Tennessee passes Law, schools must display “In God We Trust”

[Phantasman]

Oh yeah... so ironic - as if some grand conspiracy to take over everything hinges on keeping God-talk out of schools. I forget... when was the idea of "separation of church and state" instituted again? Was that 1984 also... haha...

Yeah, we had no problems with God in school or any government of the people, until a small percentage wanted to redefine America through what they wanted, over the larger percentage.

Percentage of Christians in U.S. Drifting Down, but Still High

There will come a day when the whole country will eventually be redefined to appease squeaky wheels.

Separation of church and state takes on the meaning each person defines it as. The government was not to be ruled by, or designate a certain religion, as the patriots had broken from the ruling Church of England. But the patriots still used God as a basis for the country's founding. Our rights came from God. Remove God, and the rights take on a different characteristic. People can lie, cheat, adulter, etc., and a good attorney can make sure they aren't accountable.

Oh well, my time is short with what's lived. It's up to the next generation. God help them (or not).

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, we had no problems with God in school or any government of the people, until a small percentage wanted to redefine America through what they wanted, over the larger percentage.

The country was in great need of some redefining, eg, Jim Crow laws, forced prayer in school,
sodomy laws, blasphemy laws. And since our Constitution doesn't even mention their god, it's
entirely appropriate to not have the god of a minority forced upon us.
(I note that a friend who is very Bible literate doesn't include cults in Xianity, eg, Catholics, LDS,
Methodists. He says there are very few true Xians in Americastan. Hence, they're a minority.)

 

[Skwim]

I live in Tennessee and agree with this act. Tennessee is in the Bible belt, and it's big cities are inspired by country music, most performers being raised Christian. The government acts for the majority of the peoples in this state, which are what governments do. Just as we disagree with a lot of silly California laws, they have the right to disagree with us. But our people overwhelmingly wanted this and the government responded in kind.

If others don't like it, there are 49 other states to raise their kids in, IMO.

Obviously your legislators, and evidently a lot of Tennesseans, are not all that bright. In any case, expect a visit from the ACLU very soon, and don't expect the act to last past Christmas, if that.

.


.

 

[suncowiam]

I live in Tennessee and agree with this act. Tennessee is in the Bible belt, and it's big cities are inspired by country music, most performers being raised Christian. The government acts for the majority of the peoples in this state, which are what governments do. Just as we disagree with a lot of silly California laws, they have the right to disagree with us. But our people overwhelmingly wanted this and the government responded in kind.

If others don't like it, there are 49 other states to raise their kids in, IMO.

I disagree. I live in California and do raise my kids in California. Thank you.

But if you disagree, you're still more than welcome to California to raise your kids here. I have no problem with that even if I simply disagree with you. Plus, I really don't have the power to stop you from doing it.

 

[Skwim]

Sounds like a need for the state to proselytize, they get two thumbs down.

Yeah, just what is it with some Christians that they have this crying need for public reaffirmation of their faith?

.

 

[Jesster]

Let's see how long the ACLU takes to bring this one down. I imagine it won't be long.

 

[Skwim]

I always understood 'in God we trust' to refer to a generic God.

It might if the proposal in Congress to put it on all our currency hadn't come from a super Christian.

"Charles E. Bennett, a Congressman from Florida, was a deacon and taught Sunday school for many years at the Riverside Avenue Christian Church in Jacksonville. In 1955 he sponsored the legislation which added the phrase "In God We Trust" to American currency. Later in his life Bennett revealed that he believed this was his most important accomplishment as a Congressman."
source
​

Obviously the god he, and no doubt all of Congress, had in mind was the god of Abraham.

So, is there any question that those in Tennessee have the Christian/Jewish god in mind? Of course not. Their "In God We Trust" essentially means "In The God Of Abraham We Trust."


.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Yeah, we had no problems with God in school or any government of the people, until a small percentage wanted to redefine America through what they wanted, over the larger percentage.

Percentage of Christians in U.S. Drifting Down, but Still High

There will come a day when the whole country will eventually be redefined to appease squeaky wheels.

