Author Topic: Tennessee atheists win right to distribute literature after schools give Bibles  (Read 91140 times)

Dos Equis

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Federal court rules World War I memorial cross must be torn down
Todd Starnes By Todd Starnes, Fox News

Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, Bladensburg, Md.  (First Liberty Institute.)

Back in 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial in Bladensburg, Md., to honor the memory of 49 men who perished during World War I.

The 40-foot tall memorial became known as the "Peace Cross."

In 2014, the American Humanist Association -- a group that believes in "being good without a god" -- filed a lawsuit alleging the cross-shaped memorial is unconstitutional and demanding it be demolished, altered, or removed.

They alleged the cross carries "an inherently religious message and creates the unmistakable appearance of honoring only Christian servicemen."

"Today's decision sets dangerous precedent by completely ignoring history, and it threatens removal and destruction of veterans memorials across America."
On Wednesday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed and ruled the historic memorial must be torn down -- all because the Bladensburg Memorial is in the shape of a cross.

The Fourth Circuit said the memorial excessively entangles the government in religion because the cross is the “core symbol of Christianity” and “breaches” the wall separating church and state.

Writing separately, Chief Judge Gregory wrote, “This Memorial stands in witness to the VALOR, ENDURANCE, COURAGE, and DEVOTION of the forty-nine residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland ‘who lost their lives in the Great War for the liberty of the world.’  I cannot agree that a monument so conceived and dedicated and that bears such witness violates the letter or spirit of the very Constitution these heroes died to defend.”

The American Legion could appeal directly to the Supreme Court.

"Today's decision sets dangerous precedent by completely ignoring history, and it threatens removal and destruction of veterans memorials across America," First Liberty Institute attorney Hiram Sasser said.

First Liberty Institute and the Jones Day law firm are representing the American Legion in their fight.

“This memorial has stood in honor of local veterans for almost 100 years and is lawful under the First Amendment,” Jones Day attorney Michael Carvin said. “To remove it would be a tremendous dishonor to the local men who gave their lives during The Great War.”

I warned Americans in my new book, “The Deplorables’ Guide to Making America Great Again,” that the war against religious liberty and traditional American values is far from over.

A militant group of atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers want to eradicate Christianity in the public marketplace. The only way to stop this evil scourge is for people of faith to stand together and fight back in the courts.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/10/18/federal-court-rules-world-war-memorial-cross-must-be-torn-down.html

Dos Equis

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Navy Investigates Bible on “Missing Man Table” Tribute
By Todd Starnes - April 8, 2018

The U.S. Navy is investigating complaints lodged by a sailors and Marines about a Bible and a “One Nation under God” placard placed on a POW/MIA table at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a radical group that has a history of targeting public displays of Christianity, filed the complaint on behalf of 26 military personnel and civilian staff.

They wrote a seven-page complaint alleging that a Christian Bible was placed on a Prisoner of War/Missing in Action display in the hospital’s public gallery.

“Why is that Bible there,” MRFF president Mikey Weinstein demanded to know in an interview with Stars & Stripes. “Can you imagine if somebody put a Quran there, or the book of Satan, or the Book of Mormon? It’s violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause as well as DoD and Navy regulations.”

Rear Adm. Paul D. Pearigen ordered an investigation into the public display at the Navy’s largest overseas hospital, the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation also wants the Navy to remove a placard explaining the reason why the Bible is a part of the display.

“The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded one nation under God,” the placard reads.

The MRFF was grossly triggered and offended by the statement – calling it unconstitutional and a “slap in the face to every non-Christian.”

“The statement on the Exhibit’s placard is nothing more than an illegal, unconstitutional proselytization from an extremist, fundamentalist Christian sect,” their attorney wrote. “It ignores all followers of other religions and totally ignores all those who subscribe to no religion – all in blatant violation of DoD and DON regulations.”

However, according to the U.S. Navy the Bible and the placard are on the table for a reason. Click here to read it for yourself.

Hiram Sasser, general counsel for  First Liberty Institute and a former Army Reserve officer, urged the Navy to resist the demands of the militant MRFF.

“The Bible is on the table because it is part of the tradition that predates our current demands for political correctness,” Sasser told the Todd Starnes Radio Show. “When we telegraph to our global military competitors that the mere presence of a Bible mentally destroys some of us, we are doomed.”

So why is the Navy wasting its time to investigate the unfounded allegations made by Mikey Weinstein and his minions?

This is nothing more than a despicable attack by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation on the families of those with a loved one who is missing in action.

It’s time for the Trump Administration’s Pentagon to stop this radical group from bullying military families and desecrating any more Missing Man tables.

