Freedom of Speech Only Applies to Those Who Don’t Believe in God
August 20, 2009 10 Comments
We live in the greatest country on earth where we cherish life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and boast the First Amendment to our Constitution as being the best thing about being an American. However, when it comes to the topic of religion or lack thereof it’s those who profess to believe in the Christian God who seem to get the shaft when it comes to the freedom of speech.
One example that has happened lately on this matter is in Florida where a principal and an athletic director are being criminally charged for saying a prayer to a room full of adults. Do you think this same thing would have happened if a Muslim wanted to pray to Allah? Would they threaten to throw the Muslim in jail for exercising his/her freedom on speech? Of course not because our country is all about diversity and being able to express yourself and welcoming all different views of religion. Unless, of course, your religion happens to be the Christian one.
Anther example happened right here in Des Moines, Iowa, when the DART buses started carrying advertisements for atheists saying that it is okay not to believe in God. I cringe at this because the DART buses are known for striking down pedestrians, and if anybody needs to know God it is those who venture in the proximity of a DART bus. The ads were eventually taken off because of immense criticism but then DART was forced to put them back up by the ACLU. Do you really think a pro-God advertisement would have won this battle? Heck no, because our country is only diverse when it comes to non-God things. What’s most disturbing is that a DART employee has been suspended because she didn’t want to drive a bus that directly violated her faith. There were buses that didn’t have the atheist ad on them but DART decided to suspend her instead of giving her one of those buses to drive.
I realize that many races, religions, etc… are discriminated against at one time or another but it seems like when it comes to belief in God then that discrimination is okay and it is wrong to cry foul. Remember, tolerance only exists if the other side agrees with you which is why I better keep my mouth shut about President Obama’s latest “decision.”
ROFL….that is the funniest thing I read all day. In the same breath you say, “Freedom of Speech Only Applies to Those Who Don’t Believe in God” AND “The ads were eventually taken off because of immense criticism.” Uh, last I knew criticism WAS freedom of speech – - and if it was IMMENSE, then people who DO believe enjoy the same freedoms as those who do not.
You asked “Do you think this same thing would have happened if a Muslim wanted to pray to Allah?” Well yeah…and not only that, but the parents of the christian children who were present in the room would likely cause IMMENSE CRITICISM and call for the muslim’s job.
Truth be told, christians in this country have a pretty easy time sharing their beliefs without being criticized or the like.
The “immense criticism” of the ad on the bus came from a wide range of people and not just religious groups, so that’s why the ads were taken down. And yes, people may call for the Muslim’s job but it would never result in a criminal trial because for them there is freedom of religion. (By the way, there were no kids present in the Florida case.)
What country do you live in?
I apologize that I did not state my response in the correct manner.
Number 1 – The people charged in the criminal suit are NOT being charged for praying, but for “violating the conditions of a lawsuit settlement reached last year.”
Number 2 – If the same were to happen with a Muslim or any other issue where a lawsuit settlement was reached and it was VIOLATED, then YES, whosoever doeth the deed will face criminal charges.
Number 3 – Christians really do have an advantage in the United States of America, the country where I currently reside, as they are currently in the religious majority.
My apologies for not reading the link when I posted the first time.
How can the bus advertisement violate her faith? Is it part of her faith to deny that some people don’t believe in God?
The sign on the bus indicates some people don’t share her faith. That’s all it does.
She must be both intolerant and insecure if she can’t stand for a little dialogue about whether God is Dead, etc.
Where is her faith in America?
It also looks like you misrepresented the Florida case. Their jail time will be for contempt of court, since they earlier agreed in court not to promote their religion at school, and now they have shown contempt for the court settlement.
Asking someone to say the blessing before a meal is promoting religion? The people in the room were not forced to pray nor was their any “promotion” to pray or that you should pray or instruction on how to pray. Someone said the BLESSING. Holy smokes.
If it’s not “promoting” religion, it certainly is “establishing” religion. A non-religious person could see clearly that a presumption of religion had been established by the school employees.
You’re reaching with that one, Jerry.
DART has opened a stinky can of unfair worms. There will be the “rest of the story” on this one!
What happened to my country its turned upside down its like i woke up and we have gone through some time warp. Its amazing if i speak out as christian im immediately attacked you dont see me trying to stop someone being a athiest. Im not going to try to convince you so dont try to convert me either. Leave me alone and go off into your athiest world and leave us christians alone. This country wasnt so bad when we used to use some discipline on kids in school and had teachers that wasnt afraid to make you mind. My how things have changed since they got God taken out of the schools and most of our lives.