Christ’s blood and candy cane stripes.
By on Jun 14th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Christ’s blood and candy cane stripes.
The New York Times reported today that the Bush administration “has recast the federal government’s role in civil rights by aggressively pursuing religion-oriented cases while significantly diminishing its involvement in the traditional area of race.” Cliff Schecter highlighted one notable excerpt (via Atrios):
The changes are evident in a variety of actions. They include:
-Supporting groups that want to send home religious literature with schoolchildren; in one case, the government helped win the right of a group in Massachusetts to distribute candy canes as part of a religious message that the red stripes represented the blood of Christ.
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Yes, and the ACLU sided with them, too.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:55 am.
My school said a prayer at a manditory school function. I’ve spoken with a couple of Atheist activists on the matter, but unless the students file claims against the abuse of their constitutional rights, there is little else they’ve suggested as a way of fighting back.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:57 amThere’s not enough info here or on the linked site to make much of a judgment. There is no context.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:58 amAnd the red in candy canes DOES represent the blood of Jesus.
Oh those poor under-represented Christians…..
June 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmGeez, I thought the stripes were a reminder of the importance of good haircuts in ones life.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmBush Regime gets involved in goofy religious stuff all the time. Just a way to placate the far-right.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:01 pm“And the red in candy canes DOES represent the blood of Jesus.”
Your point being . . .?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:01 pmReichWingNuts brought into power Religious NutWhacks who behave just like the Taliban they so publicly love to hate.
The rise of the Amerikan Taliban.
So what if one group worships a dead Jesus and another a dead Mohammad? “Believers” of all kinds are cut from the same cloth.
Sick. Really sick.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pmSo then the white stripes represent the kamikaze pilot headbands from WWII?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pmpenal
Just sayin…
June 14th, 2007 at 12:04 pmI always thought that was interesting.
They weren’t originally canes, but “J”s (for Jesus)
You’re licking Jesus’s sugary blood
Sacrilicious!
“They weren’t originally canes, but “Jâ€s (for Jesus)”
How were they hung on the branches, then?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmWere they nailed there?
“Believers†of all kinds are cut from the same cloth.
Comment by JesusChrist_GodOfWar — June 14, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
Yep. And the majority of them use that faith to justify ignorance and division.
I’m reading what Carl Sagan wrote in Cosmos about the Dutch Republic in the 17th and 18th centuries. It’s fascinating, and it explains why Amsterdam is perhaps the most non-religious city in Europe. Science, progress and freedom FROM religion. When religion is absent, a culture flourishes…
June 14th, 2007 at 12:07 pmWell, I guess I’ll never eat a candy cane again. It’s symbolic canibalism.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pmMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function. I’ve spoken with a couple of Atheist activists on the matter, but unless the students file claims against the abuse of their constitutional rights, there is little else they’ve suggested as a way of fighting back.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
Comment by unbelievable — June 14, 2007
My school said a prayer at a manditory school function. OMG we are all going to die, heaven help us a prayer. This is outrageous.
Keep trying to brainwash them young ones heh unbeleivable?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:10 pmI can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school…
Let them chose not you. Read up on American freedom?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:13 pmDrive an agenda. Read up on religious repression.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pmKeep trying to brainwash them young ones heh unbeleivable?
Comment by Flac
She’s not the one espousing religious doctrine
June 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pmWait! I get it now. The blood of Christ thing is a cover for the fact that ReichWingNuts have failed to capture the guys responsible for 9/11. Right?
Phha! ReligiousWhackJobs.
They don’t know what’s good for them. They don’t know what’s true and what’s not. I’m seriously wondering if they know right from wrong (ie: Scooter, Darth Cheney, Chimpy McFlightsuit, Ted Haggard, boy-chasing Congress Critters…)
June 14th, 2007 at 12:19 pmWell, I guess I’ll never eat a candy cane again. It’s symbolic canibalism.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
No kidding. Blech.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pmSo then the white stripes represent the kamikaze pilot headbands from WWII?