“You imagine if President Trump found out about this, that someone was complaining about a Bible being on a table? He’d probably put two on the table,” Sasser said.

Indeed.

https://www.toddstarnes.com/show/navy-investigates-bible-on-missing-man-table-tribute/

Dos Equis

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Minnesota Democrats wage war on God, faith and American history
Lauren DeBellis Appell By Lauren DeBellis Appell   | Fox News

A bill in the Minnesota Senate that would allow schools in the state to voluntarily display the national motto “In God We Trust” has state Democrats spiraling into fits of outrage, because God offends them.

By waging war on God, they are showing contempt for people of faith and disregard for the history of our country.
 
On the floor of the Minnesota Senate, Democratic Sen. Scott Dibble suggested using “Allah” in place of “God” – as in “In Allah We Trust.” Dibble wondered how the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Dan Hall, would react, since the words “God” and “Allah” (an Arabic word) mean the same thing.

Here’s a little history lesson for Dibble.

“In God We Trust” was recognized as our nation’s motto more than 200 years ago when Francis Scott Key penned it in “The Star Spangled Banner” as he watched the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. He wrote: “And this be our motto – ‘In God is our trust.’

So this motto goes almost as far back as the founding of our country. It’s very much ingrained in our heritage.

Note the humility of this statement. Key was saying that the United States – a very young country at war again with the nation from which it won its independence – defers its destiny to a higher power.

God is one of the most unifying and inclusive aspects of America. The term is used by many religions to reference the Supreme Being. Christians, Jews and Muslims all refer to the higher power they worship as “God,” with variants in different languages all having the identical meaning.

The Democratic Party has been completely hijacked by political correctness, which is one of the reasons Donald Trump was elected president. Voters saw the assault on their religious freedoms and the war on God and people of faith by the Democrats. That’s why the faith community has rallied behind this president so intently.

There is something very dangerous about having to attack people of faith or any expression of faith, and yet Democrats continue to travel down this road, abandoning a large portion of their voting base in the process.

Who can forget when God was literally booed at the Democratic National Convention in 2012? The Democrats removed recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and God from their party platform and then moved to add the references back in after concerns about losing Jewish voters and Christian independent voters. However, when they added the references back in a voice vote, the move was met with loud boos on the floor of the convention.

It’s worth noting that Charlotte, North Carolina – where the 2012 Democratic National Convention was held – is the same city where we recently saw the funeral service for the Rev. Billy Graham, who spoke at President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration in 1993.

It’s a sad commentary on the Democratic Party that it went from welcoming one of the most influential religious figures in America at the Clinton inaugural to booing God at its convention just 19 years later.

The more Democrats want to take God out of our daily lives, and our children’s lives, the more they expose themselves as extremists who want to take our country down a very destructive path. This is where they completely lose honest, hard-working, law-abiding people of faith.

Protesting the bill to allow display of the “In God We Trust” national motto, Democratic state Sen. John Marty said: “The money in my wallet has to say 'In God We Trust.' I think that's offensive.”

Marty could certainly make a donation to any number of good causes that wouldn’t find his money offensive. Perhaps he should start with his local school. Teachers are underpaid and always forced to reach into their own wallets for classroom supplies, which add up quickly. I’m sure they would welcome the generosity of the money that so offends the senator.

What many parents find offensive are politicians like Marty, whose salaries and office staff are paid for by the taxpayers. With the many problems plaguing our public schools – safety and security being the biggest – why are Democrats like Marty working overtime trying to keep God out of schools rather than focusing on keeping kids safe in schools?

Republican Sen. Hall said he sponsored the “In God We Trust” legislation to bring back respect, which has been lost.

Hall said: “We’ve lost a lot of respect for those things in life that we should be respecting. I only assume that if you take those things out of government, if you take the things that are respectful out, you're going to put in something different.”

That’s exactly what has happened. The further we’ve moved away from God in our schools, the more he’s been replaced by the extreme indoctrination of our kids with teaching and programs that completely undercut what families teach their children at home.

Nobody seems to care that parents are offended that many schools are no longer interested in partnering with them and instead are undermining them as the primary authority in the lives of their children.

Political correctness has infected schools to the point where priorities are out of whack. Our schools lack the security they desperately need, teachers are underpaid, and yet politicians ignore these real issues and, instead, pick fights with people of faith.

As the Democrats’ war on God wages on, the political consequences for them will only be secondary to what this will say about us as a nation.

Openly attacking God or people of faith is the only form of acceptable bigotry left in this country.

If God is our problem, what is the answer?

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/05/13/minnesota-democrats-wage-war-on-god-faith-and-american-history.html

avxo

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Minnesota Democrats wage war on God, faith and American history
Lauren DeBellis Appell By Lauren DeBellis Appell   | Fox News

[…]

If God is our problem, what is the answer?

