – it’s what God wants.

Jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi's health deteriorating, wife says

A member of Amnesty International in Canada and a spokeswoman for the Canadian government both said they were unable to confirm the hunger strike.

"Canada remains very concerned by the situation of Mr Badawi and we will continue to call for clemency to be granted in his case," said government spokeswoman Rachna Mishra.

Mr Badawi, who created and managed an online forum, was found guilty in 2014 of breaking Saudi Arabia's technology laws and of insulting Islam. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1000 lashes.

He received his first 50 lashes in January, prompting strong criticism in Western countries of the kingdom's human rights record.

"I am very worried about him," Ms Haidar said on Thursday. "His health, both physical and mental, is very poor."

She said she last spoke with her husband two weeks ago, and had been kept informed of Mr Badawi's condition by a contact in Saudi Arabia whom she declined to identify.

Cruz tells volunteers: “strap on the full armor of God”

"I want to tell everyone to get ready, strap on the full armor of God, get ready for the attacks that are coming," a hoarse-sounding Cruz told volunteers on a conference call. "Come the month of January we ain’t seen nothing yet."

Louisiana Courthouse Hosts Pro-Christian Signs from Government Agencies

The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent separate letters to the Police Jury and Clerk of Court alerting them to the problem and requesting in writing how they plan to fix this in the future:
_
There are ample private and church grounds where religious displays may be freely placed. Once the government enters into the religious business, conferring endorsement and preference for one religion over others, it strikes a blow at religious liberty, forcing taxpayers of all faiths and of no religion to support a particular expression of worship. We request a response in writing about the steps you are taking to remedy this violation of the First Amendment.

How Do You Help A Food Stamp Recipient Get A Job?

“I don’t think there’s anybody else in the country who can claim the kind of success we can claim,” Weber told ThinkProgress, “and it’s because we’re approaching things holistically.” That success is striking, according to numbers that Weber’s Fresno Bridge Academy has crunched on the economic impact of the 1,000-plus SNAP recipients who have found jobs through the group. Every dollar spent on the Bridge has returned $22.28 in economic benefits, the group told the Fresno Bee. Weber said in an interview that about $17 of that comes in the form of higher earnings for the family in question, “but $5.50 goes back to the taxpayers” in the form of reduced spending on SNAP and higher income tax collections.

Following Backlash, U.S. Air Force Academy Allows Football Players to Pray on the Field

The Academy reviewed and investigated the complaint, but concluded that players are free to follow their own religious beliefs.

“The United States Air Force Academy will continue to reaffirm to cadets that all Airmen are free to practice the religion of their choice or subscribe to no religious belief at all,” the USAFA said in a statement. “The players may confidently practice their own beliefs without pressure to participate in the practices of others.”

The MRFF released a statement Thursday expressing its discontent.

“By allowing public prayer by the football players in Air Force uniform, command is officially endorsing one religion–Christianity.”

CASE WATCH::FFRF court victory: Ga. school stops school prayer - Freedom From Religion Foundation

The initial complaint dates back to August 20, 2014 with a letter being sent to the primaries involved.  On February 10, 2015, 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit yesterday challenging the infliction of daily prayer upon a captive audience of elementary school children in the Emanuel County School System, Swainsboro, Ga.

Defendants include Superintendent Kevin Judy, Swainsboro Primary School Principal Valorie Watkins, Swainsboro Primary School teacher Kaytrene Bright and Swainsboro primary school teacher Cel Thompson. Anonymous co-plaintiffs are Jane and John Doe, and their young children, Jesse and Jamie Doe.

"Encouraging the Doe children to pray, or isolating and punishing the Doe children for electing not to pray, violates the deeply and sincerely held moral convictions of the Doe children and therefore their First Amendment rights," reads FFRF's legal complaint.

That sets the stage for the following:

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has settled a lawsuit with Emanuel County School District in Swainsboro, Ga., after stopping teacher-led prayer and proselytization in its public schools.

After a concerned family encountering teacher-led prayer in kindergarten and first grade classrooms contacted the national state/church watchdog, FFRF sent a letter in August 2014 to the school district.

No changes were made to halt the illegal activity. Teachers continued to inflict prayer upon elementary school students as part of the school day, resulting in bullying and ostracism of students "Jesse and Jamie Doe." This February, FFRF filed suit on behalf of the family, seeking corrective action from the district and financial compensation for the harm suffered by the family.

