Judge bans high school from performing live Nativity scene

[Shawnster]

An Indiana public high school will not be allowed to portray a Nativity scene with live performers as part of the 2015 Christmas Spectacular, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

 

U.S. District Judge Jon E. Deguilio granted a preliminary injunction in a federal lawsuit against Concord Community Schools, writing in the order that the show "conveys a message of endorsement of religion, or that a particular religious belief is favored or preferred."

 

"Accordingly, the court finds that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits on their claim that the inclusion of the living Nativity scene in the show, as currently proposed, violates the Establishment Clause," the judge wrote.

 

"A live nativity is a shocking violation to encounter in a public school, which has no business directing students to engage in devotional, sectarian performances," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in a statement. "This decision is a win for everyone who recognizes that there can be no freedom of religious belief without freedom from religion in government and in our public schools."

 

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/12/02/judge-bans-high-school-performing-live-nativity-scene/76676294/

Edited December 3, 2015 by Shawnster

[Shawnster]

What I find striking are the comments on Facebook about this

 

CL: go to church and/or christian school for the nativity. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. Period. End of story.

 

JF: thatchurch and state has nothing to do with this. If you dont like it dont see it. Govt needs to stay out of american lives

 

JS: Wrong, JF. It's a public school. Which is funded by taxpayers. Public schools are branches of the government.

 

LM: Christians are also taxpayers. End of story.

 

DD: LM So their rights are more important?

 

CL: So LM does that mean no one else matters?

 

JS: You're right, Lin. That's why they get equal treatment.  Unless the school is going to give equal time to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Islam, and Pasatafarians, (not to mention Buddhists and many others,) then they don't get to do this.

 

MY: And this country was based on Christian beliefs. ...and now as a nation we are bending to all others

 

JS: No, it wasn't MY

 

CL: it sure wasn't. The Constitution contains more than 4,500 words. Not one of them is Jesus, Christianity or the Bible.

 

JaSe: My taxes are not for your religion Period. Go to those schools where you pay a fortune to send your kid and do all the Voodoo you want.

 

EB: In a world of many butthurt Christians who feel their "rights have been taken away!", sorry, but I'm not one of them. It's inappropriate and shows religious favoritism in a public school setting. If I want my children to participate in religious activities - plays, groups, what have you - I need to respect that there is a time and place for that, in the church.  Also, I want to add, if the school district had actually attempted to assimilate all religious holidays, this would be a different story. But it's not. It's called Christmas spectacular, and as spectacular as I find it, others need to be respected in a public school funded by those from ALL religious backgrounds.

 

 

The vitriol against religion is just growing.  I never saw such disrespect for religion, especially Christendom a few years ago. 

[Tortuga]

The vitriol against religion is just growing.  I never saw such disrespect for religion, especially Christendom a few years ago. 

 

It's funny that at one time people respected the idea that the USA was a Christian nation and if you wanted to live here, you had to put up with Christian activities. It looks like that is out the door. People want to live in the 'land of the free and home of the brave' as long as they don't have to follow it's religion, obey the laws or pay taxes...amazing...

[Greg Dent]

Ya the intollerance of religion is growing with leaps and bounds. It really is something to watch happen.

[trottigy]

In the ministry Saturday a man said to me, "Yes, the world has gone mad. I saw a picture on Facebook of all this Rated R stuff, killings, graphic sex, Satanic images and then in the lower corner was a nativity seen AND THAT is what was circled as offensive! "

[trottigy]

Edit: What chance does a strong Christian Republican have of winning the Presidential election?

[Shawnster]

Edit: What chance does a strong Christian Republican have of winning the Presidential election?

 

Good question.  Part of me, though, thinks that the vocal attackers of religion/Christendom are mainly Liberals/Democrats anyway, so they wouldn't be voting for a Republican regardless if he professed to be a strong Christian or not.  Plus, it really is a loud vocal minority overshadowing the silent majority.

 

 This election has me a little confused.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Trump is leading in the polls and has barely spent a dime on his campaign.  However, the real battles haven't started yet and won't until January or February with Iowa.  I'm still expecting a more concerted attack against Trump by the Republican establishment.  Come time for the Republican nomination, I do not expect to see Trump a contender, especially after he swore allegiance to the Republican party.  Does that swearing of allegiance mean he will not run as an independent?

 

History shows us that an independent hasn't won since the 19th Century.  History also shows a pattern of the opposite party gaining the White House after each 2-term president during the last 100 years except for Bush the 1st being elected after Reagan's 2 terms.  Since Obama, a Democrat, has been in office for 2 terms, I think we'll see the pendulum swing Republican.  

 

Ben Carson doesn't have a chance in my opinion and, getting back on topic, part of that has to do with his religious ideas.  If his religious ideas cause him to say silly things like Joseph built the Great Pyramids to store food, then he's not going to be viewed as a serious candidate.  

 

Typically the President of the United States has never expressed strong religious convictions.  Oh they are religious and make a show of going to church, but it's not been a defining characteristic of their personality or presidency.  

 

At the end of the day I expect a more "balanced" Republican to win the White House.  I'm not sure which one that is, yet.  Definitely not Trump.

[Peanuts]

they are quite happy to celebrate Christmas though!im not sure if that's irony or hypocrisy, I'm guessing both!

[Peanuts]

What I find striking are the comments on Facebook about this

 

 

The vitriol against religion is just growing.  I never saw such disrespect for religion, especially Christendom a few years ago.

Agreed, people seem so angry about it these days. I saw so many comments calling for religion to be banned on social media after the Paris attacks.