Louisiana public school actively promotes Christianity

You misplaced your apostrophe in "framers'"

 

I don't have a problem with a "moment of reflection" which is what they do at one of the local schools. Nothing is allowed to be said during the 20-30 second silence.

They do that at one of the schools (not the one my kids go to) and a parent complained but withdrew the complaint when there was a lack of support from the school board to get rid of it.

 

Didn't we cover this on another thread recently? Jefferson didn't have enough influence on the founding of this country to convince you?

“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.” ― James Madison.

“The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” ― John Adams.

“Government in our democracy, state and national, must be neutral in matters of religious theory, doctrine, and practice. It may not be hostile to any religion or to the advocacy of no-religion; and it may not aid, foster, or promote one religion or religious theory against another or even against the militant opposite. The First Amendment mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion." ― Epperson v. Arkansas.

 

That court case is like 200 years after the framing.

I don't think either of the quotes from dead white guys contradicts what I think is a pretty settled historical understanding that the Establishment Clause was mostly intended to prevent the federal government from interfering with the states' abilities to establish official religions.

 

Religion has played a role in public life throughout the history of the United States. There have always been disenters, of course (someone mentioned Thomas Jefferson) and that's fine. I'm not advocating putting people in jail like some Islamic countries do. But it's silly that people freak out at the first mention of God or the Bible in a public place. It's just a part of life, culture, history, take it for whatever you think it's worth.

 

I quoted the court case as modern reinforcement.

How you reach your conclusion about intent based on the Establishment Clause and everything that followed, which we've already discussed, is beyond me.

 

On the general subject: Where were all these 19th and early 20th century liberals when those courthouse salutes to the nation's cultural (religious) heritage were erected?

 

Yeah, I don't care about that.

 

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1341747?uid=3739656&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21103414486043

"(T)he original purpose of the Clause was to prevent Congress from interfering with the variety of church-state relationships that existed in 1791."

 

Who cares?

 

Fair enough.

I don't care about religion and I believe no government entity anywhere has the right to impose one on me.

Anyone who attempts to do so or issues a ruling stating otherwise is someone I don't care to associate with.

 

Oh, we're in agreement.

Just not on the historical purpose of the EC.