Tag: church and state

March 26, 2013
image showing an Amish Buggy on a road with the slow moving trangle on the back

During the debate over the government requiring employers to provide coverage for birth control, we’ve heard one argument, false as it is, that in doing so would infringe on religious beliefs. Although that isn’t a valid argument it does bring up the question about how far does a state go to accommodate religious beliefs? The real debate is where is that line between the public good and a person’s beliefs. When can that line be crossed? The simple answer is the line can be crossed when the religious beliefs might harm other people like those needing access to birth control.

Here is an example of protests from the Catholic church about the birth control mandate:

March 22, 2013
image of Melissa Rogers
Melissa Rogers: New director of Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

The White House’s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships was started by President Bush in 2001 in order give taxpayer money to religious groups to provide social services. Even though the office spits at the spirit of the separation of church and state, President Obama kept the office and expanded it. Recently it was announced that the President would be appointing Melissa Rogers as the office’s new director. The general consensus of the various free thought groups is the appointment of Rogers is a good move and you know what means – trouble for the religious right. Hopefully.

March 15, 2013
screenshot New location of the Jackson Ohio Jesus
New location of the Jackson Ohio Jesus

It was reported on Thursday that the Jesus painting that had been hanging in the hallway of the Jackson Ohio middle school for 47 years and is at the heart of a 1st amendment lawsuit by the Freedom of Religion Foundation and the ACLU, has been moved to the High School at the request of the “owner” of the painting – the Hi-Y Club.

The school board had created a “limited public forum” at the middle school and High School and claimed the painting belonged to the Hi-Y Club in order to cover their obvious violation of the separation of church and state.

March 14, 2013
created image showing Seperation of Church and State

Most of the posts on this blog talk about agents of the government NOT doing enough to support or ignoring the principle of the separation of church and state. Some religionists, in an effort to refute the principle, bring up examples of the overzealous application of the principle. Their intention is clear. They think that if the government goes too far in separation that it hurts the rights of believers but such overreaches are few and far between and don’t refute the principle that separation of church and state is needed.

You may have heard this or similar stories making the rounds on chain e-mails or posted to Facebook by religious friends:

March 4, 2013
screencap of Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer during oral arguments

Last Wednesday, John Freshwater, the Mount Vernon middle school teacher fired for proselytizing to his science classes then refusing to stop doing it when he was warned, had his appeal heard before the Ohio Supreme Court. His lawyer attempted to use a routine employment appeal to reopen the debate on teaching creationism in the public schools. Although rulings aren’t signaled based on the questioning during the hearing, it was clear the school attorney, David Smith, got the aggressive part of the questioning.

February 22, 2013
image of Proselytizing Ohio teacher John Freshwater
Proselytizing Ohio teacher John Freshwater

The saga of proselytizing teacher and accused child abuser John Freshwater from Mount Vernon Ohio will get another hearing by the Ohio State Supreme Court on Wednesday February 27th. He is appealing his termination from the Mount Vernon school district after many warnings, accusations of child abuse, and a lengthy investigation and school board hearing. Freshwater previously lost in the court of appeals and in Federal court.