Today, after reaching an agreement with the school district, FFRF is dismissing its lawsuit. Emanuel teachers have received educational training on their obligations not to promote religious beliefs in their classrooms and the Doe family has been financially compensated for harm they suffered.
,,,
"We're pleased that the Emanuel County Schools has taken action to correct the egregious constitutional violations that were taking place in its classrooms," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "No devotions and religious practices should take place in public schools, and no small child should ever be pressured to take part in such illegal practices. More than 50 years of clear Supreme Court precedent bar such coercive conduct, because religion in schools is divisive and builds walls between children." 

FFRF court victory: Ga. school stops school prayer - Freedom From Religion Foundation

School district investigating mass baptism at football practice

 "They have no choice. It’s proselytizing, it’s coercive, and it’s not legal in our schools.”

While this incident was rightly shot down and scrutinized heavily, it is like playing whack-a-mole as far as SOCAS and public schooling goes.  The cases just keep pouring in and the religionists just don't seem to care.

Villa Rica High School and its principal should not have allowed a local church to perform on-field baptisms at its football stadium last month, a Carroll County School System investigation concluded.…

[Assistant Superintendent Terry] Jones’ statement said the school district “had no knowledge that this event was scheduled to happen at VRHS.”

“The principal’s understanding was that the event was a church sponsored activity that was to be conducted after school and he was not aware of student involvement,” the statement said. “From the investigation the school district has concluded that VRHS failed to follow district facility usages procedures for outside groups using school facilities.”

Maybe as one comment pointed out it's time to play hardball, "There's a simple solution to this problem: Have all School Board employees sign a statement to the effect that they are aware of the law regarding church-state separation, and that the penalty for exposing a school to a CSS lawsuit will be immediate termination for cause and financial liability for all costs incurred by the School Board regarding legal judgments against them."

A Georgia school district is investigating after video of a mass baptism was posted on YouTube.

The video, posted by First Baptist Villa Rica, was shot on school grounds just before football practice. "We had the privilege of baptizing a bunch of football players and a coach on the field of Villa Rica High School! We did this right before practice! Take a look and see how God is STILL in our schools!" the caption with the video reads.

By Tuesday evening, the video had been removed from YouTube.

The Carroll County School system released a statement Tuesday afternoon:

"The Carroll County School System was made aware of a situation that took place at Villa Rica High School prior to football practice on August 17th.  The District is currently looking into the specifics of this situation and will take appropriate steps to ensure all state and federal laws are followed."

The Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to Carroll County Tuesday asking the district to "immediately investigate and take action to ensure there will be no further illegal religious events". In the letter, the FFRF mentioned its lawsuit against Emanuel County School District for similar practices. The group is now seeking punitive and personal liability damages in that case. "We prefer to settle these matters cooperatively," the letter ends with a request to detail the steps the school district is taking to comply with the First Amendment.

School district investigating mass baptism at football practice

Kansas public school removes Jesus picture after group complains | Fox News

A Kansas public school has removed a picture of Jesus that hung in a hallway for decades after a complaint from a national church-state separation group, The Wichita Eagle reported.

Royster Middle School removed the print of Warner Sallman’s “Head of Christ” last Thursday, following a complaint from the national Freedom From Religion Foundation, Richard Profitt, the school superintendent, said Friday.

Proffitt, who is in his first year as Chanute superintendent, said the picture was taken down after the district’s lawyer advised that the school could not legally display it.

While this incident appears to be "settled" for the most part, an interesting comment caught my eye over at WWJTD that highlights the ignorance of some in regards to SOCAS:

Q::  If gay marriage does not affect your marriage, how does a picture of Jesus affect your belief or lack thereof?

The responses are spot on and most importantly delineate between the 1st and the 14th Amendments,.

One of them violates the separation of church and state. Can you spot which one?
,,,
You see, they're actually the same. Banning same-sex marriage is theists using their position in government to force their mythological views on all, and displaying the Hey Zeus! picture is government officials using their position of power to force their mythology on all.

The only difference is that the former primarily violates the 14th Amendment, and the latter violates the 1st Amendment.
,,,
It does, however, violate the part of the Establishment Clause that says that the government isn't allowed to establish or endorse a religion. A picture of Jesus on a government-funded property is an endorsement of Christianity, and therefore against the law.

If it had been a banner reading THERE IS NO GOD it would have been in just as much violation and would have had to be taken down just the same,,,.

But I find this comment sums up the whole of SOCAS, ",,,that's a bizarre question to ask, seeing as how nobody said anything about if affecting our atheism."



