Tag Archives: Church and State

Religious Freedom and American Government

CNN carried an article on Wednesday about Vice President Biden’s “stimulus oversight meeting.”  Neither the article nor the accompanying photo caption mentioned what many noticed in the photo. 

Biden is a professed Catholic, and he evidently observed Ash Wednesday.  Even though he is Vice President of the United States, and even though he was acting in his official capacity in front of the world, he is Constitutionally guaranteed the right to religious free exercise.

The same is true for members of the military.  Read more

Supreme Court Rules on Summum

An interesting case was decided at the Supreme Court earlier this week.  Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum had centered on Summum’s contention that since the city had erected a Ten Commandments on public property, they were bound to erect Summum’s “Seven Aphorisms” as well.  The Supreme Court ruled–unanimously–against Summum.  The case was litigated on free speech grounds, and Summum has indicated they will refile the case on church/state separation grounds.

The case is interesting because of its implications for religious freedom in the military.  Read more

Liberty Counsel: Stimulus Bill a “War on Prayer”

Fox News carries an interesting article based on a Liberty Counsel press release about the current “stimulus package” being debated in Congress.  In a section designating funds for schools, the legislation says that funds may not be used for

modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities (i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or (ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission.

Interestingly, Fox News chose to put a picture of the US Naval Academy Chapel as the article’s illustration.  Liberty Counsel maintains that the restriction is discrimination based on viewpoint, while Americans United for the Separation of Church and State calls it “Constitutional.”

A Harvard Law professor is quoted as saying there are certainly Constitutional concerns with the legislation, but given the current judicial direction it is unlikely the Liberty Counsel would prevail.

Opposition to Warren Inflated

Several news sites have reported on the results of a Gallup Poll that indicates the media may have generated a perception of “controversy” where none existed.

The poll indicated that, contrary to recent news stories, less than 10% of Americans disapproved of Obama’s choice of Pastor Rick Warren for his inaugural invocation.  In fact, even among liberals and Democrats, Warren’s approval was far higher than his disapproval.  By far the greatest number of respondents replied that they “didn’t know enough to say.”  This led Gallup to conclude that

News media accounts of negative reactions…reflect…vocal positions of interest groups [rather] than an opinion…shared by the majority of the American public.

Ironically, Warren himself said in December that he believed the media was responsible for “the demonization of differences” that is polarizing and destructive to America:

The media often fans controversy and conflict to create a story and we start yelling at each other so much, nobody listens to each other anymore.

In short, the news media limited its reporting to vocal activists, because outside of those groups, there wasn’t a story.  Some might say the on-again, off-again coverage of the military-religious “controversy” bears similar hallmarks.

Congressman Advocates for Chaplains’ Prayer

Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC, 3rd District) has introduced a bill that would

ensure that every military chaplain has the prerogative to close a prayer outside of a religious service according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience.

Similar legislation failed previously, though it caused negotiations that ultimately resulted in the rescinsion of military “guidelines” that had restricted the content of Chaplains’ prayers.

Mitch Lewis, an Army Methodist Chaplain, wrote an interesting commentary in November 2007 (and recently revisited) on this very subject, presenting a reasoned view that prayers at military ceremonies Read more

President Proclaims “Religious Freedom Day”

President Bush has made the annual proclamation of “Religious Freedom Day” for 16 January 2009.  As noted in his proclamation, it is a recognition of the 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson and passed on January 16th, 1786.  Notably, this was before the Constitution (signed in 1787), of which Jefferson had no part, and the Bill of Rights (passed in 1789), of which Jefferson was one of the leading proponents.

Interestingly, the President also notes

Freedom is not a grant of government or a right for Americans alone; it is the birthright of every man, woman, and child throughout the world. No human freedom is more fundamental than the right to worship in accordance with one’s conscience.

While some point to the Constitution as the origin of our freedoms, the President emphasizes that these are human liberties, whose “origin” is not restricted to “a grant of government.”

Religious Freedom Day is also advocated by a private organization at ReligousFreedomDay.com.

Championship Winner’s Witness Criticized

As noted at the ChristianPost, Tim Tebow (as discussed previously) donned a new verse on the blacks under his eyes during his victory in the 2009 College Championship football game: John 3:16.

An atheist blogger had this initial (unedited) response:

I just want to watch a football game; I don’t want to be prosetylized to.

While he later qualified his own cynicism, he demonstrated an interesting and increasingly common prejudice toward public expressions of Christianity. Read more

Heisman Winners Share a Common Faith

The ChristianPost notes that Athletes in Action highlights the stories of both Heisman quarterbacks playing the championship game this year.

Tim Tebow (Florida Gators) was actually covered here last year, as yet another Christian who desired to use his platform to share his faith, and who prioritized his God above all else.  (He even has “Phil 4:13” on the blacks under his eyes when he plays.)

Sam Bradford (Oklahoma Sooners) listed his time in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes through high school and college as central to the growth and strength of his faith.  Perhaps ironically, the FCA–which Fisher Deberry also supported–and its role in high schools and colleges is a frequent topic of controversy; complaints on church/state separation grounds have become common.

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