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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Losing our rights - The First Amendment

I'm not the most religious person.  I believe in God, I believe in Jesus and heaven and hell, but I'm not one to be overly open about it.  We don't go to church like we should but we're raising our children with a Lutheran background.

I do not need to be a right winged conservative to recognize a problem though.  The other day, my sister-in-law posted on Facebook a link to a Christian blog with the post, "Intolerant Atheists Viciously Attack Christian School".  As I said, I may not be the most vocal about my religion, but attacking religions is just plain wrong and deserves to be vocalized.

So I went ahead and checked it out and saw, in black and white, what I've noticed happening for quite some time.  Reverse prejudice and this time toward religion.

I am an American, I have every right to teach my child my beliefs of my religion.  Many of the beliefs they talk about in the blog I do not agree with BUT I do believe that it is, without a doubt, their religious right.

Our government, our country, was built on religious freedom.  Freedom from persecution.  Freedom from intolerance.  Freedom to choose.  As a Christian I have as many rights as every other religion and that includes teaching my children how I want them to be taught.  I have every right to teach my child, as long as it does not harm or suggest harm to themselves or others, as I see proper and right.

Believing in someone's religion is different than agreeing with it.  Accepting it as the right way is different than accepting them as a citizen with rights.

For those who are questioning what exactly are those rights?  Where can you find them?

The United States Constitution - First Amendment - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

I think many people forget the freedom of religion in the First Amendment, often remembering freedom of speech and press, but forgetting that the very first thing that is written by our forefathers is about religious freedom.  Before the freedom of speech to slander another's religion comes another's freedom to choose that said religion.
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It's not just the US either:

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

According to United Nations Website the declaration was a direct result of WWII to prevent the atrocities that occurred from ever happening again.
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Why is this school being persecuted?  Because it's an easy target.  They're not teaching what is the norm.  They aren't teaching what is accepted by the mass of Americans.  No, instead, they are teaching what they believe in.  The parent that started this all was mad because of their own failure.  They chose to not look at what their child was learning.  They didn't ask the school what their belief was on evolution, science, and history, both geological and human.  This is a failure of the parents, not the school.

Is it the press's right to talk about it?  I suppose.  Is it their right to attack them?  No.  Is it other American's rights to talk about it?  Sure, what do you think I'm doing.  Is it their right to send hate letters and threats?  Absolutely not.  Is it the parents' choice to ask about their child's education, question what they are learning, and decide to send or not to send their child to this private school?  Of course.  Is it the school's right to continue to teach their beliefs to others that share their beliefs?  Absolutely.

As a matter of fact, it's not just their right, it's their freedom.

Vicky

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