Bill would make God a schoolhouse bully

[phkrause]

Be cautious of those who insist on posting the phrase “In God We Trust” in schools or demand that everyone says “Merry Christmas” in December.

https://www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-ed/article218028375.html

[B/W Photodude]

Do be aware that the author of the article is a board member of the ACLU and many of the author's points were usual things the ACLU fights against. I suspect the author embellished his comments with his fantasies regarding the proponents of "In God We Trust."

[JoeMo]

22 hours ago, B/W Photodude said:

Do be aware that the author of the article is a board member of the ACLU and many of the author's points were usual things the ACLU fights against. I suspect the author embellished his comments with his fantasies regarding the proponents of "In God We Trust."

Baptist pastor and ACLU Board member? Kind of an oxymoron if you ask me.

[CoAspen]

Since we seem to have some negative comments here, about what was the opinion of this writer and in light of 'fairness' that some posters claim is not being given in other sections of the forums, exactly 'what' do [people disagree with? Not surmising or assumptions but some actual points.

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 A large number of people — students, teachers, and parents — do not trust in any god or believe in a god who goes by another name than the one Reed praises, or believe in many gods.

 

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All of Kentucky’s children deserve the opportunity to go to school without being berated to believe in god as understood by Rep. Reed. Our public schools should be committed to teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, not a narrow view of religion.

 

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First and foremost, Christians are called to love one another. You are not loving someone else if you demand that they conform to your way and perspective. That’s not love. That’s imposing your power on others. That’s bullying.

 

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Jason Crosby, co-pastor of Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville is a board member of ACLU-Kentucky.

 

 

[phkrause]

A campaign to blitz the country with ‘In God We Trust’ laws takes root

(RNS) — As the summer heat waxes and state legislative sessions wane, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation has scored a few small but significant victories.

https://religionnews.com/2018/07/02/a-campaign-to-blitz-the-country-with-in-god-we-trust-laws-takes-root/

[JoeMo]

On 9/12/2018 at 7:06 PM, CoAspen said:

  Quote

All of Kentucky’s children deserve the opportunity to go to school without being berated to believe in god as understood by Rep. Reed. Our public schools should be committed to teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, not a narrow view of religion.

 

All of Kentucky's Christian children also deserve to go to school without being berated for believing in God.  It works both ways.

[CoAspen]

So, are you suggesting that in Kentucky children are berated for believing in God? If so, I would be interested in the facts of the matter. I agree with your statement but that was not the what the poposed law is all about. The author of above article is concerned about continued separation of church and state.  How do you see it?

[JoeMo]

1 hour ago, CoAspen said:

How do you see it?

I can't speak specifically to the children of KY, so I shouldn't have singled them out.  In general, practice of Christianity is discouraged  and "punished" in public schools and government institutions; while practice of non-Christian religions is tolerated.  As far as I'm concerned, no one forces any kids to look at the 10 Commandments (assuming they are posted). If sayings by Confucius were posted, I don't know if Christian kids would be heard if they complained.

[B/W Photodude]

22 minutes ago, JoeMo said:

I can't speak specifically to the children of KY, so I shouldn't have singled them out ...

Perfectly fine to specify the children of KY as that is where the article was from. but you do not have to speak specifically to the children of Kentucky. My guess that in todays climate it is pretty much universal thru the US educational system. You can find many situations in different parts of the country where discrimination against Christian children has occurred.

https://aclj.org/religious-liberty/aclj-helps-protect-first-amendment-rights-of-young-student-threatened-with-punishment-for-completing-book-report-on-bible-stories

It even extends into the college and university level students:

https://aclj.org/religious-liberty/exposed-christian-students-rejected-failed-and-expelled-for-their-faith-by-state-colleges-and-universities

Discrimination against Christians, especially during the time of the last regime, became very real for many people in a huge variety of different situations from the military, people and how they used their homes, workplace policy, and so on.

I am surprised that there was even a suggestion that examples be provided.

[CoAspen]

The difference between the ACLU and ACLJ is that the ACLU  is  about religious liberty for all peoples and faiths where as the ACLJ seems most concerned about religious liberty for Christian faiths and inserting those right into the public school and government systems. Yes I read through their web site and read a l ot of fear about persecution of christians but not any other faiths. Again, the original article was about equality of belief for all and not using God as a hammer. Can't seem to see why that fact is not being commented on but rather trying to turn it around and claim persecution. Are christians that fearful? Where is their trust in God? 

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Discrimination against Christians, especially during the time of the last regime, .....

Give us some real facts, not just surmising, innuendo, etc. 

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 You can find many situations in different parts of the country where discrimination against Christian children has occurred.

I wonder what would happen if a student had written his reports on the Koran? Would the ACLJ be quick to to jump on that? Maybe  book reports on some other none christian religion? Granted, the teacher was out of line because she had not specified what the reading material was to be. But to try and instill 'fear' about 'persecution' from isolated cases just don't get it done.

Many=?, anyone have any stats on the number of cases?  many  a large number of: [as determiner] 

                                                                                                                noun (as plural noun the many) the majority of people

[CoAspen]

I disagree heartily that being a Christian is a lonely life, and that is a narrowing path. I look out at the stars every nite and see nothing to support that idea. God is bigger than anything we can understand. If God be fore us, than who can be against us?  Of course I can't define what a 'True' Christian is and would not, leave it up to God, with out fear.

[JoeMo]

Bottom line (for me at least) is that no religion should persecute any other religion; just like members of one political faction shouldn't persecute the other.   While I agree that we Christians shouldn't live in fear or loneliness (God is always there), scripture is very clear that the Church and Israel will face unprecedented persecution prior to Christ's return.  We see "hard" persecution in the Middle East and North Africa now; and the beginnings of "soft" persecution in Europe.  I think it will come to the U.S. soon enough.

I'm sure the Nazi movement and Islamic terrorism began with isolated incidents; but they both grew to be a worldwide threat.  Could these isolated instances of Christian persecution in the US eventually grow into a national phenomenon?  I think it is possible, especially in today's environment where an increasing number of people identify evangelical Christians (especially blue-collar ones) as right-wing pro-Trump nationalist despicables.

[JoeMo]

It doesn't take a very large percentage of people turning violently radical to cause major problems.  If just 1% of Americans turned violently radical, that would be an army of 3,250,000 radical anti - (insert a race or religion) in this country.  That would be a major problem.

[phkrause]

Christian Pol, Attacked for Opposing ‘In God We Trust’ in School, Talks Church and State

I'm continually surprised that people who say they want less intrusive government are so eager to promote this intrusion into our personal lives.

https://rewire.news/religion-dispatches/2018/09/17/christian-pol-attacked-for-opposing-in-god-we-trust-in-school-talks-church-and-state/

[B/W Photodude]

Committed Christians Are Now a Minority — And Your Kids Need to Know It

https://stream.org/committed-christians-minority-your-kids-need-know/