Comment by RUCerious — June 14, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
No, they represent mediocre and unimaginative post-punk.
Snare-snare-crash!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pmYes, and the ACLU sided with them, too.
.
Comment by Grand Moff Texan — June 14, 2007 @ 11:55 am
The ACLU supported religious messages being sent home with school children? Any idea why?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pmAnd the red in candy canes DOES represent the blood of Jesus.
Comment by Wilco
Why stop with candy canes, with your line of reasoning, stop signs, stop lights and of course “the red-light district” should also represent the the “blood of Jesus”. Boy, you religious zealots are morons!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pmNo, they represent mediocre and unimaginative post-punk.
Snare-snare-crash!
Comment by toasterhead
White Stripes……ew.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pmSome thoughts, for whatever they’re worth:
If there is a High School Newspaper, they could write using that forum. They could also write letters to the editor of your local newspaper.
They might be able to form an on-campus club/support group. They might wish to form an alliance with students who are into Wicca and witchcraft, as those religions are non-mainstream and thus suffer from discrimination. They could include the “goth” kids, as well.
Perhaps they could sponsor a forum with guest speakers on the issue of 1st Amendment freedom of/from religion. Done properly, it could do a lot to raise awareness.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pmSo then the white stripes represent the kamikaze pilot headbands from WWII?
Comment by RUCerious
Funny!!!!:D
June 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pmWilco, you religious people are so gullible, guess that explains the whole religion thing. God and Jesus are nothing more than great stories.
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/candycane.asp
June 14th, 2007 at 12:27 pmI love how idiotically (is that a word?) judgmental some so called “progressives” on here are.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:33 pmFirst, I’m not christian. A statement about somethign christian does not make a person christian. I would think that would be pretty obvious. I never stated a thing about Jesus as my personal savior, etc.
Second, Ok, I’m wrong. I know I know. That’s not ok on this site. I keep forgetting that. If you’re wrong about something, you’re a religious zealot.
Some of you people need to get your blood pressure checked.
And maybe try to be a bit more “christian” in your attitudes toward others.
Seriously.
Oh, and becuase I love cliches, you know what happens when you assume!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:34 pm(I’ll let you fill in the rest)
BnF
June 14th, 2007 at 12:39 pmWhy do you leave out the Zoroastrians? Why does everyone leave out the Zoroastrians? Ahura Mazda always gets the shaft.
#24 Good post BnF…More thought to the constitution and our right’s are needed these day’s..Freedom from relegion, any faith or lack there of is a must…Our nation is being forced a dogma that less than half of her people ascribe to. Built on fear’s and rewritten thousand’s of time’s…Blessings
June 14th, 2007 at 12:40 pmWhether the candy cane is a religous symbol or not is really not the point. I gather from the way this is worded that the candy and literature was being handed out in a public school, and that’s why this is so wrong. Save the religious literature for Sunday school and just let the damn kids enjoy the candy cane’s minty goodness.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:40 pmOh, for the old days when candy and gum was a no-no, and flouride treatments were handed out instead…. sigh…. I’m getting old…..
June 14th, 2007 at 12:52 pmOh, for the old days when candy and gum was a no-no, and flouride treatments were handed out instead…. sigh…. I’m getting old…..
Comment by heyzeus — June 14, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Oh, and what about all the bodily fluids we’d be impurifying, Mandrake???
June 14th, 2007 at 12:56 pm31, please read the decision before you pass judgment.
http://www.splc.org/pdf/Westfield%20PI%20Order.pdf
ACLU sided with the plaintiffs because this was a free-speech issue: student distribution of literature during non-instructional time.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:00 pmMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
Comment by unbelievable
I’ve got an idea! How’s about teaching them to SPELL CORRECTLY! The word is mandatory.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:02 pmPoor spelling is just a pet peeve of mine, but perhaps you should be focusing more on teaching them academics rather than activism.
