College Denies Religious Court Credit

I am steamed about this one. I read this story (found at http://www.sfgate.com/) today on KLove.com. Below is a snippet of the article...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge says the University of California can deny course credit to applicants from Christian high schools whose textbooks declare the Bible infallible and reject evolution.

Rejecting claims of religious discrimination and stifling of free expression, U.S. District Judge James Otero of Los Angeles said UC's review committees cited legitimate reasons for rejecting the texts - not because they contained religious viewpoints, but because they omitted important topics in science and history and failed to teach critical thinking.

Otero's ruling Friday, which focused on specific courses and texts, followed his decision in March that found no anti-religious bias in the university's system of reviewing high school classes. Now that the lawsuit has been dismissed, a group of Christian schools has appealed Otero's rulings to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

"It appears the UC is attempting to secularize private religious schools," attorney Jennifer Monk of Advocates for Faith and Freedom said Tuesday. Her clients include the Association of Christian Schools International, two Southern California high schools and several students.

Click Here to read the rest of the story...

I have a huge issue with this. The college claims that students should not receive credit for their classes because "they omitted important topics in science and history". What about classes that fail to teach the Bible or creation. I think that those classes omit "important topics in science and history". I am so sick of people misconstruing the intent of the First Amendment. It does not saying anything about separation of church and state - it has two clauses: (1) the Free Exercise Clause that prevents the government from passing any law that would interfere with one's right to worship or exercise their religion and (2) the Establishment Clause that prohibits the government from taking stances on issues as to put one religion higher than another or to establish a national religion.

In this case I think the judges ruling violates the constitution. He has established that classes that leave out important aspects of science such as evolution are not OK, but classes that leave out important aspects of science and history such as creation are OK (violation of the Constitution in my opinion). Had this been a class that taught on a Hindu principle such as reincarnation I don't think we would have an issue.

This makes me so mad. Let's at least be fair. I say we teach it all or don't teach anything. Either teach creation with evolution or don't teach evolution at all. Its only fair!

10 Commandments Allowed to Stay in Ohio Courtroom

I found this story linked on KLOVE.com today. The story talks about the ACLU's demand for a judge to censor a document posted in the courtroom titled "Philosophies of Law in Conflict" because the Ten Commandments are included.

"It is truly unfortunate that the ACLU apparently has nothing better to do than to file baseless charges against a dedicated public servant like Judge [James] DeWeese," said Francis J. Manion, a senior counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice.

"A first-year law student – looking at the facts and law of this case – could have told the ACLU that there never was a legal basis for this ridiculous contempt charge," Manion said. "We're pleased that the [federal] court acted expeditiously in tossing out this latest gambit in the ACLU's ongoing harassment of Judge DeWeese."

The ACLU strive to take God out of everything. I mean a simple poster that has the 10 Commandments listed has to be removed from a courtroom. I mean seriously. Well the Bible speaks of this. There will be a great pulling away from God in the last day. I just pray that everything I hold sacred (my right to worship) isn't completely striped away. This may sound crazy to a lot of people, but having prayer taken out of school sounded crazy years ago, as did a woman having the right to an abortion. We are living in wicked times and I have learned to expect the unexpected.

What happened to the days of our founding. This nation was founded on God and the principles and laws that could be found in the Bible. The Ten Commandments should stay in the court simply because they are history. They show laws of the past. I am so sick of the hypocricy. We have to take away things from Christians because it makes non-Christians feel bad, but if something make me, a Christian, feel bad, well then I am out of luck. I have to deal with it.

I would like to know how you feel about this decision and separation of church and state. How far should it go? Do you think our country is biased? Comment and let me know what you think!

Father and Son Enlist and Mom Turns to Faith

I found this story on the LA Times Website by Jia-Rui Chong and thought it was great. You can check out the full story by clicking here!

Devie Olivas was having trouble focusing on the pastor's sermon. Her thoughts kept coming back to her son Joseph M. Rankins. "God, I have so much faith in you," she prayed silently. "Why do I feel like my son is not coming back?"

She knew that the next day her 19-year-old boy would stand next to his 40-year-old father -- her former husband -- and swear into the U.S. Army.Devie had asked her former husband, Gary J. Rankins, to talk to their son about the Army. Gary had been in the Army before and was reenlisting now after growing frustrated with his work with a delivery company.It was a story the news media, and the public, couldn't resist: father and son enlisting together. But behind the scenes were a mother's hopes and worries, and a newfound relationship between a father and son.

That Sunday at the International Pentecostal Church in Bellflower, Devie reached for the Bible next to her. She found the heading "God's Promises" and a verse from Genesis.The verse told of God stopping Abraham's hand as he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac: "I swear by myself," declares the Lord, "that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you."An ocean of relief washed over her.

Please go here for the full story.

Prayer in Schools

I got this in an email earlier this week and saw a couple posts on Facebook about it...

This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games,to say a prayer and play the National Anthem,to honor God and Country. Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law.

As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it 'an alternate lifestyle,' and if someone is offended, that's OK. I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, 'safe sex.' If someone is offended, that's OK. I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a 'viable' means of birth control. If someone is offended, no problem... I can designate a school day as 'Earth Day' and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess 'Mother Earth' and call it 'ecology.' I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong,traditional Christian convictions as 'simple minded' and 'ignorant' and call it 'enlightenment.' However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated. This appears to be inconsistent at best,and at worst, diabolical.

Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments. Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression. For this reason, I shall 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's' (1), and refrain from praying at this time. However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM in the name of JESUS, to Bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law ----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box! The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court ofthe United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the one nation, under GOD. Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee Remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains! JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER." (2)

1 - Allusion to Matthew 22:212

2 - Matthew 10:33 (Indirect quotation)