"The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children."
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
An elementary school in Hamilton County, Florida was recently
targeted by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and accused
of a "constitutional violation" in regards to a club called the
Fellowship Of Christian Athletes, which the FFRF claims,
was "indoctrinating children into religion."
On March 29th of this year, Samantha Lawrence, a legal fellow with
the FFRF, wrote a letter to Hamilton County District Superintendent
Dorothy Lee Wetherington-Zamora in which she claimed that
the lone elementary school in the small Florida community
of Jasper was "alienating" and "excluding" nonreligious
families, as well as "violating" students First Amendment
rights by "organizing, leading, and promoting a religious club."
Of course, the school district caved into the bullying tactics of the
Freedom From Religion Foundation, a non-profit organization
which since 1976 has advocated for the rights of atheists, agnostics,
and nontheists, as well as the promotion of separation of church
and state, while challenging the legitimacy of faith-based
federal and state programs.
Some of the FFRF's past exploits have included suing
a Tennessee elementary school on behalf of The Satanic Temple,
suing former New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesa Way for forcing
public office candidates to swear a religious oath, and ensuring that a
Latin cross was taken down at Chino Valley Adult School in California.*
Yet, has anyone stopped to consider that atheism, agnosticism, and
nontheistic beliefs can also be considered religions? And, that the
definition of "religious freedom" is the right," to think, express, and act
upon what you deeply believe, according to the dictates of conscience."
No one is stopping the adherents of these religions of no religion or
belief from thinking and expressing what they sincerely believe.
I dare say that no one was probably twisting the arms of
"nonreligious" students and demanding that they join
this elementary school club, either.
Unfortunately, like most school districts today, the officials
in Hamilton County probably feared an impending lawsuit
and acquiesced to the demands of the FFRC. Meanwhile, the
accusers represented by them remain cloaked in anonymity.
"Banning students from having a religious club at school while
permitting other, secular clubs is a travesty that teaches children their
faith is unwelcome and must be hidden," says First Liberty Institute
Deputy General Counsel Justin Butterfield.
Instead of fighting back against the ludicrous charges lobbied by the FFRF,
school officials chose to punish these kids by taking away their freedom
"to think, express, and act upon" what they deeply believe.
This is just what the enemies of Christ in this nation are counting on.
*News Source: The Daily Signal
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