CHURCHES USING SCHOOLS OK, SCHOOLS USING CHURCHES IS NOT

The (very few) AMERICANS UNITED FOR THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE are at it again.  But then, they never stop.  Interestingly enough, they supposedly stand for religious freedom for all.  What they are really doing is trying to dictate to Christians when and where they can worship or even mention anything about Jesus.  They obviously took their cue from the founder of the AMERICAN COMMUNIST LIBERTIES UNION who told his original members not to appear Socialist, but patriotic.  

This organization is now threatening metro Atlanta schools with their dictatorial, agenda-forcing, and taxpayer money wasting lawsuits because a number of schools are renting church buildings in which to hold their graduation ceremonies.  The reason schools are using churches has absolutely nothing to do with anything religious.  Schools are wanting to get their students and their families out of the football stadiums at the mercy of the weather, and limited seating capacity where families have to choose which family members will be able to attend these once-in-a-lifetime events.  Churches rent their facilities at much cheaper rates than other facilities, and there is no threat of cancellation due to weather.  I graduated in a hot, 100+ gymnasium dressed in a cap and gown myself.  I can certainly relate.


According to an ARTICLE posted on One News Now, one school system seemed to make the news more than the other systems.  The Cherokee County School System in Canton, Georgia, has been renting the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH WOODSTOCK in Woodstock, Georgia since 2005.  The church building has a capacity of 7,000, and costs literally thousands less than other buildings of similar capacities.  


This is obviously another leftist agenda as the Supreme Court ruled on this years ago when schools were being threatened with lawsuits over churches renting school facilities in which to hold their services.  Now we have the same thing in reverse.

As I have said before, there is only one way to stop this, and that's to stand up to them.  These leftist groups don't like public opposition.  I think one reason is it shows just how much of a minority they are.  The (very few) Americans United for Separation of Church and State, according to their website, have a membership of only 120,000.  There are Facebook pages with more people than that.  Cherokee Countians are taking the right approach.  They are going ahead and preparing in the event the leftists follow through with their threats. Cherokee Countians  are going with the idea of "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."  They have a Facebook PAGE, but have created a WEBSITE, Cherokee County Fights Back.  Facing them down anywhere they show up is the only way to put a stop to this foolishness.  This is why the Christian flag is flying today in King, North Carolina.  These leftist groups have continuously bypassed Congress and the President, and thereby bypassing We The People with lawsuits.  





It has gone on far too long.  People are starting to stand up to them, with thankfully, the help of organizations like LIBERTY COUNSEL and the ACLJ.  Get behind your local politicians and pressure them to stand up for what is right, not just what is most cost effective which is what these left wingnut organizations count on.  The Cherokee County school board has done the right thing and listened to the will of their constituents.  On January 20, 2011, they voted to keep using First Baptist Woodstock's building for their graduation.  

                                    (image clickable link)

HOW TO SEND THE ACLU PACKING, PART DEUX

UPDATE ON THE CHRISTIAN FLAG IN KING, NC . . .


The 24 hour guard is still there . . . 

THE FLAG IS STILL THERE!

but the ACLU is not . . . wonder why??

                                                     (cartoon created by Robert Davis)

Could it be they got a lesson on Constitutional government? That ONE person CANNOT overrule the majority?  It's happened way too many times over the years and it's time for the majority of Americans to stand up to special interest groups that use intimidation and bully tactics to promote their agenda.  As I saw one commenter say on the Christian Flag-King Facebook SITE, too many times the ACLU has said "boo!" and we all run and hide.

A look at the cases listed on the ACLU's WEBSITE clearly shows they are not the least bit interested in freedom of speech, or freedom of anything for that matter, for everyone equally.  Just as in the case of King, NC, cases are carefully chosen to advance their agenda.  The ACLU likes challenging small towns because they know small towns do not have the finances to fight the ACLU army.  That's why it's vitally important to stand up and fight for your rights as guaranteed by the Constitution that leftist groups such as the ACLU are trying to take away.  There is strength in numbers, and there are far more of us than there are of them.

cat dog United States Washington government pig sarah palin building engineering truck car Wall Street Ford Chrysler Lincoln Mercury General Motors tree insect spider plants sky space Facebook MySpace boy girl man woman TSA liberal conservative sand World War I World War II Vietnam Iraq Afghanistan Barack Obama George Bush

                                       

THE TRAMPLING OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

This isn't surprising, but still needs to continually exposed. It seems the liberal activist judges in this country need to be made to take high school civics. I have posted numerous times before about the abuses of the judiciary and Federal government in denying Christians First Amendment rights.

"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."

Rather plain English, very easy to understand? Definitely. But not to Federal district judge Paul D. Borman or the City of Dearborn, Michigan. Pastor George Saieg, a Sudanese Christian who immigrated to the United States to escape the violent and murderous persecution of Christians in the Sudan, was threatened with arrest by Dearborn Police for passing out Christian literature to Muslims outside of the Arab Festival there in 2009 which was in violation of an anti-First Amendment city ordnance prohibiting the passing out of literature within five city blocks of an event. Pastor Saieg has been passing out literature for years in Dearborn without any incident or interference from the government until now.

After a year of litigation, Judge Borman, a Clinton nominee (of course), sided with the city. Upon appeal, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnatti, Ohio issued a TEMPORARY ORDER stating Pastor Saieg could pass out his literature at this year's Arab Festival held in June 2010. The Court of Appeals included a statement from Elrod vs. Burns (427 U.S. 347, 373, [1976] that said the loss of a First Amendment right, "for even minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury." That was June 17, 2010.