Kansas public school removes Jesus picture after group complains | Fox News

Atheist Group: California Principal Should Not Pray With Students

Although this incident occurred last month and there doesn't seem to be any re-occurrence, it is still important to remain vigilant.  As FFRF's Andrew Seidel points out, "District staff should be reminded that they cannot plan, promote, or participate in any religious events at KHSD schools, not can they encourage students to put on such events. Any future religious events must be truly student-initiated and student-run."

A recent picture taken at South Bakersfield High School in California appears to show students gathered with Principal Connie Grumling to pray around a school flagpole.
,,,
While students are allowed to pray in school, the inclusion of Grumling may be a legal problem, notes the Friendly Atheist.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group that advocates for separation of church and state, stated in a letter to Dr. Bryon Schaefer, Kern High School District Superintendent, on Aug. 24 that this "serious constitutional concern" had been brought to the attention of FFRF by a complainant who was not identified.

From Lauren Foreman The Bakersfield Californian's "THE GRADE: To pray or not to pray at school"

Randy Bennett, president of the California Southern Baptist Convention, said during a public comment portion of the meeting that the South High principal did not violate the required separation of church and state outlined in the U.S. Constitution.

Ed Boyer, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said an administrator praying with students right outside of school is “kind of in the muddy middle ground” territory.

Whether Grumling broke the law depends on how far removed from the campus she was, whether she was acting as principal at the time and whether she initiated the prayer. Boyer said he would want to delineate boundaries if he were a principal.

“I certainly would be concerned if I were the district’s counsel,” he added.

KHSD board president Chad Vegas, also founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Bakersfield, said during the meeting Tuesday he believes what employees do prior to school or after school is their business.

Atheist Group: California Principal Should Not Pray With Students

I fought the law, but the law won

Embattled school board under fire again after leader’s divisive rant

Several parents in the district filed a lawsuit in November through the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The board decided to fight the lawsuit, maintaining that members have the right to pray and enlisting a conservative values law firm to combat what they called secular bullying.

That case is ongoing and in discovery. Andrew Seidel, the lawyer for Freedom From Religion, said there won’t be a jury trial and his group will be pushing for a judge to grant summary judgment.

On the prayer issue, hundreds of community members signed a petition supporting school board prayer and showed up at board meetings in a show of support for Cruz and Na. But this time, Cruz’s rant has alienated some of his supporters, too.

• FFRF sues over school board prayer in Chino Valley, Calif.
• Andrew Cruz recall, Chino Valley Unified School District, California (2015)

Denver cites religion to delay Chick-fil-A contract

The Denver City Council delayed the routine approval of a contract for Chick-fil-A to operate one of its restaurants at the city’s airport after a “gay” council member charged corporate profits would be used “to fund and fuel discrimination.”

The attack on one of the most successful and most popular food franchises in the nation is just the latest since 2012, when CEO Dan Cathy expressed his view that marriage is the union of a man and a woman.

At one point, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel threatened to refuse to allow the company to open any restaurants in Chicago. He later dispatched an aide to say he really wouldn’t do that.

Liberty Counsel President Mathew Staver at the time said such a move would be unconstitutional anyway. But he said the reaction to Cathy’s support of the historic definition of marriage proved homosexual activists are militantly intolerant and want to intimidate and silence critics rather than engage in debate.

The Denver Post reported that the routine contract with Chick-fil-A was pending before the council when Councilman Paul Lopez called it “really, truly a moral issue on the city.”

The company repeatedly has assured the government it follows nondiscrimination laws and regulations.

• Contract for Chick-fil-A at DIA gets Denver council subcommittee's OK

Group is gunning for small town's veteran memorial cross

Mayor Hatch told me the council will meet next month to decide what course of action to take. Meanwhile, the citizens of Knoxville are launching a campaign to save the memorial.

“This political correctness stuff is getting way out of hand,” resident Doug Goff told me. “When we are bending to the will of one person in the town -- you know something is wrong there.”

Goff is a lifelong resident of Knoxville. He’s also a Navy veteran. And he’s helping to spearhead an August 30^t rally to defend the cross.

“This is a memorial for our veterans,” he said -- wondering if Americans United has a problem with the crosses in Arlington National Cemetery.

“The cross is white because the headstones in Arlington are white,” he said. “Would you take that cross down, too?”
,,,
Meanwhile, I think Americans United should answer Mr. Goff’s question. Will they demand that Arlington Cemetery remove their crosses?

I don't see any crosses, do you?

