Take Your Kids Out of Public School » Separation of Church and State

Witchcraft Okay, Bible Banned For Kindergarteners

Vicki — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:42:53 +0000

In 2004 Donna Busch visited her son’s kindergarten class in Newtown Square, PA. Busch’s son, Wesley, was the featured student for the school’s “All About Me” activity, during which a parent is permitted to read from their child’s favorite book.

Unless, of course, that book happens to be the bible. When Wesley’s teacher saw that his mother intended to read Psalm 118 from the bible, she made her stop and went to ask the principal if that was acceptable. Principal Thomas Cook informed Busch that reading from the bible in public school was against the law and he did not allow her to read the Psalm.

Since it was October, she was invited to read to the children from a book about witches, witchcraft and Halloween, which she declined to do.

In the years since that day a U.S. District Court and Court of Appeals have upheld the school officials’ decision. On January 19, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, allowing the decisions by the lower courts to ban bible reading to stand.

“If these acts of censorship and discrimination are allowed to continue, there will be absolutely no freedom for religious people in public schools in this country.” -John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute

Complete article on worldnetdaily

Merry Christmas!

Vicki — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:35:40 +0000

In Waterbury, CT, students have been told to say, “Happy Winter,” instead of “Merry Christmas.” Erik Brown is the principal of Walsh Elementary School. He has banned all religious festivities and decorations. He told the Republican-American newspaper that he’s just following state law. “This is not a church,” he said. “It’s a school and it’s a public school. I have to do things that include every child. So what we do is celebrate winter.”

Christmas is spelled the way it is for a reason. The holiday (holy day) is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether He was actually born on that day is another question. It is the day that has been chosen to celebrate His birth. If you are a Christian, don’t let anyone tell you or your children that you cannot say “Merry Christmas.”

Separation of Church and State?

Vicki — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:13:17 +0000

The first amendment is frequently referred to as the basis for a separation between church and state, today interpreted to mean removing all religious references from the schools and public places.

How many people who cling to that phrase, “separation of church and state” realize that it is found nowhere in our constitution? Could they even quote the actual wording of the first amendment?

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The intention of the founding fathers in the First Amendment is blatantly obvious to those who approach it with an open mind. It clearly refers to laws made by Congress establishing a state religion or prohibiting religious activity.

The Separatists, among the first settlers of our country, risked their lives to come here in order to worship as they desired, rather than being forced to conform to the practices of the state Church of England. That religious persecution formed the background of our founding fathers thoughts as they formed the First Amendment.

Some assert that it was the intention of Thomas Jefferson to remove religion from schools and the public arena, since it was our third president who used the separation phrase in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association. However Jefferson had committed himself as President to pursuing the purpose of the First Amendment: preventing the “establishment of a particular form of Christianity” by the Episcopalians, Congregationalists, or any other denomination.

Since this was Jefferson’s view concerning religious expression, in his reply to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802, he assured them that they need not fear; that the free exercise of religion would never be interfered with by the federal government.

Gentlemen, – The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association give me the highest satisfaction. . . . Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties. I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association assurances of my high respect and esteem.

The “wall of separation” Jefferson referred to was not to be erected to limit public religious activities; just the opposite, it was to limit the government’s interference in the natural (inalienable) rights of citizens to religious activity.

Source: http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=123