#30
I don’t believe there’s anything in the Constitution of the United States that refers to “…Freedom from religion.†It’s certainly not the First Amendment. OTH, there’s nothing in the Constitution that imposes religion on anyone.
There are three direct and indirect references to Christianity in the Constitution.
The last direct reference is the dating of the document where the phrase “…year of our Lord…†is used. I suspect that could have also used A.D had this been their desire.
The second reference is the time limits specified on conducting government business. The Constitution specifically says that Sunday is not to be counted as a day for conducting government business. Sunday is the Christian worship day.
The first is the First Amendment it’s self.
This quote demonstrates that the purpose of the First Amendment is to insure that one Christian denomination is not chosen over another. That is, there is no test of membership in a particular Christian denomination.
>>>>
America, Christianity, and the Culture War (Part I)
George Mason, actually proposed the following wording for the First Amendment, which demonstrates the context of their wording:
….
….
By “prohibiting the free exercise thereof,†the Framers intended to convey that the federal government was not to interfere with the free and public practice of the Christian religion—the very thing that Christians are now experiencing.
Would there be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?
Will there continue to be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?
Would you really want a world without Christianity?
Remember, no one has said that “diversity†will keep the “united†in United States of America.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:02 pmThe quote in #36 is from the following link. The article at the link includes the references (Rowland) for the quote from Mason.
**** Caution ****
June 14th, 2007 at 1:05 pmLink is to a Conservative Christian Think Tank
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2942
Would you really want a world without Christianity?
Remember, no one has said that “diversity†will keep the “united†in United States of America.
Comment by bitblt — June 14, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
I want a world in which there are no whackos sending candy home with children, calling it the blood of christ – that is bleeding insane.
I want a world without violence, yet more violence is done in the name of Christianity and religion than any other single thing.
It’s ironic how religionists doublespeak, you don’t want peace for all men, you act all pious while applauding the deaths of those brown people over there. You sicken me.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pmi though easter was the made up holiday where jesus shed his blood. shouldnt the red for xmas be symbolic of afterbirth or something instead? maybe pagans should demand that religious material be sent home detailing the facts about all the xmas traditions that are just appropriated paganism.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:15 pmi though easter was the made up holiday where jesus shed his blood. shouldnt the red for xmas be symbolic of afterbirth or something instead? maybe pagans should demand that religious material be sent home detailing the facts about all the xmas traditions that are just appropriated paganism.
and to answer #36 question, hell yeah! i cant wait for the rapture when all the worlds most gullible fools are removed from the population. somehow believing in fairy tales makes you special? there is no god, and jesus didnt rise from the dead. the entire story makes no sense. how is it a sacrifice when you are only “dead” for 2 days and then live in heaven? i know you like to pretend that christians are extra moral but that flies in the face of fact. all your morals are just as human created as the next religions or any atheists.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:20 pmWould you really want a world without Christianity?
Comment by bitblt — June 14, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Yes, the world would be a lot better off if people stopped believing fairy tales, and using a “book” to push agendas. Oh and not just Christianity, but all religion is the same. Created to keep the sheep in line, created to give man hope, where there is none. Created to explain the unexplainable, but mostly to keep the sheep in line.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:21 pmSilly Ron, Easter is the celebration of Jebus stumbling out of a cave after decomposing for three days. Tradition has it that if he sees his shadow we have three more weeks of winter.
I can see Brother Daryll loving this topic, instead of using a crucifix as a buttplug, he can use a candy cane.
That’s going to feel a lot nicer Daryll, and you can still be close to your Jebus fairy.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:34 pmComment by Briseadh na Faire — June 14, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Thanks for providing the actual judgement. Without that context, I jumped to conclusions. Nothing in this post by TP or Schecter’s post said it was done after school hours. I still think they should save this stuff for Sunday school, but their free speech is protected. And it doesn’t change the fact that Christians are hardly oppressed in this country and other civil rights cases should not be neglected in favor of those involving Christian issues (and I’m a Christian).
