Remember the story from the 26th about a few atheists freaking out over schoolkids being brought to a church to watch a play based on A Charlie Brown Christmas? Yeah, about that
(The Blaze) Charlie Brown may be a harmless cartoon character, but atheist activists in Little Rock, Arkansas, have pushed fervently to prevent a local public school from seeing a church production featuring the popular children’s figure. In the wake of the intense controversy over Terry Elementary School’s decision to send children to see “A Charlie Brown Christmasâ€Â at Agape Church, the house of worship has now cancelled the student matinee performance of the show.
While the children who were excited to attend the play may be disappointed, Agape’s pastor, Happy Caldwell, made it clear that the decision was made in the best interest of the teachers and actors, alike — parties who would, no doubt, come under fire if the production continued as planned.
“It is not our desire to put hard-working, sacrificial teachers and cast members in harm’s way,†Caldwell said in a statement to Fox News. “While we regret the loss of students who will not get this particular opportunity right now, we have taken the school matinees off the table.â€
Fortunately, it was just the shows that would have been special ones so that school kids could voluntarily attend with their parents permission that were cancelled. Agape Church will still have their regular shows on the 15th and 16th.
Well, I’m kinda wondering why the play was not brought TO the school.
That would have had the liberals in tizzy!
I thought that ‘Bullying’ was forbidden in school? Atheist can push people around and force their non belief?
Bah Humbug. It only takes one nasty small hearted bully to ruin the fun for the rest of the population. I am sick and tired of this behavior! You don’t see Christians blocking other religions from their celebrations, or Jews trying to end Christian traditions. But atheists feel the need to spoil everyone else’s happiness. How much hate can a person have, to want to ruin a little kids Christmas play?
Dunno trish. Ask Louis Farrakan.
I left a comment on another post by mistake. This is the story I was referring to:
If the Charlie Browns Merry Christmas has “religious value” and is performed IN a religious venue, then this is a violation of the strict principle of maintaining a “perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters.†It is the law regardless if we like it, we are a nation of law.
Only two question the court will concern themselves with (if this were to go that far):
1. Is it performed IN a
religious venue Answer = Yes
2. Does it have “religious value†i.e., promote one religion? Answer = Yes
That will be the end of that, if it goes to court. Religious institutions lose these cases almost all every time. It’s the law.
Come on RA. Don’t be so thick. Charlie Brown is not religious and has not SPECIFIC religion denoted. Unless you want to call it Druidism for its worship of the tree.
And, sigh, there is no LAW banning the contact of public\state held events or agencies with religious-based or religious-tied organizations.
Does your city do business with the local catholic charities? the local catholic hospital? Does your school pick up kindergarten kids from the local church that hosts a daycare?
What has been happening are RULES passed down by judges. There is no law and there is nothing in the constitution pushing any form of separation except that the constitution is prevented from PUSHING or FAVORING a specific religion upon the people. As we have no state religion here, and the state (meaning the FEDS) has never pushed a religion upon people, then we are fine and dandy.
The people can push whatever they want. The people can bring in whatever religion with them. The states and local governments are not bound by any federal constitutional mandates either.
I’m sick and tired of people claiming traditional cultural icons, items, things… are religious!!!
and people say there is no attack on christmas.
I support the strict principle of maintaining a “perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters.†It’s a religious play being held at a religious institution. You can’t take public school kids to a church! That’s basic common sense. It’s NOT Charlie Brown the cartoon character, it’s the message and content of the performance. You can’t wrap Jesus in a Charlie Brown costume. Nice try.
Charlie Brown is Jesus ?!?!!!!?!??
I agree with republic affair. American kids and their parents are way to stupid. Every day I see innocent people walking by churches and synagogues and instantly convert to those religions they represent.Why, did you know that if you turn a candy cane upside down it looks like a J… FOR JESUS? I’m glad that there are smart people out there watching over us, protecting us from the evils of living moral and just lives. We fought real hard to exclude God so that we could make porn, abortion and gay marriage actual civil rights, replacing that silly constitution thingy, with all it’s blather about the government forbidden to mess with religion. The sooner we get rid of all that old style thinking,(Constitution, God,religion,morals,values etc…) the better!No that’s common sense!
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Let’s remember that separation of church and state was designed by our founding fathers to protect the church from the government interfering in their worship and beliefs, not the otehr way around
Not so. It’s a two-way-street. Our leading founders saw religion as one of two great threats to liberty. The government needs protection from the church as well. Just look at the Christian Nationalists like David Barton who work towards establishing a theocracy… Spooky stuff.
Not even close. Our founding fathers were very religious and were very intent in assuring that our republic was founded upon a belief that there is a higher being guiding us, giving us our inherent rights, and being the basis for our laws and reason for being.
Please don’t be an idiot.
This is an essay that I wrote using the actual historical record: http://www.republicaffair.com/defending-the-wall-part-one-article-vi.html
Please be specific as to where I’m mistaken. In other words, back-up your opinion with actual facts. If you think David Barton is somehow legitimate source, we probably will not be able to have an honest dialogue, as only the most extreme Christians take Barton as a illegitimate historical source. I’ve written much on Barton. His last book was pulled by his publisher once actual historians exposed all his fabrication. Even Christian historians has dismissed Barton.