Today’s New York Times features an article about Jessica Ahlquist, a 16-year-old atheist who lives in Cranston, Rhode Island. She was involved in a lawsuit to remove a prayer from the wall of her high school auditorium. A federal judge ruled in her favor because of the “establishment clause” in the First Amendment.
What a brave girl she is. I was an atheist when I was 16, but I didn’t tell anyone except one high school classmate. I attended church with my father until his death in 2006, pretending the whole time. I still attend church with Linda, but the minister knows I don’t believe, and she’s ok with it.
So what was the reaction to the lawsuit? Ms. Ahlquist’s state representative, Democrat Peter G. Palumbo, called her “an evil little thing.” School board meetings are crowded with people demanding the district appeal the ruling. Ms. Ahlquist has received death threats and must be escorted to school by police.
Whenever I hear of this type of reaction, I wonder if the people making the threats and saying the mean things have ever read their scripture. Do they know what Jesus preached? What exactly do they think about the Golden Rule, the Sermon on the Mount, and the admonition to love one another? What church do they attend that preaches hatred?
I cannot accept this ruling. I do not believe that this "is the establishment of a national religion by Congress", it is merely a prayer to GOD. Also, it should be construed as a violation of a believers right to free speech. Just as one can protest against other things in society and/or government. Any Atheist should not be offended, they can just turn the other cheek and look the other way just as we accept others non-belief in GOD.
ReplyDeleteThat is ones constitutional freedom.