 

 https://romneymanassa.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/arlington-national-cemetery-ii.jpg?w=624

What is at Arlington,,,

• Cross with veterans memorial prompts complaint in Iowa
• Cross Punch: Activists Wrong To Cite Arlington National Cemetery In Their Fight To Save A Sectarian War Memorial In Iowa

Prayer at Florence High School flag pole continues after lawsuit

Less than a month after Fremont County School District RE-2 settled a lawsuit with a former teacher over religious discrimination at Florence High School, students and church leaders were back in front of the school Friday morning for prayers at the flag pole.
,,,
Community members, along with the pastor of The Cowboy Church at Crossroads, were also there.
"It's short, 20, 30 seconds and then they go in and then we wait for another group to come," said pastor Randy Pfaff.
,,,
The lawsuit was settled in July, and part of the provisions ban the school district from endorsing or sponsoring religious groups or activities, and the Cowboy Church can no longer hold worship services at district facilities.
According to the settlement, students can still gather to pray and form religious organizations, but they must be student led. Now the group, Fellowship of Christian Huskies, will have to make that transition.

"The students of course still have a club going but everything they try to do has been diminished and they don't have a leader any more to really lead in that way and Christianity does not need to be out of our schools," said Candy Thompson, one of Pfaff's supporters in the community.

• Colorado Teacher Sues His District Over Constant, Administration-Supported Promotion of Christianity
• Lawsuit claims church, state not separate at high school

Federal Judge: Ten Commandments Monument Violates U.S. Constitution « CBS Pittsburgh

According to Hemant Mehta, "This controversy began in 2012, with those first letters to the District. The student whose family lodged that complaint has since graduated from the school and they have no connection to it anymore. Taking the monument down, in that case, won’t make any different since the student’s not even around to appreciate it."

A federal judge on Friday ruled that a monument of the Ten Commandments outside the Connellsville Area Junior High School in Fayette County violates the U.S. Constitution.

However, at the same time, the judge did not order the monolith removed.

Now, both opponents and supporters of the monument are claiming at least partial victories.

The four-and-a-half-foot monument has been on school property for more than 50 years, and most recently, it’s been tightly sealed to prevent people from removing plywood and other coverings.

The judge said the monument can stay where it is because the student who objected to it, and challenged it in court, has moved on and no longer attends the school.

From the FFRF:

McVerry's decision recites the chronology of the placement, which involved the mayor rhapsodizing that "there can be no better guidance for youth than God's laws," and notes it was one of the Ten Commandments markers donated as a campaign by the Eagles with filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille, director of "The Ten Commandments."

The decision recites the community uproar over the request to remove the biblical edicts from public school grounds, including a prayer rally and public gathering at the monument, with sprinkles of "amen" from the crowd. At a public meeting the complainants were referred to as "yellow-belly bums" for being pseudonymous, and speakers cited the need to "stand up for the Bible" and Christianity.

"The monument still stands alone outside the school, declaring to all who pass it, 'I AM the LORD thy God.' There is no context plausibly suggesting that this plainly religious message has any broader, secular meaning," wrote McVerry.

Citing Supreme Court precedent, McVerry added: "Whether the key word is 'endorsement,' 'favoritism,' or 'promotion,' the essential principle remains the same. The Establishment Clause, at the very least, prohibits government from appearing to take a position on questions of religious belief or from 'making adherence to a religion relevant in any way to a person's standing in the political community.' "

Federal Judge: Ten Commandments Monument Violates U.S. Constitution « CBS Pittsburgh

Atheist Activist Group Demands Texas School District to Remove Christian Quotes from Walls | Christian News Network

So here is the Reich's initial faux persecution complaint,

Last week, Madison, Wisc.-based Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to officials with the school district to assert that the quotes are both unconstitutional and “dubious.”

“The numerous biblical quotes currently displayed on MVISD property unconstitutionally promote Christianity, creating the appearance that it is favored by the district,” the letter reads. “These quotes must be removed.”
,,,
The correspondence also contends that the historical quotes were either misquoted or manipulated, and were not true quotes.

Here is what the FFRF has to say and why:

Courts have continually held that public school districts may not endorse religious messages, including text taken from the bible,,,. [The] MVISD is a public school district and its schools should not be in the business of advancing Christianity by displaying bible quotes on district property.” (pp 1-2)

In their explanation to this point, FFRF notes in their letter to the Mount Vernon Independent School District (MVISD) the improper attribution of the golden rule to Jesus (citing Matt 7:12).  Standard scholarship shows this idea existed long before Christianity or Judaism.

