By Ed Randazzo
An update to my post of 6/3/2011: A federal appeals court has lifted the order by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery banning public prayer at a Texas high school graduation Saturday. (See the previous post below)
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals thought differently, reversing the judge’s ruling Friday and allowing students to say the word “amen” and invite the audience to pray during the ceremony.
“This is a complete victory for religious freedom,” said Kelly Shackelford, president/CEO of Liberty Institute. “No citizen has the right to ask the government to bind and gag the free speech of another citizen.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s initial ban had been denounced as an “activist decision” by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who called it “exactly the wrong civics lesson to teach to the class of 2011.”
Justice has been served and I say Praise God.
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A U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday that a high school graduation in the state of Texas may not include an opening and closing prayer or the words “invocation” or “benediction.”
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled that using those words would make it sound like Castroville’s Medina Valley High School, in a suburb of San Antonio, is “sponsoring a religion.”
The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Christa and Danny Schultz. Their son is among those scheduled to participate in Saturday’s graduation ceremony. The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.
Really? “Irrepparable harm” from a prayer?
“Christa and Danny Schultz, who describe themselves as agnostics, sued the district, claiming that their son might not participate in the graduation set for Saturday if he were forced to participate in religious activities.
Wait a minute. Mrs. Schultz’s name is Christa? Isn’t the young Schultz traumatized by mom’s name? Maybe she is the source of his “irreparable harm.”
Biery ruled that students who are speaking at graduation can still talk about their faith, or cite a belief in God as the reason for their success, but they may not say “amen” or “God bless you,” or have the audience rise and bow their heads. Gee, how big of you Judge Biery to permit some freedom of speech. I wonder if you would share with us how you became the authority on free speech and how it is that you can cancel and supercede the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution?
I am going to make an assumption here that you can read English. I ask that you really concentrate and employ your reading comprehension skills to read and understand the following. It is the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution, you know part of that document you swore to defend and uphold.
I pray that you will be able to understand it. Amen.
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.
God bless our Supreme Court and it’s dedication to insuring freedom for all. They have been ruling for years in such a way as support the Establshment Clause and keep in step with the intentions of our Founders. I pray they continue to do so and keep religion out of our public governmentally sponsored entitites, while preserving our right to worship in our churches, mosques and synagogues as we see fit.
I’m glad that you pray but you’ve got it backwards. The government needs to stay out of the churches. The right of pastors, priests, rabbis, etc. to speak out and stand for righteousness from the pulpit should not be limited in any way, including the threat of IRS penalties when they do.
I beg to differ. You have it backwards, according to the Supreme Court, the Constitution, the Bible and the majority of Americans. But, God bless us all!
The Supreme Court has never spoken on the IRS ruling, the Constitution protects the freedom of speech and religion in the 1st Amendment and what Bible have you been reading? I’m just amazed at your ability to instantly ascertain that a “majority of Americans” agree with you as well.
You are wrong. The High Court choses it’s cases, and by refusing to hear an issue they are telling us something. And it should be obvious to you by now, that your political position, which includes the infusion of a specific religion (Chrisitanity) into our government, is not one shared by the majority of Americans, or even by our Founders. Why would anyone want to argue that? Evangelism and fundamentalism have been declining steadily for years, as has membership in organized big business churches. It became obvious to most people years ago that many evangelists were lining their pockets at the expense of others, while living sinful lives of their own.
At any rate, one man’s “erosion” of the Constitution is another’s “upholding.”
Your judgment on all things is not accepted here. The US Supreme Court is not the source of rights. They are God-given. The US Supreme Court cannot take them away from us. We are a Christian nation, tolerant of other faiths, but nonetheless a Christian nation. The Founders did not want a government religion but they certainly wanted the God-given morality of Christianity. Evangelism and Fundamentalism is not culpable for the individuals that have fallen to sinful abuses of the world and the flesh. These are merely people that have fallen to temptation….sinners just like you and I. Nice try, but that dog wont hunt here. Neither you nor I, nor Christianity, nor evangelism, nor fundamentalism is at fault for their abuses.
As for the erosion of our constitutional rights, it is very real. Much to your dismay, there is empirical right and wrong.