June 14th, 2007 at 1:36 pmMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function. I’ve spoken with a couple of Atheist activists on the matter, but unless the students file claims against the abuse of their constitutional rights, there is little else they’ve suggested as a way of fighting back.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
Comment by unbelievable
Were students forced to pray? If not it is not a constitutional abuses. The first ammendemnt give the “unalienable right to the free excercise of religion…”
June 14th, 2007 at 1:40 pm“By ‘prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ the Framers intended to convey that the federal government was not to interfere with the free and public practice of the Christian religion—the very thing that Christians are now experiencing.”
ROFLMAO! Bull, the Christian majority in this country has unprecedented religious freedom in this country. Christians of various denominations, own publishing houses, radio stations and television programming. You can not drive more than four or five blocks in most US municipalities without passing a church where people are free worship any damn time they so choose. Christians are free to move about this country and to leave it as they can afford or choose. Unlike gay people, Christians are not being tied to fences and maimed then murdered. Unlike African Americans, Christians have not been dragged from their homes, tortured and hung or burned at the stake because they are Christian.
The only thing that is being interfered with is the Christian desire to proselytize.
“Would there be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?”
The government and freedoms we enjoy in this country are by far more influenced by the secular ideas of the enlightment than by christianity.
“Will there continue to be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?”
I hope so, otherwise we will be living in a Christo-fascist theocracy.
“Would you really want a world without Christianity?”
The hypocritical and hubris laden Christianity in this country today? You bet your a**.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:41 pm“By prohibiting the free exercise thereof, the Framers intended to convey that the federal government was not to interfere with the free and public practice of the Christian religion—the very thing that Christians are now experiencing.”
ROFLMAO! Bull, the Christian majority in this country has unprecedented religious freedom in this country. Christians of various denominations, own publishing houses, radio stations and television programming. You can not drive more than four or five blocks in most US municipalities without passing a church where people are free worship any damn time they so choose. Christians are free to move about this country and to leave it as they can afford or choose. Unlike gay people, Christians are not being tied to fences and maimed then murdered. Unlike African Americans, Christians have not been dragged from their homes, tortured and hung or burned at the stake because they are Christian.
The only thing that is being interfered with is the Christian desire to proselytize.
“Would there be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?”
The government and freedoms we enjoy in this country are by far more influenced by the secular ideas of the enlightment than by christianity.
“Will there continue to be a United States of America without the influence of Christianity and the Bible?”
I hope so, otherwise we will be living in a Christo-fascist theocracy.
“Would you really want a world without Christianity?”
The hypocritical and hubris laden Christianity in this country today? You bet your a**.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:42 pmI’ve got an idea! How’s about teaching them to SPELL CORRECTLY! The word is mandatory.
Poor spelling is just a pet peeve of mine, but perhaps you should be focusing more on teaching them academics rather than activism.
Comment by SGT Higgins
unbelievable does not know about spell check yet.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:45 pmTP help her please.
Amsterdam is perhaps the most non-religious city in Europe. Science, progress and freedom FROM religion. When religion is absent, a culture flourishes…
Comment by unbelievable
Sounds like Amsterdam is calling you.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:50 pmYou would be much happier there.
If one spends much time reading these posts, it’s obvious who the 28%ers are. It’s only the hard core Christians that still support Bush.
And that makes sense. Both positions require a person to discard reality and facts for a myth. Both require steadfast belief in what the Father tells you regardless of the facts.
The 28%ers suffer from the BIG syndrome, Bush Is God.
It also shows what an exercise in futility it is to even engage in a discussion with them. They have no use for facts and no intention of changing their minds. Bush could rip a baby’s eyes out on stage and these pitiful idiots would blame the baby.
Yes, the country would be better off without these fanatics, and the world would be better off without any organized religion.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:02 pmAre people here really arguing the First Amendment only applies to Christians?
