If we americans have freedom of expression, then why aren't people allowed to mention God?

Question

It seems that in schools and other places, you aren't allowed to mention God or religion.

In many places having religious displays in public viewing is outlawed.

People have sued schools for having people say the pledge of alliegence because it has the words: "under God" in it.

If we have Freedom of speech and expression, why is this so?

But don't the majority of Americans believe in God?

Answer 1

I'm not going to quote law cases or mention the idea behind the separation of church and state or time, place, and manner restrictions. From what I think, it come down to two reasons.

1.) History. When you get out of a bad relationship, you're going to be cautious in your next one and that's what happened. US hist 101, we ran for the colonies to escape religious persecution and we didn't want to repeat the mistake. That fear still follows us through every politician and judge who favors the policy of original intent.

2.) It's the fear of abuse from authority figures. You asked why people were so hung up about the word God in the pledge of allegiance. Well, because the freedom of speech also allows you the freedom to remain silent. I will forever remember my 7th grade teacher and how every single day, she would terrorize the same student because he would stand and not speak the pledge. By the end of the year, she FORCED him to say it. That's an abuse of a government worker.

And about keeping religion out of school, by law, the school has to allow you a chance to follow your religious beliefs. Muslims pray several times a day, if the parents ask, the school has to provide a child with a room and opportunity to do so. Sorry but I forgot the name of that case, so I can't source it.

Answer 2

You have a lot to learn and with questions like this, you are on the way towards understanding.

As an answer to your question, consider this:

With the freedom of speech and expression comes certain responsibilities, for the most famous example - Yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater. You are ok, if there is actually a fire, but if no fire, some communities have laws against it and you also would be open for civil legal suites if you do this.

Try to understand the reasoning behind this, then apply that understanding to your question.

Answer 3

People (private individuals) can mention god all they want.
They can sing, dance, shout from the rooftops.

It's when a government agency, or someone in government authority, starts doing it that problems arise.

There is nowhere in the country that religious displays are outlawed, unless they trigger some neutral safety laws like having an open fire, or overall decible levels being too loud.

Any private individual or private company can put whatever religious symbolism they want on their private property.

The line is really really simple to understand. Private people on private property can do anything they want.

But the government cannot promote, support, or fund one religion over any other.

That's the whole point about the Constitution. It prevents the government from choosing sides. It doesn't prevent private individuals from doing so.

Answer 4

Freedom of speech should never interfere with the variety of cultures and religions our nation was formed upon nor the ideas and beliefs of others. God is a personal manifestation for people of all different walks of life and there are many forums availible to thopse who would like to explore other cultures and religions, but in the terms of a school setting (elementary through high school), public schools are outlets for free access to education rather than religious exploration to one level it is unfair and religion should be explained and examined to the best degree possible, but when one religion is clearly placed above others in a public school system (i.e Georgia's plan to issue the bible as a textbook) it interferes with others learning system because if they fail to agree with the religion presented to them, they feel threatened (it's the near eqiuivalent to bullying based on race, sexuality, or gender). In the public eye in America, religion is such a touchy subject because our national history is infused with variety that pinpointing a national religion, or indicating one religion is better than the other would be detrimental to our melting pot ideology- so in public places- religion is not openly expressed per se- but that doesn't mean your free speech is necessarily compromised- in reality this is one outlier to the ideal in which minimizing the religious expression in public preserves free speech and expression to a higher degree for all Americans.

Answer 5

They aren't? That's a first. As for suing schools, the religious have banned and try to continue to ban educational books. It goes both ways. Aren't the millions and millions and millions of churches good enough to express your beliefs? I bet if I went into your church and said I don't believe in God and I do believe in Evolution, they wouldn't take it too kindly.

Answer 6

Sorry, Slick, your "facts" are wrong.

You can mention God anywhere you want.

Kids are free to pray in school anytime they want. Privately. You know, the way Jesus said to do it.

Public religious displays are perfectly legal.

The only stipulations are that the government may NOT favor any one religion over another and that the government may not "establish" any religion.

"Under God" was added to the pledge in the 1950's during the "Red Scare" by our typically gutless politicians who wanted to be seen as "patriotic". To my manner of thinking, you can either have "One nation indivisible" or "one nation under God" but not both.

I suspect that what you are referring to is the attempt by the dominant religion of America to portray itself as a "victim" because it cannot constitutionally receive favored status from the government or in the public square. This group, while far and away the largest religion in the U.S., likes to claim that those who disagree with its political aims are somehow "persecuting" it.

We really need an Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt NEVER try to force thy religious beliefs on anyone else as it causeth you to be seen as a royal pain in the posterior.

Answer 7

We can't mention God in public institutions. All of this is outlawed because we'd be forcing people to see it or put up with it. Children are forced to go to school... if you want your child to go to a school that mentions God, send them to a catholic school or whatever. Since we force children to go to school and all are invited into the public schools, we can't mention God there because it would be imposing the beliefs on everyone and not everyone believes it. We have freedom of religion which means that everyone can choose for himself what he believes. Schools can't mention it because schools are where we teach kids... and we're not allowed to teach children our beliefs if they might not believe it themselves.

Public religiuos displays are not allowed because everyone goes out in public. Actually, they are allowed, but only outside churches and private homes (and even that's not true if you have some kind of neighborhood covenant)... it can't be on public ground though like parks or government areas... because those are meant to be a place for everyone, not just those who believe in God. The Pledge isn't allowed to have under God because kids are forced to say (or at least hear) it every day... so that would be forcing them to conform if they don't believe it.

It doesn't matter what the majority believes. The majority of US citizens are caucasion too, but we can't go putting up "I hate minorities and wish they would die" displays... that would clearly be offensive. It's quite obvious to everyone that the majority of Americans are white and that the majority of americans believe in God... you're going to encounter that type of person a lot. but there's no reason to make others feel bad about not falling in the category. So we ban public displays of religion.

The ban only applies to public figures... meaning the government and people who work for it who make statements in the course of their employment, or other public figures like teachers/school people... They can't say things at places where we require everyone to be.

You and I personally can say whatever we want anywhere about religion... because we're not public people imposing our beliefs on others.


And I can't for the life of me understand why I would get thumbs downed for this answer.

Answer 8

because the places where it is banned are PUBLIC places, freedom of expression refers to individual expression. For a teacher to say you have pledge to god enforces one view on every one. she has the right to say what she like outside of school , but enforce her views on everyone else this is freedom of expression for all not freedom of expression for the superstitious

Answer 9

becuase under the first amendment, you are allowed to have free speech and press to whatever. But you can't speak about something or present something that advances a certain religion becuase everyone is entitled to whatever religion they want. Thats why public schools reject religion.

Answer 10

these laws give people freedom from christian or any other religious tyranny. we cannot be forced to say the word 'god' or to view ridiculous iconography in places paid for and maintained by public funds.