Seriously, people who complain about that: No one is telling you you can't have God! There's nothing preventing your own personal God from residing in your head, at school or wherever!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

http://youtu.be/MR39j1KMOsE Some of the instances he talks about are real and offensive and are becoming more and more commonplace

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Enforcing the establishment clause is not offensive.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Please, explain to me your interpretation of the establishment clause. I have a feeling yours is a little different than mine

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The government does not endorse any religion through taxes, government programs, or laws.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

So please tell me how any of the instances he mentioned violate your interpretation, and then tell me where (and please use the exact text) it says that in the constitution.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

In the first amendment, it says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. . . ." This was expanded to the states by the SCOTUS case Gitlow v. New York. The placement of manger scenes in public (and therefore, maintained by the taxpayers) places violates this because this is specific to a single religious group. A Santa Claus or something symbolizing togetherness or some other secular (not atheistics) value would have been acceptable. The tax-funded abortion pill thing is a myth. I have no idea what he was talking about when he said "We carefully and intentionally stop saying things are sinful and we call them disorders."

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The difference arises when you interpret "no law respecting an establishment of religion". What does it mean for a law to respect an establishment of religion. The meaning is not that congress will do everything in its power to remove any religious exposure to the masses. It means congress will not make any law that affects how people worship. I don't buy that this is about taxpayers because it doesn't make sense that placing some plastic figures on some grass costs taxpayers that much. I also don't know when it has become doctrine that the only socially acceptable acts are those that include everybody. Just because something is disagreed upon doesn't mean it needs to be hidden away from the world. At the point when congress is passing laws that prohibit people from worshipping the way they want, by the cases mentioned in the video plus many more, our first amendment rights are being violated in the opposite direction

by Anonymous 11 years ago

So, if somebody were to put up a plastic tribute to Islam on public property, the religious right wouldn't throw a fit, right? Because, as I recall, they threw a fit over an Islamic center being built on PRIVATE PROPERTY a few years back.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Can you post a link? I'm not so ignorant that I don't know there are unreasonable and idiotic people on both sides of the political spectrum

by Anonymous 11 years ago

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park51

by Anonymous 11 years ago

what?! god's got nothing to do with it!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's why it's ridiculous. I think you may have mis read the post- when I read it the first time I thought it said if God was allowed in schools it wouldn't have happened.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

yes i did xD p.s. i like how you respectfully write god with a capital letter ;]

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I really hate the "Capitalization of God" argument I see a lot between atheists, theists, and other atheists. Voldemort isn't real, but I still capitialize Voldemort becaues it's a proper noun.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Rage a little harder. Since when do people care so much about what other people say?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Ever since people could feel emotions.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Perhaps having the media talking about the shooting 24/7 may contribute to the violence. At least two other cases of shooting occurred while the news was reporting, mostly inaccurately, constantly. One of the motivations of crazies who do these crimes, is to "become someone" by getting their 15 minutes of fame. The media only contributes to this psychosis.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

In a related issue, anyone who thinks that instituting gun control laws will solve this type of crime, is almost as delusional as the shooter. Every time a major shooting occurs, from Kennedy, to Lennon, to Reagan etc there is a call for putting new laws into effect. Thus the Brady bill was born. However, these laws can only be effective if there is enforcement against the black market where anyone can obtain weapons. Look at most of America's poorer neighborhoods where gun violence is a daily occurrence and nobody has problems getting weapons.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

As far as allowing God in schools to stop violence. It seems that the bible is full of violence with God killing those he did not agree with or who did not obey his will. I refer to great flood, Soddom and Gommorah, slaying of the first born, drowning Egyptian army in the nile, etc, etc, etc. Not to mention Crusades and Inquisition and other mass killings in the name of religion. If you need to teach something in school, teach ethics, teach equality, teach non-violence and teach the uniqueness and beauty of the individual.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What's ridiculous is that kids in public schools couldn't pray for the people who passed away.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Kids in schools couldn't pray? You've GOT to be shitting me. You can pray whenever the hell you want. That's what's cool about praying, no one can stop you. Just because you can't yell out that you're better because you're a Christian doesn't mean you can't pray. I'm tired of that argument. You can pray whenever the hell you want to. There's no 'war' on praying or religion on school.

by Anonymous 11 years ago