Posted on 05/08/2009 2:26:26 AM PDT by Cindy
The Rutherford Institute is suing a Billings, Montana, school over a graduation decision.
John Whitehead, founder of the Institute, says many people were scheduled to speak at the 2008 Butte High School graduation. Some chose serious subjects, others humor, he says.
"Renee Griffith, who is a Christian, wanted to mention Christ once and mention God once in one of her very short remarks, and the school said she couldn't do it," he explains. "She [insisted she] wanted to do it, so then they actually removed her from the graduation ceremony and did not allow her to speak."
According to a Rutherford press release, the co-valedictorian was ordered to replace two phrases in her speech -- "sharing Christ" and "lived with a purpose from God with a passionate love for Him" -- with the following phrases: "sharing my faith" and "lived with a purpose, a purpose derived from my faith and based on a love of mankind."
(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com ...
The first amendment is dead. It is now being interpreted to mean exactly the opposite of what it says.
Somehow the courts don’t understand the basics of the Constitution. It is a documents which empowers the federal government with limited powers. That is it. The document does not apply to anyone else. Churches are not under the Constitution. An individual is not under the Constitution. It is impossible for an individual or a church to violate the Constitution.
It’s nice that you can afford Private school and that you made the sacrifice to send your kids. However there are thousands who dont have that $5,000 dollars a year to send their kids to private school.Are their rights to be violated?? I dont think so.
Will it be ok for you when a Valendictorian begins his speech with “Forever Allah”...Pray to Muslims everywhere? That is what is coming if we don’t get this kind of situations taken care of.
This cannot be the same Montana reported here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2245330/posts
Kind of thows that story down the drain.
The speech should have started, “In compliance with the censors wishes and the complete restriction of our formerly guaranteed right of free speech ...”
Where do you see that in the Constitution? There is no separation to protect the state from the Church! Citizens are free to exercise their religion at all times in all places... including public office. What they can’t do is mandate their religion for the rest of us.
The same place where you see "...is that the church shall be protected FROM the state."
The principles go hand in hand.
The state is prohibited from establishing a church - this protects all churches against discriminatory practices and protects the state from allowing any one church to have an undue influence.
IOW - Freedom OF Religion and not Freedom FROM Religion (which is what so many Libtards insist upon)!
You’re confusing me. I’m working on an iPhone or I’d copy and paste... Re we agreeing with each other? I was responding to your assertion that the state should be protected from the Church... now you post the opposite...
From email:
THE SNEEZE
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing .. and the traditional caps, they looked almost .. as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears..
This class would NOT pray during the commencements——not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.
The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student wal ked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened.
H
All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!
The student on stage.. simply looked at the audience and said,
‘GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!’ And he walked off stage...
The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God’s blessing on their future with or without the court’s approval.
Isn’t this a wonderful story?
Love it!
Pop it into your email and send it on.
And
GOD BLESS YOU!
There still is not Constitution-based stretch of the imagination that can reasonably be mutated to rule utter "separation of Church and state."
Yes, it’s a beautiful account.
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