Tag: FFRF
Do School Employees Lose All Religious Rights By Being a School Employee?
Posted on December 17, 2015 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
There’s an enormous misunderstanding regarding the Constitution and religion that is causing all sorts of trouble for folks that just want to pray. The misunderstanding is being intentionally propagated by an atheist group that doesn’t want to see religious expressions in public.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has a notion that government and religion are mutually exclusive. They have as their mission “to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state.” The problem here is that there is no such “constitutional principle.” Nowhere in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or the Declaration of Independence is there a word about keeping religion out of public life; or the so-called “separation of church and state.” In fact, what the Constitution does say is that the government has no authority to make any laws pertaining to the free exercise and expression of religion.
But that doesn’t stop this atheist group from demanding that coaches not take part in team prayers.
One of the latest cases comes from Naperville, Ill. where a high school football coach is under fire for simply being present with his players during team prayers. (Click here to read the local article) The complaint came after a picture of the team, including the coaches, was sent to the FFRF. They sent a letter to the school district demanding the action cease immediately.
Federal Court Makes Ruling Affecting Every Pastor in America
Posted on November 20, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Pastors can breathe a sigh of relief today as the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision to strike down the minister’s housing allowance as unconstitutional.
Previously, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) had argue that the housing allowance given to pastors was unconstitutional because it provided an unfair tax benefit to pastors, creating preferential treatment for religious messages. It was argued that the housing allowance violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the equal protection provision of the Fourteenth Amendment. The lower court, with Judge Barbara Crabb ruling, agreed with the FFRF and ruled the housing allowance unconstitutional.
Though the ruling only affected pastors in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, pastors across the country watched the case with serious interest knowing if the ruling was upheld it would soon spread.
The 7th Circuit determined that since the FFRF was never denied tax-exemption under the housing allowance tax code they had no standing concerning the issue:
Parkersburg Wrestling Team Allowed to Wear Bible Verse on Shirts – For Now
Posted on April 26, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Two developments in the case of a Scripture verse on the shirts of Parkersburg, WV wrestling team members have been confirmed.
First, the verse, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” that was in the gym, and on the wrestling website, has been painted over, according to a recent article.
But, thankfully, according to local attorney Bill Merriman, the wrestlers will be allowed to continue wearing their t-shirts with the verse printed on the back. Merriman told conservative commentator Todd Starnes:
Parkersburg South Wrestling Team Intimidated for Expressing Religious Freedom
Posted on April 21, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
A controversy over wrestling shirts is brewing in Wood County, West Virginia, at Parkersburg South High School. Thanks to the dubious Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) lodging a complaint with the school Superintendent the wrestling team has been asked to stop wearing their shirts which display the Bible verse Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation makes a practice of sending threatening letters to anyone expressing their religious freedom in the public sector. The group seeks to use bullying and scare tactics to intimidate silence on the part of Christians seeking to live out their faith.