An Example Of The Absurdity I Love So Much

[GotZoom]

Gary schools sued over religious rights

GARY, Ind. — A woman who pulled her 13-year-old son out of classes so he could attend a five-day religious festival is suing school officials for refusing to count those days as an excused absence.

The Indiana Civil Liberties Union sued the Tri-Creek School Corp. last month, arguing that the district’s policy infringes on the right of Ruth Scheidt’s son to worship.

Both Scheidt and her son, who attends Lowell Middle School, are members of the United Church of God in Munster. The Christian-based faith does not celebrate Christmas or Easter, but instead observes a weeklong event called Festival of the Holy Days. Last fall, the mother and son attended the event, which ran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 7.

Although Scheidt had informed school officials her son would miss five days of classes, the school counted the missed days as unexcused absences.

Under Tri-Creek’s policy, only illness, death of an immediate family member and certain court appearances are considered excused absences. The school does not accept planned absences, such as family vacations and trips, as excused absences.

Jacquelyn Bowie Suess, an attorney for the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, said Scheidt wants the school to excuse her son’s absences and allow him to make up any missed assignments. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages.

The ICLU believes the policy violates the family’s First and 14th Amendment rights by discriminating against the way it chooses to worship.

Rest of Story: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050613/NEWS01/50613014

Now the absurdity:

Jesus and the Statehouse

Many religions represented in House prayers

By Luke Messer

No doubt, Indiana is about to re-enter the national news. The Indiana Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against Indiana Speaker of the House Brian Bosma for allowing prayer before each day’s legislative session. The ICLU argues that while prayer in the legislature is not necessarily inappropriate, since Bosma and House Republicans took over the Statehouse this year, the prayers have not reflected Indiana’s diverse religious communities.

Specifically, the ICLU’s legal director, Ken Falk, argues that “At least 26 prayers were clearly Christian. They were clearly praising Jesus, which is appropriate in your home or church, but it’s not appropriate for the state of Indiana to be doing from the floor of the General Assembly.”

The ICLU’s lawsuit is a dangerous attack on religious liberty, and Bosma has vowed to fight left-wing efforts to require removal of references to Jesus from prayers at the Statehouse. According to Bosma, “The day the Indiana Civil Liberties Union dictates free speech on the floor of the Indiana House is the day that democracy begins to decline.”

As Americans, we all understand the importance of religious tolerance. But the prayers given during this year’s legislative session were respectful of all faiths. A wide variety of religious leaders including ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis, ministers and an imam all led the House of Representatives in the prayer.

Rest of story: http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/11882950.htm

 

[Mr. P]

Well this is gonna be a fun weekend..
And I was going fishin too...Geeezzz
Thanks GotZoom!!! LOL

 

[acludem]

Well, well, well, looky here, and I thought the ACLU was anti-christian. What's this? They are fighting for a Christian's right to worship? And yes, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union is a branch of the ACLU. This is yet more proof that the ACLU fights to protect the rights of all Americans to worship as they see fit or not to worship at all.

acludem

 

[Avatar4321]

Well, well, well, looky here, and I thought the ACLU was anti-christian. What's this? They are fighting for a Christian's right to worship? And yes, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union is a branch of the ACLU. This is yet more proof that the ACLU fights to protect the rights of all Americans to worship as they see fit or not to worship at all.

acludem

How do you get that they are fighting for a christians right to worship when the article says:

Specifically, the ICLU’s legal director, Ken Falk, argues that “At least 26 prayers were clearly Christian. They were clearly praising Jesus, which is appropriate in your home or church, but it’s not appropriate for the state of Indiana to be doing from the floor of the General Assembly.”

Sounds pretty clear that they are saying its not appropriate to express religious views or worship in public. Dont see how you can say otherwise.

 

[acludem]

Once again, they were fighting for this Christian boy and his parents' right to pull him out of school for religious (in this case Christian) observance without penalty. As for the prayers in the statehouse, they should be non-denominational and inclusive of other religions besides Christianity. I know the Congress regular have clergy from many different religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc) to open the day with a prayer from their respective religion. Indiana has been excluding all religions except Christianity, a clear establishment of Christianity as the official state religion of Indiana by virtue of exclusion.

acludem

 

[Gem]

A broken watch is correct twice a day, ACLUdem. That doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be repaired.

 

[5stringJeff]

Once again, they were fighting for this Christian boy and his parents' right to pull him out of school for religious (in this case Christian) observance without penalty. acludem

I think this is the third case where I've seen the ACLU come to the defense of Christians. Out of thousands. Pretty bad average there.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Once again, they were fighting for this Christian boy and his parents' right to pull him out of school for religious (in this case Christian) observance without penalty. As for the prayers in the statehouse, they should be non-denominational and inclusive of other religions besides Christianity. I know the Congress regular have clergy from many different religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc) to open the day with a prayer from their respective religion. Indiana has been excluding all religions except Christianity, a clear establishment of Christianity as the official state religion of Indiana by virtue of exclusion.

acludem

They'r just laying the groundwork for a month off at ramadan.

 

[xandy123]

A broken watch is correct twice a day, ACLUdem. That doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be repaired.

? How does a broken watch have anything to do with the ACLU. First off the ACLU is not broken it's always been against things like prayer in schools. How can you fix the ACLU its not a government organization, thats like saying fix the NAACP. What the ACLU does has never changed. They attack primarily christian influence in the public sector and the government because the united states is mostly made up of christians. Whether its right to have prayer in school is up to debate.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

? How does a broken watch have anything to do with the ACLU.

It's called an anology. In the broken watch scenario, if one looks at the broken watch at the exact time when the watch stopped, one might mistakenly infer that the watch is in perfect working order, even though it is broken.

First off the ACLU is not broken it's always been against things like prayer in schools.

Things CAN be consistently broken.

How can you fix the ACLU its not a government organization, thats like saying fix the NAACP.

Are you asserting that non governmental organizations can never change, or be improved? That seems foolish.

What the ACLU does has never changed.

What does consistency prove again?

They attack primarily christian influence in the public sector and the government

Yes. They are anti christian.

because the united states is mostly made up of christians.

Are you asserting it is right and proper to only criticize something that's a majority opinion? Do you fear the tyranny of the majority?

 

[dilloduck]

Well, well, well, looky here, and I thought the ACLU was anti-christian. What's this? They are fighting for a Christian's right to worship? And yes, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union is a branch of the ACLU. This is yet more proof that the ACLU fights to protect the rights of all Americans to worship as they see fit or not to worship at all.

acludem

Token BS. As RW stated, this will be used to get an excused absence for every day some religion feels to be special.---why don't you post the ACLUs' mission statement here for all to examine and discuss? Ashamed or just afraid?