June 14th, 2007 at 2:05 pmYes, the country would be better off without these fanatics, and the world would be better off without any organized religion.
Amsterdam here comes nasty nanlichi.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:05 pmI want a world without violence, yet more violence is done in the name of Christianity and religion than any other single thing.
Comment by Namtillaku
Dude you need a history refresher course.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:09 pmYes, the country would be better off without these fanatics, and the world would be better off without any organized religion.
Comment by nanlichi — June 14, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
I’m not sure that’s true. Wouldn’t people just find something else to kill each other over?
June 14th, 2007 at 2:16 pmComment by bitblt — June 14, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
If you want an analysis on the Constitutional issues involved, I suggest you read the relevant Supreme Court Cases. They’re mentioned in the decision I linked to above.
FYI, the Founding Fathers were Deists, not Christians.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:20 pmAnd He passed out gummi bears and twizlers and said, “This is my body. Take from it and eat it. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And lo He took out some candy canes and said, “The red stripes are my blood. Lick those stripes in remembrance of me. Oh, and the white stripes suck, so don’t bother with those.”
And the 12 disciples did agree that the White Stripes suck.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:22 pmAnd Jesus said to his discplies, “Take these gummi bears and twizzlers and eat from them. They are my body. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And then He said, “Take these candy canes and lick the red stripes. They are my blood. But the white stripes suck, so leave them alone.”
And the disciples agreed that the White Stripes suck.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:25 pmCrap. The board “crashed” on me, so I retyped it and then the other one showed up. Derp. But I cleared the cookies from this site, and now everything works.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:26 pmI’ve been there Flaco, and enjoyed myself greatly.
But I don’t think that it’s me that should be leaving the country. I feel like my house has been invaded by a bunch of Jehovah Witnesses and now they want me to leave.
I think the proper response would be for the religious freaks to move out. You guys have a whole lot in common with the Muslim extremists,they just worship a different myth.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:29 pmtoasterhead you might be right. There is a type of person who needs to follow a leader, whether that leader is Jebus, Bush, Franco…. and the mindless flocks will always be eager to fight for their father figure.
I think of them as the drone ants in a colony. Sexless, mindless tools that respond to every puff of pheremones from their queen.
But religion seems to be the most successful tool for organizing and keeping the sheep in line. Maybe it’s the fear of the unknown, or the promise of an afterlife, or maybe it’s just the candy canes.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:37 pmTO anyone who thinks that just getting someone to try to file a case with the ACLU is an answer, well it is not. I moved to south western PA (redneck KKKhillbillies who say they are Dems but vote like Repubs) from RI (actual real liberals) many years ago. I have tried to file suit with the ACLU over the many many violations of law and discrimination that occur within our school district. The ACLU in SW PA has told me far more than once not to bother – that SW PA is not New England and these cases won’t float here. They also tell me if I have a prob with that, go live somewhere like LA (Louisiana) where it is worse.
So apparently I have been told more than once by the ACLU that although I may have had a case or two or more here, it would be more of a case elsewhere in the country. In other words, they only help defend some rights for some people in some states. I guess some people just do not matter. I America, the state you live in has a lot to do with the enforcement of right’s actions.
The ACLU is not the organization you think it is. It will only help protect some rights of some people, I guess if they feel like it, in some cases. If I had lived in RI for the cases I wanted to file, they would have been most likely precedent setting cases. Oh and by the way, the richest school district around here has the ACLU taking cases for them hand over fist, every time one of the rich kids get treated “poorly”, they all whine and throw money/power/threats/accusations around so much that it really gets old to the school districts around here who cannot get them to do anything. Yes, having money for power apparently works more for the ACLU in southwestern PA more than a fight for rights under the Constitution does.
Our school has Bible Club, now of course, started last year… OH and we also let 5th graders go to “religious training” during the school day… and they try and say this is non-denominational, where they can all learn about “God”…. meetings held during the school day, with transportation from the school (yet our high school refuses to bus our kids – it is not worth it and costs too much they say)… and all this is held at a Christian Church. But it is non denominational -of course, say they..
