Today's example of Christians behaving badly

[Michchamp]

But it has a happy ending (link) thanks to the ACLU:

"Imagine if your child was ridiculed in front of his classmates for his religious beliefs until he was physically ill. Can?t believe it? Neither could we, and that?s why the ACLU and the ACLU of Louisiana sued the Sabine Parish School District on behalf of C.C., a sixth-grader of Thai descent and a practicing Buddhist.
...
Today, C.C. and his family won. A federal district court entered an order requiring the school district to refrain from unconstitutionally promoting or denigrating religion. The court?s order also mandates in-service training for school staff regarding their obligations under the First Amendment.

When we filed the lawsuit, many people were shocked by the allegations. In addition to denigrating C.C.?s Buddhist faith by calling it ?stupid,? school officials suggested he should transfer to another school with ?more Asians.? They also taught creationism in science class, incorporated prayer into class and nearly every school event, hung a portrait of Jesus over the main entryway, and participated in a number of other activities that blatantly violated the separation of church and state.
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Fucking assholes.

 

[Sbee]

would it be too much to ask for christians to want to be christ like? fucking shit, wow.

 

[food4thought]

If this is a fair representation of what actually went on there, that is unacceptable behavior. Ridiculing a kid for his religious beliefs is wrong.

 

[xer0]

Christians are typically extremely intolerant from what i've experienced when it comes to beliefs that do not coincide with their own.

 

[Michchamp]

If this is a fair representation of what actually went on there...

if you read the order, it didn't go to trial & there was no finding of fact by the court or the jury, but they settled quickly; the complaint included evidence of the tests containing religious mumbo-jumbo, the pictures of Jesus in the classrooms, etc.

It is what it is. Maybe nothing happened. But since the order included injunctive relief (e.g. they are forced to implement 1st amendment training for their faculty) as well as nominal damages and legal fees, I doubt they would've done that if the plaintiffs didn't have a case here.

also, apparently the kid DID switch schools after getting harassed by his teacher, and they found the other school in the district was just as bad, if not worse. Allegedly when the parents complained, they were told "this is the Bible Belt. Deal with it." Southerners have a hard time understanding high-brow concepts like "laws apply to everybody" and they tend to get confused by the concept of "constitutional rights." You have a right to practice your religion. that right does not include the ability to prevent others from practicing their own religions, or forcing them to follow yours.

 

[food4thought]

*People* are typically extremely intolerant from what i've experienced when it comes to beliefs that do not coincide with their own.

*edited* to accurately reflect reality :shrug: As a Christian, much of what has been said and done by Christians baffles me, and saddens me.

 

[food4thought]

You have a right to practice your religion. that right does not include the ability to prevent others from practicing their own religions, or forcing them to follow yours.

I absolutely agree with that statement.

 

[Michchamp]

I absolutely agree with that statement.

It's not complicated, but it's amazing how many people struggle with it.

...or at least pretend to struggle with it to pander to their viewing audience. It's tough to know for sure sometimes. Since he thought god made the tides rise and fall, he might actually be a true believer.

 

[food4thought]

It's not complicated, but it's amazing how many people struggle with it.

...or at least pretend to struggle with it to pander to their viewing audience. It's tough to know for sure sometimes. Since he thought god made the tides rise and fall, he might actually be a true believer.

I cannot speak to his actual beliefs, but I can say that for the short time I listened to him regularly, I disliked him.

The left's attacks on religious liberty drove many sincere Christian thinkers to the conservative cause... sadly, many sincere Christians have since mistaken conservative values for Christian values.

EDIT-------------------

But it's not always simple or easy. What of certain groups religious beliefs/laws regarding how to deal those who oppose their beliefs? Or women? Or homosexuality? It get's hairy...

 

[Thumb]

But it's not always simple or easy. What of certain groups religious beliefs/laws regarding how to deal those who oppose their beliefs? Or women? Or homosexuality? It get's hairy...

That is exactly why religion should be left out of all laws. Fact is "In god we trust" should be removed from our currency, "One nation under god" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, In court you should never be asked to place your hand on a bible, OR swear to tell the Truth, the Whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, "SO HELP ME GOD..." And it's not hairy at all, it's just religious people refusing to not subjugate their will on others.

Religion has a place in our society, but it should remain a privatized thing. No public, state-funded, school should ever come close to anything like what happened, bible belt or not.

 

[Michchamp]

...

The left's attacks on religious liberty drove many sincere Christian thinkers to the conservative cause... sadly, many sincere Christians have since mistaken conservative values for Christian values.

...

Not sure what attacks on religious liberty you're talking about.

