| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
30 Mar 2006 11:37:13 AM |
| Object: |
Schrumpf speaks on separation of church and state |
Schrumpf speaks on separation of church and state
http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/articles/2006/03/29/news/news3.txt
Sulphur Southwest Daily News - Sulphur,LA,USA
Sulphur city Court Judge Charles Schrumpf spoke at the Sulphur Sunrise
Rotary Club meeting last week on separation of church and state.
*
Schrumpf attended a seminar last June where the subject was addressed. “I
was so impressed by what they had to say,” said Schrumpf. “I thought people
need to hear this.”
Schrumpf suggested asking the question “What can we do?” when talking about
separation of church and state rather than focusing on what we can't do.
Equipped with a Power Point presentation, Schrumpf began with a brief
history of the documented beliefs of the founding fathers which outlined
early documents and speeches that had references to God or contained
Scripture. He read aloud our nation's motto, the Preamble to the
Constitution, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
“You rarely hear the fourth verse to the ‘Star Bangled Banner',” said
Schrumpf. “Most people couldn't tell you what it says, but it is a great
verse.”
In the 1960s organized prayer was removed from public schools and over the
last 30 years the divide between church and state has widened.
Schrumpf explained that three tests are used in courts today to argue
separation of church and state issues. They are the lemon test, the
endorsement test and the psychological coercion test.
The lemon test was formulated by Chief Justice Warren Burger and used to
determine when a law has the effect of establishing a religion. In the
initial case in 1971 Burger ruled that no public funds would be given to
religious non-profits, keeping the distinction between secular and sacred.
The endorsement test is an interpretation made by Chief Justice Sandra
O'Connor in 1984 concerning the ‘purpose' and ‘effect' prongs of the lemon
test. Even though the endorsement test does not replace the lemon test, it
does allow for a more varied interpretation of the intent of the law.
The psychological coercion test basically is rule by the minority which
means if one person doesn't approve, then strides to change the law can be
made.
“In Louisiana, there has been a law in place since 1997 that says students
can pray in schools if they choose,” said Schrumpf.
He said students also can wear religious clothing or jewelry, conduct
student led prayer groups, meet around the flag pole to pray, or pray on
the bus. Students may also ask for a moment of silence and ask for a course
of study on the Bible in schools.
So those who may be discouraged by a discussion of separation of church and
state are advised to think instead about what they can do openly to display
their faith in God.
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
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