Another example notes a quote atrributed to Ronald Reagan,"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." As Grover states, this selection is "dubious, and, incidentally, intellectually lazy since that is not a direct quotation." (p 2, footnote 4) 

[There are more examples given, but I think you get my drift.  Read the letter (PDF) cited above for more.]


Why this is problematic regardless of their accuracy:

Displaying statements by prominent individuals that broadly endorse Christianity is also a constitutional violation.  A public school district cannot endorse the religious preferences of prominent historical figures anymore that it can promote the personal religious preferences of its administrators. (p 2)

These "quotes" came from a master list created by school district employees, acting in their official capacities.  Therefore, "the quotes on the walls of MVISD are school district speech subject to the Establishment Clause, not private speech posted as part of a public forum." (p 3)

Furthermore, Grover asks a pertinent question concerning the purpose of these quotes, especially when one considers,

When MVISD manipulates historical quotes by removing context and isolating lines that promote Christianity or religion in general, it violates the right of conscience of its students,,,.  The district cannot even fall back on the argument that these quotes have educational merit, given the many examples of misquotes, misattributions, and entirely fraudulent quotes displayed on its walls,,,.  The district sets a poor example for its students if it cannot be bothered to fact check the messages it chooses to endorse. (pp 3-4)

Sadly, revisionist history isn't just plaguing the MVISD. 

Across the country, efforts are being made to manipulate and suppress curriculum in order to conform to right-wing ideology. Recently, College Board, the “non-profit” company that designs curriculum for advanced placement (AP) US History courses, revised its standards to reflect “American Exceptionalism” and minimize negative aspects of the nation’s historical narrative, such as racism, slavery and the government’s treatment of indigenous peoples. GOP lawmakers across the country are attempting to ban AP US History courses completely on the grounds that they are “too biased.” Last year, the Texas State Board of Education voted to approve US history textbooks in which Moses is depicted as the nation’s “Founding Father,” shoving the right-wing Christianist worldview down school children’s collective throats. Two years ago, a federal circuit court judge upheld an Arizona ban on teaching social studies courses focusing on ethnic minorities.

Atheist Activist Group Demands Texas School District to Remove Christian Quotes from Walls | Christian News Network

First Amendment Folly: Court Says Pa. Ten Commandments Monument May Remain At Public School Because It Isn’t Offensive Enough | Americans United

Unfortunately, McVerry focused on the wrong facts in this case. While it is fair to say that many are offended by a Ten Commandments display on government property, that is not the main legal issue. The reality is this Decalogue is unconstitutional because it gives the impression that government is endorsing belief over non-belief. Whether or not anyone is offended by the specific display is secondary.

Even if McVerry had taken a proper First Amendment approach, however, there is no guarantee that FFRF would have won its case – thanks to a bad U.S. Supreme Court decision. The Tribune-Review said the Decalogue was donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, sometime during the late 1950s. This allowed Valley High School administrators to argue that the monument is more a landmark than it is a religious display, a claim that is sometimes kryptonite for cases dealing with government-backed religious displays.

In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court said a Ten Commandments display that had been on Texas state property since 1961 could remain. The court’s main reasoning was that the monument was fine because it had been there for so long that it was essentially a ceremonial symbol with no real religious value.

Of course that argument is incredibly weak, even more so in the face of the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s recent decision that a Ten Commandments display on the grounds of the capitol building in Oklahoma City is unconstitutional. That monument is very similar to the Texas Decalogue – the only real difference is Oklahoma’s was erected in 2012.

First Amendment Folly: Court Says Pa. Ten Commandments Monument May Remain At Public School Because It Isn’t Offensive Enough | Americans United

Mayor compares Christ to Superman as Texas town erupts over contested Jesus welcome sign

A Texas town is heatedly debating what to do with a large sign on public property that reads, “Jesus Welcomes you to Hawkins,” with the town’s mayor this week stating if their sign comes down, so do all signs across the country referencing Superman.

“If you don’t believe that Jesus existed then he would be fiction,” Hawkins mayor Will Rogers told local television station KLTV. “If he’s fiction, and you want to remove his name from everything, then you have to remove every fiction name from across the country. That means we couldn’t say ‘Superman welcomes you to town.'”

Residents packed into City Council chambers Monday night, mostly to voice impassioned support for keeping the sign. But doing so could be costly.
,,,
As of now, the city is looking into whether the sign is in fact on public property before moving forward, KLTV reports.