The very next day, four Christian missionaries were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct anyway for distributing copies of the Gospel of John in English and Arabic. The video camera that was recording the incident was confiscated and as far as I know has not been returned. Below is a video showing part of this incident, and the fact police arrived in force THREE MINUTES after the arrival of the missionaries AFTER the appellate court's temporary injunction against Dearborn's ordnance.

An interesting note here. Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad has been appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council. The Council provides advice and recommendations to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Neopolitan herself. As you may remember, the Department of Homeland Security under Neopolitan's leadership criminalized conservatives, Christians, Tea Party participants, and anyone who opposes the Obama administration's policies.

An examination of those serving on the Homeland Security Advisory Council reveals ties to the ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (ISNA) and to the SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, a far left-wing organization. Here is a fellow blogger who writes GATES OF VIENNA who researched each of the members of this Council. Click HERE to view the article. Judging from this line-up, I wonder what the real qualifications are to serve on this panel.

With every American Communist Liberties Union lawsuit, with every city or county ordnance or state law restricting freedom of speech, expression, and religion, no matter how trivial it may seem on the surface, is just another step in the process of losing these rights that are fundamental to the preservation of what freedoms we have left.

As the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals said, "The loss of a First Amendment right, for even minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury."

INTOLERANCE OF CHRISTIANITY (AND THE DOUBLE STANDARD) CONTINUES

Here is a story from FOX NEWS RADIO that my sister-in-law posted on her Facebook page. I of course was interested as it was concerning an attempt at suppression of the religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. Interestingly enough, it happened in North Carolina, where U.S. House Representative Bob Etheridge is from. As you may recall from an earlier post of mine, he is the one who physically assaulted a college student doing a class project that dared question Etheridge's position on the Obama agenda. North Carolina voters, you have got some real pieces of work there, just Remember in November.

PASTOR YANKED FROM CAPITOL OVER “JESUS” PRAYER

by Todd Starnes

A North Carolina pastor was relieved of his duties as an honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives after he closed a prayer by invoking the name of Jesus.

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“I got fired,” said Ron Baity, pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. He had been invited to lead prayer for an entire week but his tenure was cut short when he refused to remove the name Jesus from his invocation.

Baity’s troubles began during the week of May 31. He said a House clerk asked to see his prayer. The invocation including prayers for our military, state lawmakers and a petition to God asking him to bless North Carolina.”

“When I handed it to the lady, I watched her eyes and they immediately went right to the bottom of the page and the word Jesus,” he told FOX News Radio. “She said ‘We would prefer that you not use the name Jesus. We have some people here that can be offended.’”

When Baity protested, she brought the matter to the attention of HOUSE SPEAKER JOE HACKNEY.

“I told her I was highly offended when she asked me not to pray in the name of Jesus because that does constitute my faith,” Baity said. “My faith requires that I pray in His name. The Bible is very clear.”

When the clerk returned, Baity said he was told that he would be allowed to deliver the day’s prayer – but after that – his services would no longer be needed.

Hackney, a Democrat, and House Republican Leader Paul Stam released a joint statement to FOX News Radio:

“It has been our practice in the North Carolina House of Representatives for many years to request, but not require, that our guest chaplains deliver a nonsectarian prayer. This is intended as a show of respect for all the religions practiced by the members of the House and the people we represent.”

“In this instance, we allowed Pastor Baity to deliver his prayer, without interference, even though it was sectarian in nature. Nonetheless, we will review our procedures and guidelines concerning guest chaplains, and we will make sure we abide by applicable constitutional procedures. The House will adjourn within the next few days, but the results of this review will be publicly available whenever it is complete.”

Baity said he’s not happy with the way he was treated.

“When the state tells you how to pray, that you cannot use the name of Jesus – that’s mandating a state religion,” he said. “They talk about not offending other people but at the same time, if they are telling me how to pray – that’s the very thing our forefathers left England for.”

The Christian Law Association helped Baity draft a letter asking for an apology and an opportunity to return to the state capitol and finish his tenure.

“The First Amendment promises all Americans the free exercise of their religion, which includes the right to pray as their faith requires, even when they are invited to open state legislative sessions with prayer,” attorney David Gibbs told WXII-TV. “We trust that the North Carolina House of Representatives will realize its mistake and will offer Pastor Baity another opportunity to pray without requiring him to use a prayer that is mandated by government.”

Baity said he is still stunned by what happened.

“You would expect this somewhere else – Cuba, Saudi Arabia,” he told FOX News Radio. “You would never anticipate this happening in the United States of America.”

In a word – the pastor said – the decision is “anti-Christian.”

Todd Starnes is a FOX News Radio reporter and author.

First off, "we allowed Paster Baity to deliver his prayer without interference . . ." Speaker Hackney, you had no choice. Refer to the FIRST AMENDMENT, you know that pesky one up top there that guarantees EVERYONE freedom of speech, expression, and religion?

"We will review our procedures and guidelines concerning guest chaplains, and we will make sure we abide by applicable constitutional procedures." With all due respect, Mr. Hackney, I doubt that. If you did, then there would have been no problem to start with and the clerk that started it would have been sent U.S. Constitution class 101. Of course, we all know how this "review" of "procedures" will go. Especially considering that Mr. Hackney is big buddies with none other than . . . Barack Obama.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if this were an Islamic Imam rather than a Christian minister, there would have been absolutely nothing said about his closing the prayer in the name of Allah with no regard for who it offended. This is just another outstanding example of the "tolerance" the left constantly preaches. The liberals' definition of tolerance for all religions in reality is tolerate all religions except those which believe the Bible.