We may be a nation of Christians, but we certainly are not a Christian nation. If we were others wouldn’t be free to worship as they see fit. It is as our Founders intended. And the Supreme Court has the absolute power to interpret and apply our Consititutional rights to our ever changing world. Our rights were not set in stone the moment we were founded. God bless them, they do a wonderful job!
Parse words as you will, we were established as a Christian nation and we continue to be a Christian nation. No other nation in the history of the world has attained what we have and what we have done. Our defense of righteousness and freedom in the world is unmatched in history. What you don’t seem to understand is that Christians are sinners. We make mistakes, we choose badly at times and fall short of God’s will and intention for us. Our country does sometimes too. Those revered Supreme Court justices are human too. They also fall short at times. They do not have absolute power in that it is not in their power to deny our rights as they are not the source of our unalienable rights. God is the source and only God can take them from us…..thay are “set in stone.” The world changes but God does not. Our rights do not change either. They are manipulated by men. I pray for all our leaders continually that God will grant them the discernment of His will and His grace to make the right decisions.
There is no such thing as a “right” decision for every circumstance. The Bible teaches us this. And we must be vigilant against sinners like you. Those who try to atone for their sins by claiming they know more about God than their brethren. God uses us all in very different ways, so when you evangelize you are actually fighting God’s will!
Only God is “right.” There IS a right decision in all circumstances and that is God’s will, not yours and not mine. The Bible teaches you relativism? It teaches you to use your judgment, not Gods? That is not the Holy Bible I study. The Bible I study teaches us that God loves us and the story of man’s failures and sinfulness and the redemption of man through Jesus Christ. It teaches us that Jesus Christ walked this earth, evangelized, and suffered and died to atone for our sins. Jesus did that for me and you and all people. I cannot atone for my sins and I don’t try. It is through Christ that we are saved, not good works. Jesus also taught us to be fishers of men. God desires all to be saved and He has charged us to bring others to Him, through Christ Jesus. You may want to rethink your statement that evangelizing fights God’s will.
As for me, I will continue to evangelize and pray for the grace of God, the love of Christ and the strength of the Holy Spirit in my life. If my evangelism offends you, then so be it.
I agree with Mr. Smith. In fact, the Bible teaches us the anti-Christ will speak and act like an evangelist, perhaps someone like you Mr. Randazzo. True followers of Jesus refrain from judgement and accept those who are different. I suspect you have let darkness infect your heart.
Are you accusing me of being the anti-Christ? I guess that is not a judgment of me in your world. If you are are accusing me of evangelising, I will plead guilty. I am a true follower of Christ Jesus. I strive to follow His will….that is to love God with all my heart and soul and with all my strength and to love my neighbor as myself. It is you Mr. Tolerant, who hides his true identity, that has judged me. I pray that you will step forward from the shroud of secrecy and cowardice and reveal your name. You hide in the shadows and judge others and accuse others of judging when it is you that judges.
You may be under the spell of the anti-Christ. Your words certainly aren’t those of a Christian man. If you think your perception of yourself and your hollow words make you a Christian, your going to be sorry come judgement day! Shame on you for judging others. Jesus would cast you out of His church!
Thank you for your Christ-like diatribe. You have managed to cram much judgment into few words. Read them, Tolerant. See if you can find some toleration and love in them. Consider that you should take responsibility for them as you spew them out as vile vomit while you hide in the darkness. Do you pray, “Tolerant?” Do you use a fictitious name when you pray too?
Names mean nothing when praying to my Lord! He sees the heart, and mine is pure as I expose a great Deceiver like yourself! You are twisting words, hiding behind your false belief in Christ as you act as judge and executioner. Alas, it is you who will be judged by God almighty, and cast into the lake of fire! Repent, ‘O Deceiver of men, serpent of the Internet, or face the wrath of my God! Repent I say!
Your wishes, commands and exhortations mean nothing to me. Vent your rage and wrath as you will. Your own words are applicable to you as you are apparently blind to your own words of judgment. My repentance is by God’s will, not yours. Rail on, “Tolerant.”
These people need to be put in their place.