Missouri legislators in Jefferson City considered a bill that would name Christianity the state's official "majority" religion.

[I'm Gone 60]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

Edited March 24, 2006 by mdyoung

[faith 0]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

However, the consitution is supposed to be the "supreme law of the land" so how can it be right for a state to override that?

[I'm Gone 60]

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

However, the consitution is supposed to be the "supreme law of the land" so how can it be right for a state to override that?

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

The establishment of a state religion, however, would frustrate my freedom of religion right embedded in the first amendment of the US Constituion. No state has the right to take away my constitutionally protected individual rights. Or are you suggesting that if, say, Texas decided to put away with the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure that that would be okay too since the state just exercises it's right? I don't think so...

[I'm Gone 60]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

The establishment of a state religion, however, would frustrate my freedom of religion right embedded in the first amendment of the US Constituion. No state has the right to take away my constitutionally protected individual rights. Or are you suggesting that if, say, Texas decided to put away with the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure that that would be okay too since the state just exercises it's right? I don't think so...

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

Edited March 24, 2006 by mdyoung

[Mirorgate 0]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

The establishment of a state religion, however, would frustrate my freedom of religion right embedded in the first amendment of the US Constituion. No state has the right to take away my constitutionally protected individual rights. Or are you suggesting that if, say, Texas decided to put away with the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure that that would be okay too since the state just exercises it's right? I don't think so...

Considering Texas is the only state in the union that can legally secede.. probably.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

and there's also that little line about "separation of church and state". ALL religion is supposed to be kept out of our schools and government. How offensive do you think it is to other people when the school itself breaks the law and forces the children and parents to take part in or listen to a prayer?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. NO state should be declaring a "state religion". Again.. separation of church and state.

Bill Of Rights says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So once again as with the abortion issue this is a state's rights issue, not a Federal matter.

The establishment of a state religion, however, would frustrate my freedom of religion right embedded in the first amendment of the US Constituion. No state has the right to take away my constitutionally protected individual rights. Or are you suggesting that if, say, Texas decided to put away with the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure that that would be okay too since the state just exercises it's right? I don't think so...

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

That resolution still promotes one religion (yours) over another (mine). And that is clearly against the spirit of freedom of religion. It's wrong any way you slice it. Those bible thumping fools or, as I like to call them, the American Taliban, should have more important issues to address.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Considering Texas is the only state in the union that can legally secede.. probably.

Man, they should have done that 1.5 years ago and kept their guy for President of TX...

[Sister Fracas 5]

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

The resolution would recognize "a Christian god," and it would not protect minority religions, but "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs.

To me that sounds like anyone practicing another religion isn't afforded the same rights of equal protection.

Edited March 24, 2006 by Frances

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

The resolution would recognize "a Christian god," and it would not protect minority religions, but "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs.

To me that sounds like anyone practicing another religion isn't afforded the same rights of equal protection.

What this is really all about is to make students participate in Christian prayer in public schools and that kind of garbage. It's about making Christianity a matter of the public life in every stinkin' corner of that state. It's not at all about the "protection of the majority's right to express their religous beliefs" (they already have that and it ain't endangered), it's about ensuring that the taxpayer (of any creed or no creed at all) funds the shoving down the minority's throats the belief system of the majority. It's about breaking with one of the very priciples that this nation was built upon: THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. It's about the establishment of a theocracy right here in the US of A. It's insane!

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

As far as I can tell, it goes against Missouri's very own Constituion:

Section 7.

That no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion, or in aid of any priest, preacher, minister or teacher thereof, as such; and that no preference shall be given to nor any discrimination made against any church, sect or creed of religion, or any form of religious faith or worship.

Source

Edited March 24, 2006 by ET-US2004

[I'm Gone 60]

As far as I can tell that resolution (Is it even a law) does not restrict anyone from practicing their religion or impose any penalty for doing so, so where are you losing any rights?

The resolution would recognize "a Christian god," and it would not protect minority religions, but "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs.

To me that sounds like anyone practicing another religion isn't afforded the same rights of equal protection.

But does it specifically say minority religion's rights are not protected or just that they are protected is omitted, since it seems that the intent is to put Christians on the same level as other religions are afforded.

[Aymerlu 3]

wow.....my son is 11 and cannot pray before lunch.

So I assume that your son bowed his head and said a prayer before he ate. Can you tell us what happened when he did this?

Also, my son loves reading his Bible. There is free reading time before school, during and after school. He has brought his Bible to school and was told to put it in his backpack!

Might this be because it was time for class and anyone doing personal reading would have been asked to put it away?

Personally, I feel that in a way we as Christians are persecuted because we cannot express our religion openly like we were able to in the past because other religions are offended. Like I said before, I respect other religions, but the U.S is a prodominantly christian country.

Well, let's see. I'm a Christian. I was allowed to go to a Catholic college, where I attended Mass and sang in the choir. I even went on Christian service trips. And now I have a good job, I go to church, I tell people I'm Christian if they happen to ask and I don't get interrogated or thrown in jail. Please tell me how I'm being persecuted, because dammit, if I can get some money out of this, I will!

Sure, I will tell you what happened. I got a phone call from the principal saying that I needed to discuss to my son why he cannot pray at school. Then later in the day I got a phone call from his teacher. His teacher did not know that I had already been informed regarding the "incident." And he was told to get ANOTHER book during the personal reading time. Now the kids are told they can bring any book from home, the library, etc to read during this time, but he could not read the Bible. I by no means am a parent that pushes religion on my children. Yes, I go to church and I pray and I try to be an example for my kids. Everything else they are learning on their own. Personally I really don't pray before my meals,but my son wants to and I feel that is his choice.

I am not saying that Christians are being "persecuted." We have no idea what persecuting is. I just don't think it's fair that the freedom of religion is not really a freedom when we cannot express it.

[pax 0]

Please spare me the argument that Christians are this persecuted endangered species. The resolution quite obviously contradicts both Missouri's own constitution and the United States Constitution. End of story.

Again, I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how I'm being persecuted for being a Christian.

Re: Aymerlu: So your son was praying individually before his meal? And they told him he couldn't? I bet the ACLU would have a field day with that. Give them a call. I'm not being sarcastic. If he was being stopped from praying on an independent, individual basis, the school is panicking, to put it mildly.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

... it seems that the intent is to put Christians on the same level as other religions are afforded.

Does that not make you chuckle? Christians are worse off in Missouri today than, say, Muslims and Hindus?

And what about the Missouri Constitution that prohibits the government to give preference to any religion?

[Aymerlu 3]

Please spare me the argument that Christians are this persecuted endangered species. The resolution quite obviously contradicts both Missouri's own constitution and the United States Constitution. End of story.

Again, I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how I'm being persecuted for being a Christian.

Re: Aymerlu: So your son was praying individually before his meal? And they told him he couldn't? I bet the ACLU would have a field day with that. Give them a call. I'm not being sarcastic. If he was being stopped from praying on an independent, individual basis, the school is panicking, to put it mildly.

Shoot......I seriously doubt the bill will be passed anyway so I'm really not going to stress about it. I have enough to think about right now.