Our local AG has been under investigation by the FBI for longer than Gonzo has… we have video AND audio taping on school buses ( audio is illegal in PA but no one will do anything about it – I have tried to complain… racial (and other forms of discrimination here) run rampant but never are acknowledged… we are a racially mixed community that is going to hell, and no one but no one, will help any real regular people here with defending rights.
The ACLU is a joke now, like everything else has become under Bush.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:48 pmGood Post’s Nanlichi, In response to another poster I believe in seperation of church and state…Just because I didn’t phrase the constitution correctly doesn’t mean I don’t understand what the founding father’s intent was..
The present administration has duped the extreme reich winged fundamentalests christians and used them to their own end which is an almost complete take over of our government with out any semblance of a christian or Jesus teaching thought…
May I ask here in this forum how many of our founding father’s were christian’s.? Not all by any standard’s from what I have read, indeed I read some where some were agnostic’s and a couple were athiests and one or two were unitarian…Any one have the actual on this….This bunch in office now have no soul, they are like black hearted troll’s that post here often…Claim to be relegious or christian and work for greed, control, distroying lives and countries for profit, if any one believes their hate crap they are equaly guilty of this administration’s genocide on America and the world…Blessings, we need them..
June 14th, 2007 at 2:58 pmSharon, I think your statement was aimed at me?
June 14th, 2007 at 3:07 pmI wasn’t referring to you at all. Frankly, I don’t know what your comment was. I was responding to whatshisface who quoted some guy who wanted the First to be about Christian denominations. Which is ridiculous given your own point that several of our founding fathers weren’t christian, or were “nondenominational” at best.
My post asking if people were arguing such was in reply to bitbit’s post
I think it’s obvious the intent of the Constitution is the freedom of ALL religions, not Christianity. If George Mason’s proposal were popular, the founders would have incorporated it somehow. They chose not to.
#60
This quote is from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote near the end of this life.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
#62
Correction – This letter was not written near the end of Jefferson’s life.
The letter was written in 1803. Jefferson died in 1826.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:27 pmNo Wilco, I was not responding in any way to your post….Blessings..P,S. I never hit on link’s that are suspect or from an oposing poster, only hit link’s from known poster’s to me…
June 14th, 2007 at 3:37 pmAnd yet, a teacher who mentions in class one day during a discussion of youth activism that there are peace marches around the country and she supports them, gets fired.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:43 pmMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function. I’ve spoken with a couple of Atheist activists on the matter, but unless the students file claims against the abuse of their constitutional rights, there is little else they’ve suggested as a way of fighting back.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
Comment by unbelievable
I had a similar problem some years back when my principal had a problem with some of my students wishing to start a GSLA but no problem with the Christian Club. We won when we pointed out the clear violation of law.
As to your problem, I suggest you organize a pagan or better yet satanic gathering. If the school has been allowed to support one religion under the quise that the students can choose not to participate then the same goes for the nonsatanists They simply need show respect as others express their religous freedoms. I have pulled this stunt before also and it really pisses of those who use that tired well nobody was forced to shit. The only fair solution in any public institution is moments of silence which truly allow freedom of thought and religion.
good luck
June 14th, 2007 at 3:58 pmBut religion seems to be the most successful tool for organizing and keeping the sheep in line. Maybe it’s the fear of the unknown, or the promise of an afterlife, or maybe it’s just the candy canes.
Comment by nanlichi
Someone else said at one time “opiate of the masses”.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:58 pmMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function. OMG we are all going to die, heaven help us a prayer. This is outrageous.
Yes it is. It violates their Constitutional rights. The non-Christian ones are the ones who are upset, obviously – though it’s clear you cannot understand much less respect the rights of others.
Keep trying to brainwash them young ones heh unbeleivable?
Comment by Flaco — June 14, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
It’s the f*cking school that is trying to brain wash them. They want them to believe that you must believe in stupid invisible sky daddy nonsense.
