Kentucky parents pull kids from school as atheist books are distributed

[phantom power]

It is becoming clear to me that fewer and fewer people actually remember what the phrases "separation of church and state" or "freedom of religion" were intended to mean.

Parents in Casey County, Kentucky reportedly pulled their children from school after an atheist group was allowed to distribute literature at three local schools, the Danville Advocate-Messenger reported.

“Our attendance was probably not as good as it normally is,” Liberty Elementary Principal Boyd Harris was quoted as saying. “We feel like there may be some connection there.”

The books were delivered by the Tri-County Freethinkers on March 28, after the group successfully petitioned county officials for the right to distribute their material in a manner similar to a Christian group, the Gideons.

...

Helton told the Advocate-Messenger that he was not surprised by the heightened scrutiny from residents, saying it has also led others to come to them anonymously out of fear of reprisal.

“With the Gideons it’s like playing Whack-a-Mole,” He was quoted as saying. “They come in and they get shut down. It will be interesting to see what the school’s response will be next year. When people complained about the Gideons coming in, they blew it off.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/01/kentucky-parents-pull-kids-from-school-as-atheist-books-are-distributed/

[Rod Beauvex]

1. Petition?

Do Christians have to petition to distribute their literature?

[phantom power]

2. I think part of the problem is people don't perceive Christianity as a religion...

so much as "just the obvious Truth that all Good People implicitly understand to be true."

"I don't subscribe to a religion, I just follow natural law! Not like you other freaks with your freakish beliefs!"

So, Gideons putting bibles in hotel rooms is, y-know, just Natural. But if some humanists or Muslims were to start distributing their literature in hotel rooms, it would be a total shit-storm.

[GeorgeGist]

11. in PUBLIC schools ... YES

[progressoid]

3. “We’re here to defend God and his glory"

You'd think Mr. Omnipotent could do that himself.

[phantom power]

4. maybe god is like our plutocrat overlords...

all-powerful, and yet his feelings are very very very fragile.

[frylock]

6. he's too busy pushing field goals wide right

[csziggy]

5. I was in school when the Supreme Court decision came down

My oldest sister had Bible class as part of her public elementary school education - I've been scanning her grade 1-6 report cards and was surprised to see that. I don't remember Bible class, but we did have some teachers who read verses to us or who opened class with prayer.

After the Supreme Court decision, one teacher almost lost her job because she insisted on continuing to pray at the beginning of every class. At least one student made a stink about it since he was Jeovah's Witness and it caused him problems - he would stay in the hall until she was finished praying and she would write him up for being late every damn day. That was what finally brought it to a head. If she'd been willing to allow him his own beliefs without penalizing him, he never would have complained.

I was glad when we didn't have to listen to the fundamentalists pray - and they were the only ones who did it.

And I would have been very interested in the FreeThinker's literature!

[phantom power]

7. it's all fun and games until people start having sectarian arguments...

...about just exactly whose religion gets to "be in the classroom" or "be represented at Congress." Then things start to get real.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Nice Rack.

[GeorgeGist]

12. Actually it's a barbeque.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Ah. I think one can safely say that of all the many ways to die

to have done so at the hands of the Inquisition would have sucked, grievously.

[scorpiogirl]

8. So...

they don't like another unsolicited viewpoint shoved in their faces huh? Well, welcome to the club! I'd like to think they'll take a lesson on this, but I'll not hold my breath over it. I'd probably pass out!

[Warren DeMontague]

9. Freedom to proseltyze, for Fundies, only ever seems to go one way.

Funny, that.