The national motto is just a blurb and I don’t much care if it stays or goes. It’s got a certain “historical” heritage, I guess, which is important for a relatively young nation. Plus, it’s what separates us from the dang Commies, so yeah, take that!

The original opinion piece, like most writings on this topic, is basically a longform appeal to emotion and tradition. I’m not gonna bother dissecting it. But I do have a couple of questions I wish could ask the author:

Why bother with God in the first place? What problem does he solve that humans aren’t better equipped to solve?

Dos Equis

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The national motto is just a blurb and I don’t much care if it stays or goes. It’s got a certain “historical” heritage, I guess, which is important for a relatively young nation. Plus, it’s what separates us from the dang Commies, so yeah, take that!

The original opinion piece, like most writings on this topic, is basically a longform appeal to emotion and tradition. I’m not gonna bother dissecting it. But I do have a couple of questions I wish could ask the author:

Why bother with God in the first place? What problem does he solve that humans aren’t better equipped to solve?

I don't have a problem appealing to tradition.  I'm sure emotion is part of it, but emotion is normal. 

avxo

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I don't have a problem appealing to tradition. 

I do. "Tradition" has been used to justify the continuation of all manner of horrible practices.

I don't really see what "In God we Trust" adds. I mean, our national motto might well be "Can I have a refill?" or "Yo. Grab me a bud, will ya?" It's just a meaningless thing, which is why I don't much care if it is or isn't there.

But I am curious who "we" are. It can't be referring to me, therefore, by definition, it can't be referring to Americans, since I am an American. So, who are the people that trust in God and why do they need to and get to proclaim their faith on our money?

Dos Equis

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I do. "Tradition" has been used to justify the continuation of all manner of horrible practices.

I don't really see what "In God we Trust" adds. I mean, our national motto might well be "Can I have a refill?" or "Yo. Grab me a bud, will ya?" It's just a meaningless thing, which is why I don't much care if it is or isn't there.

But I am curious who "we" are. It can't be referring to me, therefore, by definition, it can't be referring to Americans, since I am an American. So, who are the people that trust in God and why do they need to and get to proclaim their faith on our money?

I agree that, like many other good things, "tradition" has been misused.  But not always.  Celebrating good things is a . . . good thing.  Not everyone has to like or agree with it.

"We" means the people who like the tradition.  You're not any less of an American because you don't like certain traditions.  Nor are people who support or participate in traditions any more of an American.  Someone will always be unhappy.  I'm not one who believes that everything we do has to try and avoid offending people, particularly if the people being offended are a small minority. 

Different analysis if we're talking about Constitutional rights, etc.   

chaos

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I do. "Tradition" has been used to justify the continuation of all manner of horrible practices.

I don't really see what "In God we Trust" adds. I mean, our national motto might well be "Can I have a refill?" or "Yo. Grab me a bud, will ya?" It's just a meaningless thing, which is why I don't much care if it is or isn't there.

But I am curious who "we" are. It can't be referring to me, therefore, by definition, it can't be referring to Americans, since I am an American. So, who are the people that trust in God and why do they need to and get to proclaim their faith on our money?
What does it hurt?
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

avxo

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What does it hurt?

Oh, is that what's important? Heck, in that case, let's just put: "Only you can prevent forest fires". I mean, what does it hurt, right?

Agnostic007

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What does it hurt?

what does it achieve?

chaos

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Oh, is that what's important? Heck, in that case, let's just put: "Only you can prevent forest fires". I mean, what does it hurt, right?
We already do that on signs. Doesn't hurt anything.


what does it achieve?
Hope and belief for billions around the globe.
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

Agnostic007

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We already do that on signs. Doesn't hurt anything.

Hope and belief for billions around the globe.

I suspect no one gives it a thought unless it's brought up in a conversation like this.

Irongrip400

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I suspect no one gives it a thought unless it's brought up in a conversation like this.

This is correct.

chaos

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I suspect no one gives it a thought unless it's brought up in a conversation like this.
Correct
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

avxo

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We already do that on signs. Doesn't hurt anything.

Why not dollar bills too?

Hope and belief for billions around the globe.

“In God We Trust” on the dollar bill gives hope and belief to billions?  ???

chaos

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Why not dollar bills too?

“In God We Trust” on the dollar bill gives hope and belief to billions?  ???
Yes. Little Timmy in south Africa holds the dollar I donate every month and prays for a prosperous future.
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

avxo

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Yes. Little Timmy in south Africa holds the dollar I donate every month and prays for a prosperous future.