Let them chose not you. Read up on American freedom?
Comment by Flaco — June 14, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
They DID choose – they came to me to complain. I suggested that they file a complaint and they feared retaliation.
Flaco is the prime example of the dire failures in the American public school system. What an idiot.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:43 pmIf there is a High School Newspaper, they could write using that forum. They could also write letters to the editor of your local newspaper.
Would be interesting to see if it is accepted…
They might be able to form an on-campus club/support group. They might wish to form an alliance with students who are into Wicca and witchcraft, as those religions are non-mainstream and thus suffer from discrimination. They could include the “goth†kids, as well.
They fear retaliation. It’s why most of them keep it quiet. Though, I knew two kids last year who would have joined… One was gay and was looking for a club that was just tolerant of diversity. I suppose that is a start. Would they have to suggest it or could I do it – as an advisor?
Perhaps they could sponsor a forum with guest speakers on the issue of 1st Amendment freedom of/from religion. Done properly, it could do a lot to raise awareness.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — June 14, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
I’d suggest it to their government teacher, as that is a great project. Too bad he whines about his inability to talk about god in the classroom…
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll keep them in mind when school starts back.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:50 pmWilco, you religious people are so gullible, guess that explains the whole religion thing. God and Jesus are nothing more than great stories.
Comment by Wilco lies — June 14, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
Wilco is not a Christian…
June 14th, 2007 at 9:52 pmPoor spelling is just a pet peeve of mine, but perhaps you should be focusing more on teaching them academics rather than activism.
Comment by SGT Higgins — June 14, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
It was ONE spelling error. Jesus, get a life.
I’m not an academic teacher. I teach architecture. We’re notorious for bad spelling because we’re so creative.
And if a spelling mistake is all you’re able to point out, then you’re telling us that you have no ability to argue an issue on its merits (not that we didn’t already know).
June 14th, 2007 at 9:56 pmWere students forced to pray?
Yes, they were forced to participate, and were not given the opportunity to refrain.
If not it is not a constitutional abuses. The first ammendemnt give the “unalienable right to the free excercise of religion…â€
Comment by yep — June 14, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
You’re wrong. It’s unconstitutional, and a violation of Supreme Court rulings that ZERO prayer be initiated in public schools by teachers or Administrators. They broke the law, and violated the rights of these students not to participate. Period.
June 14th, 2007 at 10:04 pmI have pulled this stunt before also and it really pisses of those who use that tired well nobody was forced to shit.
That’s excellent! I have a couple of rogues in my classes who might do such a thing. Thanks for the suggestion. That’s brilliant.
The only fair solution in any public institution is moments of silence which truly allow freedom of thought and religion.
good luck
Comment by dbadass — June 14, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Thank you!
June 14th, 2007 at 10:07 pmYet another way of ridicule Jesus and his teachings coming from the fundamentalist “christians”.
June 15th, 2007 at 7:06 amMy school said a prayer at a manditory school function. I’ve spoken with a couple of Atheist activists on the matter, but unless the students file claims against the abuse of their constitutional rights, there is little else they’ve suggested as a way of fighting back.
Anyone else have any recommendations? I can’t get my students to speak out, much less file a law suit against the school… But they would like to do something pro-active against religion being forced upon them against their will.
Comment by unbelievable — June 14, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Was the speaker a student or faculty member? My understanding is that students may pray at school functions, but not faculty members.
June 15th, 2007 at 8:41 amWas the speaker a student or faculty member? My understanding is that students may pray at school functions, but not faculty members.
Comment by Will — June 15, 2007 @ 8:41 am
It was an Administrator.
June 15th, 2007 at 9:39 amIt was an Administrator.
Comment by unbelievable — June 15, 2007 @ 9:39 am
Why does it have to be a student who takes action? If the law was violated, it seems that you should be able to file a complaint.
June 15th, 2007 at 10:13 am