My brother received a one-page brochure for a "Camp Quest", basically a summer camp for atheists and "freethinkers" in his elementary school. A few weeks earlier, we got two others like this, one promoting a Christian church, and the other one some sort of Wiccan organization.
Is this legal as long as all fliers are accepted, or is it illegal b/c it ties in religion with government too much (like letting teachers lead prayers of their religion) ?
2007-05-25 10:07:02 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
its legal as long as no one is forced to do it.
2007-05-25 10:10:23 · answer #1 · answered by DEPRESSED™ 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
It's legal because other organizations are given equal opportunity. A government that doesn't acknowledge the existence of God is atheistic or agnostic.
Atheists will say that religion is the cause of all wars, therefore it should never be discussed. However, wars would not be fought over religion, if there people were open and honest about their beliefs. I am perfectly comfortable believing the way I believe and take no offense whatsoever if a person tries to convert me. In a sense, it is an act of love to share with someone that which you believe to be true.
If a person does not talk about their religion with others, that tells me that a) they do not love their religion, or b) they do not love others.
2007-05-25 10:23:52 · answer #2 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congress shall MAKE NO RULE regarding an establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof.
Without getting into the semantics of the difference between the obvious use of the noun "establishment" and the verb "establish," the plain meaning of the text is that the government is to keep its hands off of religious practice. Teachers have no correlation with Congress, therefore it is nonsensical to construe that a teacher doing anything can be equated with Congress doing anything. If Congress were to pass a law of any sort ruling that a religion could not do x and such, then Congress plainly has violated the limits of their constitutional power.
Bottom line: if there is complete freedom in distribution of all literature, then there is no breach of law.
2007-05-25 10:14:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It sounds legal to me. It would be illegal if your school banned some of the pamphlets and not others or actively promoted "Camp Quest" or the Christian Church etc over the others.
2007-05-25 10:55:01 · answer #4 · answered by K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legal. As long as they are being fair which is sounds like they are and not restricting the advertisment being sent out the option to attend any of the camps is optional and so they are not promoting anything. If they had for instance promoted the christian camp but refused to promote the atheist one or visaversa then it would be illegal.
Doomsday - It always has been. Religion is man made to fill the god sized hole you have in your life. Atheist choose science and moral relitivism both of which require as much faith and anyone believing there is a God.
If you would like I can list the basic tenants of your faith.
2007-05-25 10:13:26 · answer #5 · answered by Tzadiq 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Most school districts use an interoffice mail system. Outside organizations use this to save postage.
There is nothing illegal about it.
As long as the school itself isn't holding a Christian camp using public funds then there is nothing illegal going on.
We get flyers from museums, churches, libraries, fund raisers. All kinds of stuff.
2007-05-25 10:15:51 · answer #6 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The separation of church and state as I see it is that the government cannot institute a single religion for everyone. Should they do that in the United States, it voids our first ammendment rights... the right to freedom of speech, press, and freedom of religion. In my high school, as students we were allowed a Bible Study with an adult (teacher) sponsor as well as to pray before school started on school grounds. In my opinion, they are within their rights to send home that sort of thing should they choose.
2007-05-25 10:19:53 · answer #7 · answered by Follower of Christ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Camp Quest certainly is not religious. Though, I'm uneasy about any religious literature being distributed in schools. Such brochures should really be distributed outside of school. However, if the religious ones are allowed, then Camp Quest should be allowed, also.
2007-05-25 10:10:52 · answer #8 · answered by nondescript 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I know that there are those who want to deny the right to freedom of religion, but it is not illegal in this sense because you admit that all fliers are sent.
Take the religion of evolution, which seems to be highly worshipped here out of the schools if you are worried about Church and State.
2007-05-25 10:11:38 · answer #9 · answered by guppy137 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
If the teachers or school representatives are distributing the fliers, it is illegal. If it's just citizens doing it, it's perfectly legal and it doesn't have to be balanced.
2007-05-25 10:10:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you got it from a student it is, to my knowledge, perfectly legal. The school administrator would probably not like them doing it simply so that it doesn't appear to be endorsed by the school though.
It would be different if someone employed by the school were passing them out. That would be a violation of church and state as the school is funded by the government (unless it's a private school of course).
2007-05-25 10:11:43 · answer #11 · answered by Digital Haruspex 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