Jude 2

Community members are rallying around Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School cheerleaders after they were banned from displaying signs with Bible verses urging fans and players to “commit to the Lord” and “take courage and do it.”

The banners — the paper ones that football players crash through at the beginning of games — have been common sights in the school’s football stadium since 2003, local officials say.

“The cheerleaders are not trying to push a religious cause, to shove religion down someone’s throat,” said local youth minister Brad Scott, who was LFO High’s class president in 2004. “The cheerleaders are just using Scripture to show motivation and inspiration to the players and the fans.”

Catoosa County Schools spokeswoman Marissa Brower said a Fort Oglethorpe resident lodged a verbal complaint to Superintendent Denia Reese last week, saying that the display of a Bible verse on the football field is a violation of federal law.

A school system statement released Monday said the message constitutes “a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution for signs with Bible verses to be displayed on the football field.”

Mr. Scott said the ban prompted a rally tonight in support of the cheerleaders outside the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Battlefield Parkway so people can show their support for the cheerleaders and their signs.

A Facebook page called “We Support the LFO Cheerleaders! LET THEM HAVE THEIR SIGNS BACK!” also has been established.

A school system statement released Monday said the message constitutes “a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution for signs with Bible verses to be displayed on the football field.”

dolfan wrote:You know what would be cool? If they would make a sign that just had a large punctuation colon on it. You know, one of these :.
A symbolic way of saying "you can stop us from making a sign with the words on it, but you can't win the battle for our minds."

dolfan wrote:You know what would be cool? If they would make a sign that just had a large punctuation colon on it. You know, one of these :.
A symbolic way of saying "you can stop us from making a sign with the words on it, but you can't win the battle for our minds."

dolfan wrote:While I don't want teachers leading prayer and bible study in public schools, I do think that student-inititated conduct like this is not unconstitutional -- but the Supreme Court has clearly stated otherwise, I'm afraid. More power to these kids.

dolfan wrote:
While I don't want teachers leading prayer and bible study in public schools...

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S LOGIC
In 1787, after the War for Independence from Britain had been won, as the founding fathers were holding meetings to draft a constitution, the delegates came to a hopeless deadlock after meeting for more than two months. Alexander Hamilton, the delegate from New York had already gone home in disgust. At that crucial moment, Benjamin Franklin, believing the scriptures, rose to his feet on the floor of the Constitutional Convention and called for the reinstitution of daily vocal public prayers, saying:

In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor….And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need his assistance?

I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth–that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; an I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel….

I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business….

There are conflicting accounts as to whether a formal vote was taken on Franklin’s motion (although there is evidence that public prayer took place thereafter in the Convention), but it is indisputable that, thereafter, the delegates found common ground and the Constitution was born. One year and nine months after Franklin’s remarks, on April 7, 1789, one day after the Senate of the First Congress convened with a quorum, the Senate appointed a committee “to take under consideration the manner of electing chaplains.” On April 25, 1789, the Senate elected its first chaplain. On May 1, 1789, the House elected its first chaplain. On September 22, 1789, Congress passed a statute providing for payment of chaplains. Three days later, on September 25, 1789, Congress reached final agreement on the language of the First Amendment (including the Establishment Clause). The First Congress obviously perceived no conflict between the Establishment Clause and vocal, public prayer in a government organized setting on government property.

Franklin’s words answer the question this paper poses: “Why public vocal prayer?” Franklin’s experience showed him that God blesses institutions when God is publicly recognized, honored and sought. In excluding a public and vocal recognition and honoring of God in the public arena of schools, has our public school system, in some respects, become America’s modern day Tower of Babel? There are 48,000,000 students attending public schools in America. And the number of secondary school-age students is on the rise: “The U.S. Census Department says the American teen population is on a growth spurt. From 31 million last year to an estimated 50 million by the year 2010.” Dateline NBC (NBC television broadcast, July 7, 1999). If something does not change, the problems are likely to get worse as the teen population swells in this country over the next ten years. The time to do something is now.