Texas attorney general to defend cheerleaders' Bible banners
A banner made by the Kountze High School cheerleaders displays a Bible verse. / Facebook/Support Kountze Kids
AUSTIN, Texas Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Wednesday he will defend high school cheerleaders who want to use Bible verses on banners at football games.
Abbott has filed court papers to intervene in a lawsuit that cheerleaders at Kountze High School filed against the school district complaining that a new policy violated their freedom of speech. In September, district officials told the cheerleaders to stop using Bible verses at football games after the Freedom From Religion Foundation complained.
The atheist group argued that using banners with phrases such as, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me," violates the First Amendment prohibition on the government establishing a religion.
- AG offers to help defend Texas school's Bible banners
- Cheerleaders rooting with verses from the Bible
- Texas cheerleaders get Bible verse flags back, for now
After the school told the cheerleaders they could no longer use Bible verses, they filed suit in Hardin County district court. State District Judge Steve Thomas put a hold on the new school policy while he considered the arguments, and the cheerleaders continued to make the banners. He is expected to rule Thursday.
Abbott said that since the cheerleaders create the banners without school funding, they qualify as free speech and should not be banned.
"This is student-led expression, and that's perfectly constitutional," Abbott said. "We will not allow atheist groups from outside the state of Texas to come into the state to use menacing and misleading and intimidating tactics to try to bully schools to bow down to the altar of secular beliefs."
The foundation responded by accusing Abbott of abusing his elected position to promote religious views.
"Abbott has crossed the line from carrying out his secular constitutional duties to defend the state of Texas, to using his government bully pulpit to bully and scapegoat atheists," its statement said. "Those cheerleaders are free to worship as they like, go to the church of their choice, but not to exploit a public school event, and their school-sponsored podium, to push their personal religious views on an entire stadium."
Cheerleaders rooting with verses from the Bible
The case began when the foundation wrote to the school district, threatening a lawsuit. The group is dedicated to the separation of church and state and believes that religion hinders social progress.
Joining Abbott at a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Rick Perry said he supported the cheerleaders and denounced the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
"Anyone who is expressing their faith should be celebrated, from my perspective, in this day and age of instant gratification, this me-first culture that we see all too often," Perry said. "We're a nation built on the concept of free expression of ideas. We're also a culture built on the concept that the original law is God's law, outlined in the Ten Commandments."
Kelly Shackelford, the president of Liberty Institute which is representing the cheerleaders, welcomed Abbott's intervention in the case.
"Greg Abbott again has proven that he is a friend of students and is willing to fight for their religious freedom," he said.
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Children rescued from two elementary schools in Oklahoma 19 Photos
- Oklahoma tornado victim search efforts winding down
- Tornado's destructive path 17 Photos
- Deadliest U.S. tornadoes 10 Photos
- Oklahoma tornado recovery grinds on amid grim scenes 178 Comments
- Up-close video of Moore, Okla., tornado Play Video
- Twisters touch down in the Midwest 13 Photos
- Oklahoma tornado as seen by storm chasers Play Video
Matters of faith are very touchy and any unsolicited "sharing" of yours with another - even if the intent is innocent and unobtrusive - can be taken as an imposition, and an offensive one at that.
What these cheerleaders are doing may be legal, I don't know but just because you can doesn't always mean you should. The students involved and their school would be better served if they practised their faith quietly in the community instead of plastering it on a banner at an athletic event.
---
Many perceive those of us who resent "believers" arrogant perspective that they have a right to foist their beliefs on us anytime and anywhere they like to be "against Christianity". That, in and of itself is another demonstration of Christian arrogance.
Just because someone chooses to not enslave themselves intellectually to a cult doesn't mean they hate the enslavement of others. It simply means they want no part of it.
I do have a question for you as I am ignorant on the subject..... I noticed in previous comments about our founding fathers that you quoted their statements making your point that they were against religion and did not believe in God.So please explain why "non believers" thought it was important to include God on our currency (In God We Trust), our Pledge of Allegiance (One Nation Under God), references in the Declaration of Independence(their Creator, Nature's God), etc. It seems to me they believed in the importance of God in our Nation's foundation but they had little use for "religion". At this time they were declaring their independence from England and the control of the Church of England so I can see why they wanted separation of "church" and state. I really enjoyed your previous comments and look forward to reading more.
---
I would argue that only a total simpleton would be surprised that ANY public figure could express one sentiment in public, for whatever motive, yet express a different sentiment in private.
I applaud government officials for not being bullied into stifling their beliefs. Yes they are elected officials and it is their beliefs, whether religious or moral, that has influenced them to make the decisions that resulted in their election to office in the first place. It seems to me that Christianity is the most fought religion by atheists. They want everything having to do with God and Christianity done away with. I am inclined to believe that these beliefs are the most threatening to them.
As far as quoting decisions in past cases, while they are crucial to outcomes of present cases, they are usually one judges interpretation of law in a particular case. They use previous cases to help them decide how the law applies to their current case but that doesn't mean that the decision made by a judge could be misinterpreted or made by bad judgement. That is why every case is tried anew because there are varying circumstances to be decided on.
As you may have already presumed, I am a Christian and will stand for Him in whatever way he leads me. For those of you who wonder or mock me, all I can say is I have been empty inside, hurt, and depressed with no idea which direction to take in my life. In my hopelessness I prayed to God to save me and ever since I have had joy and hope in my life. My situations in life have not changed but my attitude and my ability to handle them have.
I think freedom of speech should apply to everyone, not just those against Christianity.
----
Well, if true mort, you know that some of their statements were for public or political reasons and other were stetements of their own beliefs made in private settings.
Trying to say a man who said the world would be better off without religion as a believer in same is something only a person with a total logic disconnect would do.
See the world any shewed way you wish.
These men were self-professed non-believers. They did so many times - usually in letters to acquaintences.
And that is an undeniable fact.
Fool yourself.
Ahhhhh, Christians are cannibals! Priceless!!!!!
---
You're full of it.
"I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology." -- Thomas Jefferson
"I never once met a religious man who was not a brainless boor." - George Washington
"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it" John Adams
"Lighthouses are more useful than churches" Benjamin Franklin
Believe what you make up in your own mind as always with my blessing.
"Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor morum over each other. Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned: yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth."[1]
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/superstition-christianity-quotation
Spread the truth and not lies
-------------------------------
Joe that statement is a little self-contradictory.
Churches in general and their pastors in particular are already supported by the tax dollars of EVERY citizen of the United States by the simple fact that churches pay NO taxes, meaning that everyone else's taxes must pay for the normal operations of the country.