 

[Michchamp]

Here's today's example:

A little South Carolina girl with an interest in fossils and geology notices that South Carolina has no official state fossil... writes a letter to her state rep to include the wooly mammoth as the official state fossil because inter alia, a wooly mammoth jaw was discovered in the state in 1725.

This should be relatively uncontroversial right? the bill to amend the state code to include a state fossil passed the state house 94-3... unfortunately it then stalled in the state senate when a creationist state senator held it up by amending the bill "to include three verses from the Book of Genesis detailing God’s creation of the Earth and its living inhabitants—including mammoths."

according to some, he should probably just be able to do whatever he wants because anyone complaining about this would just be "getting their panties in a bunch" so if he doesn't get his way, South Carolina shouldn't have a state fossil.

 

[biggunsbob]

Here's today's example:

A little South Carolina girl with an interest in fossils and geology notices that South Carolina has no official state fossil... writes a letter to her state rep to include the wooly mammoth as the official state fossil because inter alia, a wooly mammoth jaw was discovered in the state in 1725.

This should be relatively uncontroversial right? the bill to amend the state code to include a state fossil passed the state house 94-3... unfortunately it then stalled in the state senate when a creationist state senator held it up by amending the bill "to include three verses from the Book of Genesis detailing God?s creation of the Earth and its living inhabitants?including mammoths."

according to some, he should probably just be able to do whatever he wants because anyone complaining about this would just be "getting their panties in a bunch" so if he doesn't get his way, South Carolina shouldn't have a state fossil.

Fuck this type of stuff pisses me off...

 

[Mitchrapp]

That is exactly why religion should be left out of all laws. Fact is "In god we trust" should be removed from our currency, "One nation under god" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, In court you should never be asked to place your hand on a bible, OR swear to tell the Truth, the Whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, "SO HELP ME GOD..." And it's not hairy at all, it's just religious people refusing to not subjugate their will on others.

Religion has a place in our society, but it should remain a privatized thing. No public, state-funded, school should ever come close to anything like what happened, bible belt or not.

I know in many many schools it has been removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. As far as the others, has anyone tried to get GOD off money or out of the courts..? If it bothers you so much do something about it..

 

[Michchamp]

I know in many many schools it has been removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. As far as the others, has anyone tried to get GOD off money or out of the courts..? If it bothers you so much do something about it..

there's a lawsuit pending.

I think they're in the right as well. The phrase was added US currency specifically to proselytize according to the congressman who commented during the passage of the bill... it's CLEARLY unconstitutional. both the reference to the christian god in the Pledge of Allegiance and on our currency were added in the 50's, I think, allegedly for the purpose of anti-Soviet propaganda. Would be interesting to see how the vote went. given the hysteria of the times, I'm sure no one raised too much fuss because they had better things to worry about, and no one wanted to get hauled before HUAC.

in State court here in Illinois, the phrase on the walls of courtrooms. not sure if they still swear an oath on the bible before testimony. I know you don't have to if you don't want to, and they'll accommodate you by removing any references to the christian god or the Bible when you make an oath.

 

[Mitchrapp]

It doesn't seem to be a big deal to be honest. Do non Christians really get upset because a bill has GOD in print? Do you get upset because your one dollar bill has GOD written on it, does it effect your life..

 

[Michchamp]

It doesn't seem to be a big deal to be honest.

that's cool.

Do non Christians really get upset because a bill has GOD in print? Do you get upset because your one dollar bill has GOD written on it, does it effect your life..

it annoys me. I don't like when I see my government give into mob rule, shit all over our own constitution to pander to the majority like that. Do I sit and stew about it all day? Of course not. is it worth a lawsuit? yes. if the lawsuit is unsuccessful? well, nobody's perfect.

 

[Gulo Blue]

How about the all seeing eye? Does anyone want that gone too?

 

[Michchamp]

How about the all seeing eye? Does anyone want that gone too?

in this case it's been part of the great seal of teh United States since 1782, so whatever. leave it.

it could be interpreted in a religious way though, but appears to have a more long term secular use.

 

[Gulo Blue]

in this case it's been part of the great seal of teh United States since 1782, so whatever. leave it.

it could be interpreted in a religious way though, but appears to have a more long term secular use.

Its use in the Great Seal of the United States was intended to be a reference to God at the time of its creation. Same as the phrase that appears with it, "Annuit cœptis".

edit:...maybe not. I googled it and the phrase "Annuit cœptis" might have been used to avoid specifying who favors our undertakings. If you just google the all seeing eye, the explanation points to a theist position, but if you specify the Great Seal of the US, they (specifically, it seems to me) dodged referring to God.