Separation of church and state takes on the meaning each person defines it as. The government was not to be ruled by, or designate a certain religion, as the patriots had broken from the ruling Church of England. But the patriots still used God as a basis for the country's founding. Our rights came from God. Remove God, and the rights take on a different characteristic. People can lie, cheat, adulter, etc., and a good attorney can make sure they aren't accountable.

Oh well, my time is short with what's lived. It's up to the next generation. God help them (or not).

So you think it is completely acceptable to teach Christian theology to (for example) a child whose immigrated parents are actively trying to bring that child up in the Hindu tradition? If you were living in India (pretend you had to move there for work), would you accept the schools there teaching your child Hinduism? Basically forcing your child to pass classes based on knowledge of the religion, or even having to participate in Hindu prayers or rituals if they wanted the grade?

And before you say "there are no rituals being forced on anyone," know that I sent my daughter to Catholic school for a time, and there were rituals or traditional ceremonies performed as part of school and grading. So if religion were to be allowed to be taught as part of school, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that the situation would grow very quickly by accretion into all sorts of questionable, or denominational-specific things being taught to, or forced on children.

One of the worst (and ultimately what turned out for the best, in my opinion) parts of my daughter's Catholic school experience is that with those rituals that were part of school she initially participated in many, and was even excited about them and looked forward to them. But there was one particular instance where the school flatly informed my child that she couldn't participate because she hadn't met some requirement of the religion or another. Basically, it boiled down to "because you/your parents aren't actually Catholic". When they told her she couldn't participate, the experience sobered her up very quickly, and she was soon after very skeptical of religious "truth" - and by that time I hadn't said a single word to her about my beliefs... she was only 7 years old. Funny thing I've noticed about religion... so many times it ends up shooting itself in the foot, and always in the name of piety no less.

 

[Skwim]

Never saw that movie.

OMG! Get on of those TV contraptions and watch it this Christmas season.

.

 

[Phantasman]

The country was in great need of some redefining, eg, Jim Crow laws, forced prayer in school,
sodomy laws, blasphemy laws. And since our Constitution doesn't even mention their god, it's
entirely appropriate to not have the god of a minority forced upon us.
(I note that a friend who is very Bible literate doesn't include cults in Xianity, eg, Catholics, LDS,
Methodists. He says there are very few true Xians in Americastan. Hence, they're a minority.)

Coming from an atheist, your view is supportive of your belief. Being a small percentage of redefining America is a view that could gain strength over time. America is not a theocracy.

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights," -Declaration of Independence

I see your point on what the government owns. But the people are the government. An amendment to the Constitution could in fact be made to adopt Christianity as America's religion. The Constitution allows that clause. (Article 5).

Or. maybe Islam. I'm sure an atheist, Jew or Christian would have a much harder time trying to oppose Muslim theology.

It really doesn't matter to me. As long as I can think and do freely in my little portion of the world I am fine. I merely said I agreed with the Tennessee decision. And that "most" Tennesseans would agree. If it gets over ruled by the antics of an attorney or attorneys, It just shows you who runs the country.

Time to play XBox One with my grandson.

 

[metis]

Normally I would think that such a law would be declared unconstitutional as a violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the 1st Amendment, but with the current SCOTUS as it is, if it were to end up there I have my doubts it would be overturned.

For example, imagine if a state law was passed that said "In Gods We Don't Trust" and had that on the school walls.

 

[Phantasman]

So you think it is completely acceptable to teach Christian theology to (for example) a child whose immigrated parents are actively trying to bring that child up in the Hindu tradition? If you were living in India (pretend you had to move there for work), would you accept the schools there teaching your child Hinduism? Basically forcing your child to pass classes based on knowledge of the religion, or even having to participate in Hindu prayers or rituals if they wanted the grade?

And before you say "there are no rituals being forced on anyone," know that I sent my daughter to Catholic school for a time, and there were rituals or traditional ceremonies performed as part of school and grading. So if religion were to be allowed to be taught as part of school, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that the situation would grow very quickly by accretion into all sorts of questionable, or denominational-specific things being taught to, or forced on children.