Mayor compares Christ to Superman as Texas town erupts over contested Jesus welcome sign

See also:


FFRF condemns possible arson in Hawkins, Texas 

Hawkins Mayor: Fire intentionally set because of controversial sign

'Jesus Welcomes you to Hawkins' signs multiply across city

‘Appeal to Heaven’ Flag at County Courthouse Removed Following Complaint from Atheist Activists | Christian News Network

There are a couple of articles floating about the inter-web concerning this flag, a flag I had never encountered before.  Compared to other rhetoric laden derp,

Unlike the Confederate flag, which is stirring some pretty vitriolic debates even among Christians, the Appeal to Heaven flag carries no stigmas of racism or rebellion. Before its foundation—and before the famous Don't Tread on Me banner that has gained popularity in recent years—America flew the Appeal to Heaven flag.
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These legalistic atheists contend that the flag violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which states, "Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion ..." I'm not sure when waving a flag equaled passing a law, but the atheist mind is much different than the mind of Christ so I'm not surprised that the FFRF would spend their money attacking a flag that does, indeed, represent Christianity.

The attack just confirms the rallying power of this flag in American culture. This flag—and more importantly, the revelation behind this flag and the covenant our Founding Fathers made with God at our nation's birth—is symbol of hope for many intercessors who have been laboring in prayer for revival for years and even decades. I say let it fly high, in Jesus' name.

the attached presentation of the issue is quite bland. What LeClaire fails to point out, the Christian News Network glosses over in passing:

The flag, which simply bears the phrase along with the image of an evergreen tree, was created by a Christian political organization of the same name, which “exists to honor the Lord by supporting candidates for public office who are believers in Jesus Christ, who regularly attend and display a commitment to an evangelical, Gospel-centered church and who will commit to live and govern based on biblical, constitutional and Federalist principles.”

What both fail mention, this 'innocent wittle flag' comes from a group that wants Christians (and only Christians) in public office.

With that reality in mind, we are gathering fellow believers to find candidates to seek positions in public office. To make them successful, we are also raising funds to finance their efforts. Every liberal cause has people who work tirelessly to raise money for their agendas. There seem to be far fewer working for conservative, biblical causes.

And that brings up an interesting question. Why is was a private business flag - a grass-roots political organization whose contributions are not tax deductible (To avoid the intrusion of government into our efforts, we are not a 501(c)3) - flying on a government courthouse's  flagpole?

As noted, the flag has been removed, "A Christian-themed flag that had been raised outside a county courthouse in Arkansas has been removed following a complaint from a prominent atheist activist organization."


‘Appeal to Heaven’ Flag at County Courthouse Removed Following Complaint from Atheist Activists | Christian News Network

Levy School Board asked to look into violations of separation of church, state | Gainesville.com

This comment says it all:

I graduated from a Levy County school in 2010. I went to the University of Florida for secondary school and I remember I bumped into a fellow CHS graduate on UF campus and started asking her how college was going. She graduated in the top 10 of our class, along with me and she was studying medical sciences at UF. She told me that one of the hardest things was learning Scientific Method and about the Big Bang. Because she had always been taught Creationism. At home, and even by a teacher, she told me. Christianity has always been prevalent in Levy County, and as a non-Christian that never bothered me. But it is definitely hindering the welfare of our students. And the fact that this whole investigation is happening due to a letter from a member of the community, clearly shows that the rights of some are being pushed too far aside by the Christian community. Religion shouldn't be in schools, it's the law people.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has asked the Levy County School Board to investigate several potential violations of the Constitutional establishment clause regarding church and state.

In a letter dated June 3, Freedom From Religion Foundation attorney Andrew Seidel listed seven violations, based on complaints from families within the school district, along with documentation of the violations and suggestions for how to remedy them.

“They have a lot of work to do,” Seidel said. “It does appear to be a pretty extensive and severe set of problems.”

Seidel said the foundation first received complaints against Levy County schools in mid-April, and after about a month of research, found seven issues that violate church-state separation,,,

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Levy County Schools Superintendent Rob Hastings said he received the letter and is working with the district's staff attorney to investigate the claims.

“I do not think that all the points are valid, but we will certainly look into it and analyze it,” Hastings said. “We will do our best to make sure that our school board and our schools are following the Constitution and that we protect all our students' rights.”