I'm quite sure Little Timmy would appreciate your donation whether or not it had "In God We Trust" on it. Besides, Little Timmy's "prayers" (if he prays) are answered by you, not the God in which you (or perhaps Timmy) place your trust. God doesn't even have voicemail setup.

chaos

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I'm quite sure Little Timmy would appreciate your donation whether or not it had "In God We Trust" on it. Besides, Little Timmy's "prayers" (if he prays) are answered by you, not the God in which you (or perhaps Timmy) place your trust. God doesn't even have voicemail setup.
So to little Timmy, I am god. What's the harm?
If it bothers you,  I'll be happy to take the money the offends you. :D
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

avxo

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So to little Timmy, I am god. What's the harm?
If it bothers you,  I'll be happy to take the money the offends you. :D

The money doesn’t offend me. The statement “In God We Trust” doesn’t offend me either. I just find it stupid and pointless.

loco

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The money doesn’t offend me. The statement “In God We Trust” doesn’t offend me either. I just find it stupid and pointless.

To you it may be stupid and pointless, and you're entitled to your opinion, belief, or lack thereof.  But Europe, for example, pushed out Christianity, embraced secularism, then in came Islam to fill the new void left by Christianity.  Now many European atheists regret pushing out Christianity and creating the void now being filled by Islam.

Hopefully you won't see "To Allah We Submit" on American currency and government buildings some day.

Agnostic007

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To you it may be stupid and pointless, and you're entitled to your opinion, belief, or lack thereof.  But Europe, for example, pushed out Christianity, embraced secularism, then in came Islam to fill the new void left by Christianity.  Now many European atheists regret pushing out Christianity and creating the void now being filled by Islam.

Hopefully you won't see "To Allah We Submit" on American currency and government buildings some day.

Can you provide any evidence that an atheist in Europe regrets pushing out Christianity (hows that even done) and now regrets it? 

loco

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Can you provide any evidence that an atheist in Europe regrets pushing out Christianity (hows that even done) and now regrets it? 

What would you accept as "any evidence"?  And what do you mean by "hows that even done"? 

loco

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Well?

avxo

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To you it may be stupid and pointless, and you're entitled to your opinion, belief, or lack thereof.

To me, Christianity and Islam are two sides of the same coin: a belief system that is based on superstition and fear. I don't think one is better than the other; both are responsible for atrocities and both have the same end goal: to enslave and control human beings. Islam is just more openly virulent than Christianity.


But Europe, for example, pushed out Christianity, embraced secularism, then in came Islam to fill the new void left by Christianity.  Now many European atheists regret pushing out Christianity and creating the void now being filled by Islam.

So Christianity is the "bastion" that was keeping the Muslims at bay? Sounds like you need to read up on the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy. You know, before we restart the Crusades to "reclaim" Europe from the Muzzies!


Hopefully you won't see "To Allah We Submit" on American currency and government buildings some day.

I'd rather not see any superstitituous bullshit on American currency and government buildings. And unless we take a cheat-meal sized dump on the Constitution, we won't.

loco

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To me, Christianity and Islam are two sides of the same coin: a belief system that is based on superstition and fear. I don't think one is better than the other; both are responsible for atrocities and both have the same end goal: to enslave and control human beings. Islam is just more openly virulent than Christianity.


So Christianity is the "bastion" that was keeping the Muslims at bay? Sounds like you need to read up on the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy. You know, before we restart the Crusades to "reclaim" Europe from the Muzzies!


I'd rather not see any superstitituous bullshit on American currency and government buildings. And unless we take a cheat-meal sized dump on the Constitution, we won't.

Don't argue with me.  Ask your fellow atheists and agnostics.  According to them, you are being neither practical nor realistic.  I thought this stuff was well known, but apparently you and our resident ex-cop had not heard of it:

Richard Dawkins: ‘Benign’ Christianity is about to be replaced by ‘something worse’ – Islam

UNITED KINGDOM, March 23, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – Despite his years of denouncing religion, Richard Dawkins does not welcome a European future without Christianity.

On Wednesday, the atheist author and evolutionary biologist warned those inclined to “rejoice at the death throes of the relatively benign Christian religion” to keep in mind the danger of "something worse" taking its place.

That worse alternative, Dawkins suggests, is Islam, which he has previously called “the most evil religion in the world.”

Despite having once claimed that government needs to “protect” children from being “indoctrinated in whatever religion their parents happen to have been brought up in,” Dawkins recognizes that European Christianity serves as a “bulwark against something worse.”

“There are no Christians, as far as I know, blowing up buildings,” Dawkins said. “I am not aware of any Christian suicide bombers. I am not aware of any major Christian denomination that believes the penalty for apostasy is death.”

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/richard-dawkins-benign-christianity-is-about-to-be-replaced-by-something-wo


I'll be posting more on this as I find time to dig it up.