Posted on 06/03/2006 3:58:31 PM PDT by dukeman
Controversy surrounding a religious drama recently presented in two local public schools has prompted an investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union -- and a plan by the church to bring the drama to the public.
"The Last Call," based on the Bible's Book of Revelations, was presented to students at Muskegon Heights High School last December and at Muskegon's Steele Middle School in April. Teachers in Muskegon have complained about the program, which was performed April 14 during a mandatory all-school assembly at Steele on Good Friday during school hours.
The ACLU began an investigation after The Chronicle on Sunday published an article about the school presentations.
"We are investigating it," Michael J. Steinberg, legal director for the ACLU of Michigan, told The Chronicle. "We're shocked by what you explained happened in the article. And certainly it was grossly inappropriate for students to be preached to in that way -- in a public school -- as well as being clearly unconstitutional."
The drama is a series of skits presented by a cast of 54 that is punctuated by demons dragging those who don't accept Jesus Christ into the pit of hell, and those who accept Jesus finding blessed happiness in heaven.
Controversy over the school performances prompted Shiloh Tabernacle Church to plan a free presentation of "The Last Call" at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. June 30, said the Rev. Verne Wright, pastor at Shiloh.
"I just want people to come and judge for themselves and see that it does bring healing," Wright said.
Wright said the performance aims to promote healing, and described skits showing gang members rejecting their gangs and accepting Jesus Christ and a woman who had an abortion being reunited with her aborted fetus in heaven.
One of the more controversial skits is about a fictional man who molested two teenage nieces. Because he repented and accepted Jesus, the child molester was ushered through the pearly gates after he was murdered by one of his victims. That victim, who was a lesbian, didn't repent and accept Jesus, and upon her death from AIDS was condemned to an eternity of misery.
The point is brought home with actors portraying grim reapers dragging her through the smoky gates of hell accompanied by sound effects that resemble gunfire.
"We don't have anything to hide," Wright said. "Hopefully (the public performance) will open things up so we can go into more schools. It's not about church and state. It's about the community."
Church and school officials said they were unaware of any parents or students who complained about the Good Friday presentation. Steinberg said the ACLU heard from several residents of the Muskegon school district, including at least one parent, who "were similarly shocked by the violation of student constitutional rights."
"A program like this might be appropriate for church, or if parents want to teach their children and preach to their children at home it's certainly appropriate and they obviously have a right to do so," Steinberg said. "But one group's religion can't be forced down the throats of children in school."
Steinberg said the ACLU has submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to the Muskegon and Muskegon Heights school districts in an attempt to "learn exactly what happened and how the decisions were made."
"We just wanted to have an understanding of what occurred and perhaps we may ask to meet with administrators to ensure religious student liberty is not violated again in the future," he said.
Muskegon Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Schulze has said he was "concerned" about the presentation at Steele and that Principal Arthur Duren had apologized to staff and discussed the matter with students.
Muskegon Heights High School Principal Danny Smith defended Shiloh's presentations at his school, including one about four years ago. He denied that they violate the separation of church and state, though admitted they come close to the line.
Someone should probe and audit the ACLU.
Someday, I hope, Americans will wake up and start bringing counter lawsuits against these pinheads for harassment and interfering with their First Amendment rights.
They found out about this from the newspaper? Not contacted by a parent?
In other words: "I need to justify my existence, I think I'll sue over something I find offensive but no-one complained about"
Oh, no doubt Baldwin was a major league red and the ACLU is a pernicious cancer in our society. I just think the event described in this story stepped over the line of the Establishment Clause. I know the kids weren't harmed in any real sense and some of them may even be thinking about their souls for the very first time!
I don't know just who in the hell the a.c.l.u. think they are but they have absolutely NO RIGHT to investigate anything!There is no law against this type of performance,therefore no investigation is warranted.They should have a "goon"squad at the door to deny entrance to the performance by the a.c.l.u.
Why do they still receive public funding?
The ACLU has as one of its goals the complete elimination of religion in general, and Christianity in particular, from public discussion. And since the ACLU was founded by Stalinists as a communist front in the 1930's.. all areas of human life are considered "public."
Seeing as how this play is not an establishment of religion by congress, it is NOT in any way a violation of the first amendment.
In Christ,
dukeman
It's the "Book of Revelation", no "s".
Only if the judge is a flaming liberal. Give this case and others like it to the federal supreme court and see how it is ruled.
There is no 1st Amendment right or any other right to impose one religious viewpoint on others.
If you consider some religious people as "pinheads", that is your opinion. One man's "true faith" is to another a cult.
The Constitution does not give you or anyone the power of government to advance your faith. You may speak freely, as an individual or private group, but you may not use the police to arrest people as 'infidels' or for blasphemy. You may not use public schools to inculcate a faith belief in prayer. You may not use taxpayer funds to promote one faith perspective.
In every time, priests, preachers, shamans, psychics, palm-readers, astrologers, faith healers, and other non-productives have tried to capture the power of government to protect their status.
Our government is to be secular. Secular means "without regard to faith". It is neutral as regards differing faith beliefs.
Neutral is to be government policy in all public areas. Faith-belief is protected as a personal matter.
The ACLU somehow acquires standing to bring suit. Denying them standing is the way to fight them, I believe.
See Post #4. There is no First Amendment right to force sexual deviancy down the throats of others either. The schools and the ACLU seem to be okay with it though.
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