Levy School Board asked to look into violations of separation of church, state | Gainesville.com

Florida School District Discovers Religious Pluralism is not possible - BarbWire.com

If we want absolute religious freedom, then everything, which can be claimed as a religion, has to be allowed. But this is not what these people want. Pluralists do not want to expose their children to every religion. In order to stop religious pluralism, the atheist has only to bring out the provocative material: Those things we do not want our children exposed to. When that happens, the pluralist caves.

This gives the atheist what he wants, the void of religion. However, he does not realize that the worship of man is a religion. Humanism is the worst religion of all. It leads to the death of the object worshiped in the name of that object’s elevation. It is the rejection of man for the idea of man. The idea of “what he can be,” leads to the murder of those who do not fit that mold.

Until we recognize that the idea of pluralism is empty and unattainable, we will continue to be silenced by such tactics. We have to hold to the truth once again. Not every idea is valid. Because it is absurd to demand that all ideas or beliefs are equal, it leads to the absurd. Only truth from Scripture is valid and can save us from such absurdity.


Florida School District Discovers Religious Pluralism is not possible - BarbWire.com

Okla. school district rejects Hobby Lobby bible class - Freedom From Religion Foundation

My initial post concerning this debacle is http://interestinghmm.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-good-book-taught-badly-okla-school.html here,,,

Mustang Public Schools is canceling plans to conduct a bible course developed by Hobby Lobby President Steve Green, a zealous evangelical Christian advocate.

The district's announcement came in response to a follow-up open records request to the Oklahoma school district from FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel, in conjunction with Americans United Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper, ACLU of Oklahoma Legal Director Brady Henderson and Daniel Mach of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief.
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"In summary, the topic of a Bible course in the Mustang School District is no longer a discussion item nor is there a plan to provide such a course in the foreseeable future," wrote Superintendent Sean McDaniel in his emailed response.

FFRF led the charge against the proposed class in April when the Mustang school board voted to approve Green's curriculum. FFRF pointed out numerous flaws with the course, entitled "The Book, the Bible's History, Narrative and Impact of the World's Best-selling Book." The course in the Mustang school district was to be the first in what Green intended to be implemented in school districts around the country. Americans United and ACLU later also wrote letters, and teamed up with FFRF for the most recent open records request.

McDaniel said two "non-negotiables" the school had requested from Hobby Lobby were not met, namely that the district be permitted to review the final curriculum before introducing it, and that Hobby Lobby commit to providing legal coverage to the district.

FFRF's concern from the beginning was that Green and his staff were using the Mustang School District for their own ends, persuading it to adopt an unconstitutional curriculum for which the Mustang taxpayers, not Green, would ultimately pay the court costs for the inevitable court battle.

Okla. school district rejects Hobby Lobby bible class - Freedom From Religion Foundation

Tell Pickens County School Board to stop praying and get to work - Freedom From Religion Foundation

Members of the Pickens County School Board of Trustees in Easley, S.C., usually open their meetings by praying. They’re considering a change in policy—to bring in local clergy to pray instead. Please contact them now and let them know the only policy change they need is to remove prayer altogether as an official school board function.

The current policy provides for board members to give nonsectarian prayers to start the meeting. Under the new policy, the board would send invitations to give an invocation to clergy members listed in a database of local religious communities. This would allow for sectarian, presumably mostly Christian, prayers.

FFRF has sent the board several letters. An attorney for the board responded only to say the board believed it was in compliance with the law, referencing cases pertaining to prayer at meetings of legislative bodies (not school boards).

Prayer at public school board meetings is different from other government meetings because it takes place in the school context. Two federal appellate courts have ruled that school board prayer is unconstitutional. School board members should be modeling respect for more than 65 years of Supreme Court precedent removing proselytizing and religious ritual from public school functions. Religion in our public schools and on our public school boards is divisive. School board members can pray privately, on their own time and dime.

Tell Pickens County School Board to stop praying and get to work - Freedom From Religion Foundation

FFRF raises multiple constitutional issues in Okla. school district - Freedom From Religion Foundation

Among the allegations: District schools have taken students on field trips to a creationist park, Safari Zoological Park in Caney, Kan. The park's website describes its mission as "to show the awesomeness of our God in the individual wonder and uniqueness of all His creation." It continues, "we are more than an evolved matter over millions of years, but made fearfully and wonderfully in His image, with an eternal soul." FFRF's complainant said the park representative "spoke of God's miracles, about how perfect God is, about the Great Flood," and told students "that God made all the animals."
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In addition, FFRF was informed that Marrs Elementary's teachers have led students in prayer, specifically at a Veterans Day assembly last year. "Public school teachers and staff may not lead, direct, ask, or even encourage students to pray," Seidel informed the school, asking the district to ensure the prayer did not reoccur at this year's upcoming assembly or any other school events.

