Tag: 1st amendment

December 5, 2012

Christians Believe No Nativity Scenes In A Park Makes God Sad

created image of a park with a canceled sign for a Nativity scene and Jesus saying he quit

December isn’t the Christmas season – it’s the ‘War on Christmas’ season. It’s the time when the religious right and their propaganda machine called FOX “news” whine and complain if they aren’t allowed to shove their religion down your throat through the use of a diorama of the fictional birth of the savior of said religion based in a public spot like a park or a court house. Listening to the religious right one would assume God would quit if he didn’t see said dioramas in said park. Yeah, right?

Read the postChristians Believe No Nativity Scenes In A Park Makes God Sad
November 25, 2012

We Need To Fight All Violations Of The Wall Between Church And State

clipart of a cheerleader saying Yay God

In the news recently was a press release from American Atheists announcing they had appealed a court case to the US Supreme Court. The case, American Atheists, Inc. v. Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, is against a Kentucky law that would require state training materials to proclaim a reliance on God for protection of the state. One response I read about the appeal on an e-mail list I’m on wondered why American Atheists would waste time on such a case that was, in their view, giving lip service to believers. Unfortunately, many believers live for such lip service so those of us who want to protect the separation of church and state have to file law suits against what on the surface looks like minor offenses.

Here is some detail on the case American Atheists, Inc. v. Kentucky Office of Homeland Security:

Read the postWe Need To Fight All Violations Of The Wall Between Church And State
November 21, 2012

When Freedom Of Speech Doesn’t Mean What They Think It Means

Scene of Santa fighting Jesus from American Dad cartoon

On Monday, a federal judge ruled against a group of Christian churches who had sued the City of Santa Monica California to reopen a park for Christmas displays. The 60 year old tradition was ended after a fight between atheists and Christians over displays last Christmas. The city took the action it thought necessary but the churches argued the city was violating its free speech rights. Like usual, the churches don’t know what freedom of speech really means.

Read the postWhen Freedom Of Speech Doesn’t Mean What They Think It Means
November 17, 2012

Oklahoma Judge Sentences Teen to Church for 10 Years?

image of a guy behind bars with text Church or Jail on top of it

Oklahoma District Court Judge Mike Norman sentenced a teen offender to attend church as part of his probation in a manslaughter case from a car crash. According to the report, this isn’t the first time the Judge has forced church attendance on an offender and he gloats about it. What he doesn’t believe is that it might be illegal? If treated like cases where people were required to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings which are religious in nature, then the judge is wrong in his view of the law and the teen’s rights were violated.

Read the postOklahoma Judge Sentences Teen to Church for 10 Years?
October 30, 2012

Billy Graham Electioneers For God

image of Rev. Billy Graham from his electioneering ad
Rev. Billy Graham

Rev. Billy Graham, or rather his ministry, had a full page ad in the New York Times and other news papers around the country electioneering for god. In the ad, Graham asks people to “cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel.” Graham’s call crosses the line against churches electioneering for candidates.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation will be filing a complaint about the “coded” message:

Read the postBilly Graham Electioneers For God
October 22, 2012

Pulpit Freedom Sunday Was A Failure Due To Bureaucracy

image of the IRS logo

Alliance Defending Freedom, which sponsored Pulpit Freedom Sunday on October 7th, claimed over a 1,000 pastors would be taking part in violating the tax laws prohibiting a tax exempt group, such as churches, from electioneering at the pulpit. If the law breaking pastors had done some basic research they would have seen that having a protest now was a waste of time. The IRS suspended investigations of churches in 2009 due to a federal law suit. Basically Pulpit Freedom Sunday was a failure.

As I posted previously:

Read the postPulpit Freedom Sunday Was A Failure Due To Bureaucracy