TheHorrorMuslim Parents Decry Flyer Advertising ChurchSponsored Easter Egg Hunt

[bonnie]

The horror! Muslim Parents Decry Flyer Advertising Church-Sponsored Easter Egg Hunt

Rick Moran

Because nothing quite says "We want to turn your children into Christians" like inviting them to an Easter egg hunt.

Detroit Free Press:

Some Muslim parents are concerned about public schools in Dearborn handing out flyers to all students advertising an Easter egg hunt, saying it violates the principle of church and state separation.

A flyer headlined “Eggstravaganza!” was given to students this week at three elementary schools in the Dearborn Public Schools district, which has a substantial number of Muslim students. The flyer described an April 12 event at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn featuring an egg hunt, relay race, and egg toss. It asked students to RSVP “to secure your free spot” and included images of eggs and a bunny.

“It really bothered my two kids,” said parent Majed Moughni, who is Muslim and has two children, ages 7 and 9, in Dearborn elementary schools. “My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ”

Does anyone believe a 7 year old kid would say such a thing? So, in addition to feigning outrage, he's a liar too.

The pastor of Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church defended the flyer, saying it was approved for distribution by Dearborn Public Schools and is not promoting a religious event.

“It’s designed to be an opportunity to invite the community to come for a day of activity,” said Pastor Neeta Nichols of Cherry Hill. “There is not a religious component to this event.”

“Part of our ministry in Dearborn is to invite the community to let them know we’re here,” she added. “We’re offering various kinds of programming, fun opportunities, so what we can be engaged with the community.”

But Moughni and others are worried that churches are trying to convert their youth through the Dearborn schools. Moughni said his children received flyers for Halloween events at another church last year.

Part of the mission of public schools is to be active in the community. The schools are fulfilling their responsibility to the community by spreading the word about a community event. Why make it more complicated than that?

I'm sure Mr. Moughni has his reasons. Aside from being one of those perpetually outraged Muslims, it probably has to do with getting your name and picture in the news by doing Allah's work.

You would think if the Christians in Dearborn were of a mind to convert a bunch of Muslims, they wouldn't use Easter bunnies and eggs to do it.

[M. T. Cross]

Good thing Mr. Moran wrote that piece with a whole bunch of journalistic neutrality.........

[bonnie]

Good thing Mr. Moran wrote that piece with a whole bunch of journalistic neutrality.........

I am pretty sure the writer was not striving for journalistic neutrality:)

Sounds more like frustration that those that come here do so with the idea they should never be offended by something.

I seriously doubt that this...Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ” was first said by a boy as young as his.Possible but does not sound like a young child.

They were not personally pressured to attend or ridiculed because they didn't.

For some reason this group seems to think they should be able to dictate their religious beliefs come first,whether it is a service dog in a college classroom,taxi drivers deciding who they will transport,or to try to force a catholic school to remove the crosses.

[CoAspen]

Quote:

For some reason this group seems to think they should be able to dictate their religious beliefs come first,......

Sounds like many other 'groups'!!

Yawn, so where is the news? Where is your concern? What makes them any different than other religious /political/' 'group?

Christian groups never would do that!

[bonnie]

] Sounds like many other 'groups'!!

Yawn, so where is the news? Where is your concern? What makes them any different than other religious /political/' 'group?

Christian groups never would do that!

This is not typical behavior for most. I do think the more that is piled on the more we will see this from all sides. The more successful actions taken like this,more will do same. And why not,if it works for one it should work for all

[Tom Wetmore]

The bias of the writer as well as anyone who would pay attention to this particular story to the exclusion of numerous other religious protests of similar nature from other religious groups is quite self-evident.

Why is a Muslim family singled out with the skewed knee jerk reaction that they are somehow trying to dictate their religious beliefs?

There have been numerous similar reactions from other groups, not just for Easter, but many other religious activities in the public arena. If a Christian group takes exception to Non-Christian religious celebration being announced or flyers being passed out at a public school, it seems everyone supports them. But it just seems that hatred or bias against Muslims and their faith is OK. They are not supposed to be able to express their discomfort with the imposition of Christianity in public school.

Religious freedom in America is for everyone.

[bonnie]

The bias of the writer as well as anyone who would pay attention to this particular story to the exclusion of numerous other religious protests of similar nature from other religious groups is quite self-evident.

Why is a Muslim family singled out with the skewed knee jerk reaction that they are somehow trying to dictate their religious beliefs?

There have been numerous similar reactions from other groups, not just for Easter, but many other religious activities in the public arena. If a Christian group takes exception to Non-Christian religious celebration being announced or flyers being passed out at a public school, it seems everyone supports them. But it just seems that hatred or bias against Muslims and their faith is OK. They are not supposed to be able to express their discomfort with the imposition of Christianity in public school.

Religious freedom in America is for everyone.

Yes,religious freedom should be for everyone. If the Muslim community was sponsering a non-religious event and advertised,no problem for me. Those that would dare object would be blasted for bigotry.

If someone has a problem with that,don't attend. If there were a religious service attached to this,that would be a problem. Easter bunnies are not part of a religious service or I hope not.

It doesn't sound like these children were singled out for not wanting to attend this secular day.

Everybody wants to run to the media to express their displeasure and get their fifteen minutes of fame.

[Tom Wetmore]

You miss the point of concern. It is not the event. Nor the venue of the event. It is the place where the flyers were distributed. Public school, because it is government run, is supposed to be religious neutral territory. Not the place for the Presbyterian Church to place its announcements for religious holiday events.