One of the worst (and ultimately what turned out for the best, in my opinion) parts of my daughter's Catholic school experience is that with those rituals that were part of school she initially participated in many, and was even excited about them and looked forward to them. But there was one particular instance where the school flatly informed my child that she couldn't participate because she hadn't met some requirement of the religion or another. Basically, it boiled down to "because you/your parents aren't actually Catholic". When they told her she couldn't participate, the experience sobered her up very quickly, and she was soon after very skeptical of religious "truth" - and by that time I hadn't said a single word to her about my beliefs... she was only 7 years old. Funny thing I've noticed about religion... so many times it ends up shooting itself in the foot, and always in the name of piety no less.

I quit school in 10th grade. I continued my education on what I chose, rather than what others told me I had to know. Got a GED many years later, completed some college courses, and have owned two companies in my life time.

School teaches basics. After 8-9 grade, kids are being politically influenced. That's as bad as influencing them with religion, IMO.

Schools are supposed to prepare you for the world. Not create the world for you.

 

[Revoltingest]

Coming from an atheist, your view is supportive of your belief.

All of us have our views colored by our beliefs.
Being an atheist & a libertarian leads to supporting the Constitution.
And as one who instantly recognizes your avatar, I know that we've much in common.

Being a small percentage of redefining America is a view that could gain strength over time. America is not a theocracy.

And it appears that we're becoming less theocratic.

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights," -Declaration of Independence

Oddly, this mention of "God" didn't make it into the Constitution.

I see your point on what the government owns. But the people are the government. An amendment to the Constitution could in fact be made to adopt Christianity as America's religion. The Constitution allows that clause. (Article 5).

I don't worry about such an unlikely amendment.

It really doesn't matter to me. As long as I can think and do freely in my little portion of the world I am fine. I merely said I agreed with the Tennessee decision. And that "most" Tennesseans would agree. If it gets over ruled by the antics of an attorney or attorneys, It just shows you who runs the country.

The country is run by so many competing forces.
Tennessee might discover that their power is limited.

Time to play XBox One with my grandson.

That's certainly a better use of your time than trying to get me to see the light.
No violent games, now.

 

[Srivijaya]

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

Seriously, it's more effective to just get rid of guns.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

Sorry, it is the U.S. national motto. (Passed by Congress) Scots are on your own.

Isn't the US motto "e pluribus unum"?

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

Yeah, just what is it with some Christians that they have this crying need for public reaffirmation of their faith?

.

And they're invariably the ones who complain about sharia law.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

After thinking about it for a while that's actually a great idea. Schools are known for their bloated pork belly budgets and even grabbing the motto on the money is a good idea. Remind them everyday that no amount of money to be raked in by the truckload is good enough for them as long as it pays for their lucrative pensions for Life tax free.

 

[Shaul]

Isn't the US motto "e pluribus unum"?

While they are both US mottos, “In God We Trust” is the official one. EPluribus Unum is unofficial.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

Tennessee Passes Bill To Place 'In God We Trust' in Every Public School

Well, you know how it is: the more uncertain you feel about something, the more often you should try to talk yourself out of your uncertainty. (Remember Hamlet: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks.") I know that if my co-worker tells me every other day that he really loves his wife and would never, ever cheat on her, I'm pretty sure he's boffing the pretty clerk 4 cubicles down.

If Tennessee really trusted in God, they wouldn't have to be so all over it.

 

[Shaul]

It might if the proposal in Congress to put it on all our currency hadn't come from a super Christian.

"Charles E. Bennett, a Congressman from Florida, was a deacon and taught Sunday school for many years at the Riverside Avenue Christian Church in Jacksonville. In 1955 he sponsored the legislation which added the phrase "In God We Trust" to American currency. Later in his life Bennett revealed that he believed this was his most important accomplishment as a Congressman."
source
​

Obviously the god he, and no doubt all of Congress, had in mind was the god of Abraham.

So, is there any question that those in Tennessee have the Christian/Jewish god in mind? Of course not. Their "In God We Trust" essentially means "In The God Of Abraham We Trust."


.

Conflating the Christian and Jewish God is lame. They are quite different.