Teachers at Marrs Elementary are also fond of emphasizing references to God in the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto, according to the complainant family. The school has posted a framed "In God We Trust" display on every classroom wall, and one teacher sent students home with a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance to memorize, boldfacing the words "under God," even though students are free to amend the wording or not engage in the pledge at all, Seidel wrote, citing court cases.


FFRF raises multiple constitutional issues in Okla. school district - Freedom From Religion Foundation

FFRF, Dawkins, Coyne protest Georgia creationist prof - Freedom From Religion Foundation

The letter details complaints from students about GSU history professor Emerson McMullen’s promotion of Christian beliefs. According to those reports and FFRF’s subsequent investigation, McMullen “crosses ethical and constitutional lines.”

McMullen allegedly uses extra-credit assignments to try to “convert” students by inviting them to write about McMullen’s religious beliefs. He has reportedly also promoted Christian propaganda such as the recent movie “God Is Not Dead,” which pits an atheist professor against a Christian student.

Coyne examined some of the class material FFRF uncovered and expertly took apart the unscientific claims, noting that most of what McMullen said on the topic was “completely wrong.”

"A teacher should be free to express opinions, however ill-informed, so long as he or she makes it clear that they are no more than his opinions. He should not be free to penalize students who fail to parrot his opinions,” Dawkins noted. “And if his opinions include Young Earth Creationism, my personal opinion is that he is no more qualified to teach history than a ‘flat earther’ is to teach geography or a proponent of the ‘stork theory’ is to teach reproductive physiology."

“What really disturbs us is the allegation that McMullen gives students extra credit for summing up his own views on religion! That’s not teaching, that’s preaching,” said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

FFRF, Dawkins, Coyne protest Georgia creationist prof - Freedom From Religion Foundation

FFRF stops coach-led prayer for two high school football teams - Freedom From Religion Foundation

Coaches at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, Del., and Piedmont High School in Piedmont, Ala., will no longer lead their players in prayer or participate in students’ prayers, after receiving letters from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

FFRF Staff Attorney Elizabeth Cavell wrote to the Cape Henlopen School District on Oct. 8 after receiving a report that the high school football coaches participated in a team prayer circle. “While students may wish to engage in prayer on their own, school staff, including coaches, cannot participate in or encourage such religious activities,” Cavell informed the district.

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In a similar First Amendment violation, FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert first wrote to Piedmont City Schools in March, informing the district that Piedmont High’s practice of beginning football games with prayer broadcast over the loudspeaker was unconstitutional.

After multiple follow-up letters from FFRF, Superintendent Matt Akin emailed Markert last summer, informing her, “Beginning immediately, the Piedmont City School District will no longer allow student led prayer at athletic events.”

The complaint is making news again this week after Piedmont High School posted a message on its Facebook page informing the public of its decision. Noting that FFRF had cited numerous Supreme Court cases in its letter, the post said, “While the personal opinions of the administration and employees of the system may differ with the opinions of the Court and the author of the letter sent to the system, the school system’s attorneys advised that we consent since there is established case law regarding this issue.”


FFRF stops coach-led prayer for two high school football teams - Freedom From Religion Foundation

FFRF protests commission’s ‘direct deposit’ to Baptist ministry - Freedom From Religion Foundation

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national state/church watchdog, sent a letter Oct. 27 to the Covington County Commission in Andalusia, Ala., denouncing the commission’s unconstitutional donation of $3,000 in county funds to the Covington Baptist Association.

The commission voted Oct. 8 to appropriate $3,000 in taxpayer funds to the Baptist group to start a monthly men’s ministry program. The Andalusia Star News described the program’s goal: “to get more men to church.”

Katherine Paige, FFRF legal fellow, sent a letter to the commission detailing why the grant is unconstitutional. “The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits any ‘sponsorship, financial support, and active involvement of the sovereign in religious activities.’ ”

“Funding a Baptist ministry violates this principle of neutrality, especially when the program is explicitly Christian and clearly meant to influence people to convert to Christianity,” Paige wrote. FFRF is asking the commission to rescind the grant and recover the $3,000 from the ministry.


FFRF protests commission’s ‘direct deposit’ to Baptist ministry - Freedom From Religion Foundation