[bonnie]

You miss the point of concern. It is not the event. Nor the venue of the event. It is the place where the flyers were distributed. Public school, because it is government run, is supposed to be religious neutral territory. Not the place for the Presbyterian Church to place its announcements for religious holiday events.

A Easter Egg hunt is no more a religious event than the Easter Egg hunt at the White House. Can't get more government run than that

[CoAspen]

"A Easter Egg hunt is no more a religious event, can't get more government run than that!"

[M. T. Cross]

When my 9 year old was 7, he liked to discuss quantum physics and once asked me if I would like to talk about the ethics of human cloning.........

[Tom Wetmore]

Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore

You miss the point of concern. It is not the event. Nor the venue of the event. It is the place where the flyers were distributed. Public school, because it is government run, is supposed to be religious neutral territory. Not the place for the Presbyterian Church to place its announcements for religious holiday events.

A Easter Egg hunt is no more a religious event than the Easter Egg hunt at the White House. Can't get more government run than that

I don't disagree with that personally, but the event was being put on by the Presbyterian Church during and as a celebration of Easter, which I think most people would reasonably understand as being a religious activity of a Christian Church. Our culture has largely secularized many religious holidays. Christmas is both secular and religious. But even though the Easter bunny and all that stuff hardly resemble Easter's real significance just as Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Santa and his elves, etc. resemble any thing religious, when the activity is put on by a church during the religious holiday season at the church, it is hard to see it as secular, even if similar things might take place in a purely secular setting run by non-religious people.

[M. T. Cross]

Just for kicks I should go on a rampage about how you Christians appropriated Easter from Northern European pagans, and how dare you steal our holidays and so on and so forth......... (for good measure I could through down about the MILLIONS of witches ya'll burned in "the burning times"......) but I don't feel like being that historically inaccurate today.

[bonnie]

Just for kicks I should go on a rampage about how you Christians appropriated Easter from Northern European pagans, and how dare you steal our holidays and so on and so forth......... (for good measure I could through down about the MILLIONS of witches ya'll burned in "the burning times"......) but I don't feel like being that historically inaccurate today.

Not sure what this has to do with a childrens easter egg hunt.

The church went about this asking permission to advertise.Not a religious observance,but a fun day for kids,Period.

We are not to have any religion forced on us by the state/government.Not protected from hearing the word church/God/religion

However easter bunnies are not a religion

[M. T. Cross]

Its related because if a Heathen group were to hold an Ostara celebration and advertise it in a public school I bet that Christian parents would get their knickers in a twist about it as well.

[bonnie]

Its related because if a Heathen group were to hold an Ostara celebration and advertise it in a public school I bet that Christian parents would get their knickers in a twist about it as well.

If the celebration honored your beliefs/gods/godesses probably so.

The easter bunnie and easter eggs do not reflect the belief of adults or is it a religious celebration.

A Heathen group simply sponsoring a fun filled day without any "religious" overtones probably not.

Those that are totally opposed would not go,the curious probably so.

A Heathen group could sponsor a fun day for children as well as any other group.The little I read on a Ostara celebration crosses the line and can't be compared to hunting easter eggs

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I wonder if there's going to be any repercussions in my town.. the university here has hosted an Easter egg hunt on their campus in the middle of town for decades, with notices sent out to parents from all the local schools. Prizes are given out to everyone so nobody feels left out. It's a fun activity for children and promotes community spirit. There's no minister delivering a religious treatise...

It's the parents' decision whether or not their children participate. When I was little, my mother unfortunately thought other church members would frown on such activities, so my brother and I were never allowed to participate in the fun. (But my grandparents joyfully sent us Easter baskets filled with hyperactivity-inducing candies, which I dutifully munched on for a couple weeks.)

[M. T. Cross]

You make a great point Pam, about the difference between a community event and one sponsored by a church. One is just for fun and one has an undertone to it.

Thing is - I do think the fellow the article is about is over reacting for sure. But I also think that if it was a Christian father over reacting in the same way about some other religious group putting on an event and advertising it through a public school....... the story would be written much differently if it was even written at all.

[M. T. Cross]

You evidently have been reading up on different ones than I have ever been a part of then......

[Naomi]

You make a great point Pam, about the difference between a community event and one sponsored by a church. One is just for fun and one has an undertone to it.

Thing is - I do think the fellow the article is about is over reacting for sure. But I also think that if it was a Christian father over reacting in the same way about some other religious group putting on an event and advertising it through a public school....... the story would be written much differently if it was even written at all.

Pam & M.T.

[bonnie]

Quote:

A Heathen group could sponsor a fun day for children as well as any other group.The little I read on a Ostara celebration crosses the line and can't be compared to hunting easter eggs

Locally we have a couple of churches that have a free lunch program in the summertime. Held on church property and brochures given out by the Human Resource dept of our county.

The children are given lunch and have fun activities for a couple of hours following that. All advertised/notified by the county,funny how no one has objected to that.

It is a non-religious event for all.

The local food shelf also provides a list for those that need immediate help that the food shelf can't provide. The list includes all of the churches that offer help.Includes a church that offers nicer clothing for those entering the work force and can't afford a new wardrobe. This is also provided by the county office

If you have finally landed a job but lack the funds for gas immediately there is a church that is advertised to provide gas cards.

Funny how there isn't any hysteria over the advertised give a ways by the county.

Of course like the easter egg hunt there isn't any church service,pressure to listen or attend church.

The children given the free lunch on government advertised church property are not subjected to any type of doctrine or the dreaded God word.

Simply a community working together for the benefit of others.

I don't know but I am sure there are some churches that will have easter egg hunts for the community.If so that is information that will also be included at the government sponsored food shelf.