“Separation of Church/State” Myth!

The pithy, “Separation of Church and State” statement, used by leftists and atheist organizations to expunge religious activities from America’s schools and other public places, is no more than a twisted example of propaganda by a competing religion.

Leftist and atheists are devout believers in secular humanism, which elevates the power of human wisdom to a “God”-like status. Secular humanism is incompatible with the world’s metaphysical God centered religions.

Historically, secular humanism’s sociopolitical manifestations are socialist and communist states. In these forms of government, citizen’s beliefs in God, compete with the “worship” of the authority of the governing state. Therefore all competing religions are suppressed in tyrannical ways; often resulting in the imprisonment or execution of many members of that population.

Learn more about secular humanism here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism

Now learn about the true meaning of concept of “separation of church and state”, which is often distorted and used as a weapon to bludgeon religious activities and symbols from our schools and public places. President Thomas Jefferson, the author of that phrase, absolutely did not intend it to be used to abridge the free will of individuals or groups of individuals to practice their religions in public places, schools or government buildings.

America’s Constitution speaks very clearly to the issues surrounding religion in its First Amendment, where it states:

“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.”

It does not contain the phrase “separation of church and state”.

America’s First Amendment protects citizen’s religious rights by guaranteeing that no particular religion will be promoted by the government over others. It also insures that the government will not restrict, or abridge, individual citizen’s religious practices.

See for your self!

https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/the-mythical-wall-separation-how-misused-metaphor-changed-church-state-law

In order to protect the right of students to practice their religions on school property, Congress passed the Equal Access Act of 1984. The explanation that follows is quoted from the source that follows it.

The school has to provide equal access to all non-curricular clubs. If at least one or more curricular clubs exist the school has established a limited open forum and must provide equal access to all facilities used by one or more of the clubs such as: classrooms, copy machines, intercoms, club fairs, bulletin boards, school newspapers, yearbook pictures or any other benefit provided to a secular club.

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WHAT IS A SECONDARY SCHOOL?

State law, not federal law, defines which grades are considered secondary schools. Grades 9-12 are always included. However, “It is unlikely that the Equal Access Act applies to so-called “middle” schools⁠.

WHAT IS A STUDENT-INITIATED CLUB?

The club has to be started and controlled by students not adults. Neither school employees nor outside people can initiate or maintain the club. Students can invite outside speakers but those speakers cannot be regulars or come more often than about once per month. However, students can meet as often as they want with a mentor outside of school who helps and instructs them how to successfully run a club. Students may choose their club leaders restricting certain leadership roles to their beliefs. “However, general membership probably cannot be limited⁠3.”

WHAT IS A NON-CURRICULAR CLUB?

The Supreme court stated that a non-curricular club is “any student group that does not directly relate to the body of courses offered by the school⁠4.” For example chess clubs, drama clubs and community service clubs, etc. fall into that category.

WHAT IS NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME?

“Non-instructional time⁠5” is any time when no instruction takes place. Such as in the morning before classroom instruction begins or in the afternoon when instruction is over. Lunches and free periods are also considered non-instructional time. Generally, if other clubs are meeting during certain times the christian club has the same privilege.

CAN THE SCHOOL DENY A CHRISTIAN CLUB IF THE SCHOOL HAS NOT CREATED A “LIMITED OPEN FORUM”?

Yes. Any club using the Equal Access Act can only be started if the school board has a policy to agree to have a limited open forum. If at least one other non curricular club exists in the school, the school has already created a limited open forum and needs to allow the christian club as well.

However a christian club can also be established in this case via the First Amendment Rights which does not need a limited open forum.

CAN A SCHOOL REGULATE WHEN AND WHERE THE CLUB MEETS?

The school has the authority to set a reasonable time and place. However it must not discriminate and must apply those guidelines to all clubs equally.

DO I NEED A TEACHER SPONSOR FOR THE CLUB?

The Equal Access Act does not mandate school sponsors. Therefore sponsorship is determined by individual school policies. If the school does require club sponsors it’s important to know that sponsors of other clubs are allowed to participate in the club. However the act stipulates that the sponsors of christian clubs can only attend in a non-participatory function. This is to prevent the appearance that the school is trying to establish religion thus violating the establishment clause.

CAN STUDENTS DISSEMINATE FLYERS ABOUT THEIR CLUB OR ANNOUNCE THE CLUB MEETING ON THE INTERCOM?

Yes, christian clubs have the same rights as other clubs to promote and invite other students to the club. This does not constitute an official sponsorship by the school which would violate the establishment clause. If schools want to avoid the appearance of a possible establishment violation they can add a disclaimer to the bottom of the flyer or at the end of the announcement stating that this activity is not officially endorsed by the school.

WHAT IF THE SCHOOL IS FEARFUL OF VIOLATING THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE?

Even though the Mergens case mentioned below ruled that a christian club cannot violate the establishment clause some school officials are still fearful. Especially when students exercise their right to send out flyers or make an announcement on the intercom. In that case the school can have the club add a disclaimer at the bottom of the flyer stating that this is not a school endorsed event. The same can be stated after the intercom announcement. This alleviates any fears school officials may have.

CAN OUTSIDE SPEAKERS OR COMMUNITY LEADERS SPEAK AT MEETINGS?

Non-students ”may not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend activities of student groups⁠.” Speakers may infrequently come to meetings if invited by the students and if the school does not prohibit such guests in other clubs. However, school administration is allowed to prohibit outside speakers in a christian club if they prohibit it in all non-curricular school clubs.⁠

The Equal Access Act of 1984 has three stipulations:

1. It cannot discriminate “on the basis of religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings”
2. The club has to be student-initiated and student managed.
3. Schools are only allowed to restrict the club to maintain order and to protect the safety and well-being of students and faculty. However school officials do have the right to entirely shut down all non-curricular clubs. Prohibiting every single club including the football team would constitute closing the limited open forum and the Equal Access Act would no longer apply and require equal access to all clubs.

https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1077/equal-access-act-of-1984

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Finally, the idea that religion must be removed from all public spaces appears to me to be in direct conflict with the equal access act of 1984. Similarly, all religious and political action groups should be allowed to conduct their peaceful parades and rallies on public property (i.e., owned and paid for by “the people”), this concept should also be applied to religious symbols and moral codes, in general, and also their holidays and other sacred times of the year.

It is essential that religious freedoms be strongly supported, cherished and revered in America.

My reading of the world history of declined sociocultures informs me that those that loose their benevolent and pro-social religions are at risk for failure. Yes, these are only “correlated” events, but correlated events can be causal events.

Ask your self, have you seen evidence of this chain of events unfolding within America in its recent history?

Why should America turn its back on its former religious freedoms and run the risk of ruination?

V. Thomas Mawhinney, Ph.D., 11/10/19

Tags: Discrimination Against Religion, Equal Access Act, Lefitist/Atheist Propaganda, Separation Church and State?, Separation Church/State Myth, The First Amendment, V. Thomas Mawhinney Ph.D., VTM, Why Run the Risk?

This entry was posted on November 10, 2019 at 1:59 PM and is filed under Boiling the American Frog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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