What do you mean, schools have to call the Christmas vacation a “winter holiday?” It is not true. It’s just that the ACLU has bullied schools into submission.

Check this out: In Saudi Arabia, all religions except Islam are illegal…against the law…and you can get in big trouble even visiting that country if you happen to be carrying a Bible. Or anything about any other religion except their official one.

And if you’ll read our Declaration of Independence, you’ll see that the entire thing was written because of what the King of England was doing to his people. And that document was to announce that the colonies had declared themselves free and independent from all allegiance to the British Crown because of his unfair treatment of them. And they freed themselves from having to have the Church of England as their religion, which had the king as its head, and who decided what religion they would follow.

That’s made perfectly clear in the very first amendment to our Constitution, which begins with these words, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

However, the ACLU has taken that sentence and has harmed this country greatly by claiming that term means, “separation of church and state,” and then saying the sentence means that our government should throw out anything having to do with religion…that “freedom of religion” should say “freedom FROM religion.” They want no mention of God within our government, whose very foundation is built on belief and trust in God, as writings by Washington, Jefferson and many other Colonists show. And despite the obvious, the ACLU continues to bully, and usually loses when someone has the money and the time to buck them in court.

For example, back in 1979, the Sioux Falls school district was sued by the ACLU because of its policy on the celebration of religious holidays. The ACLU lost. On April 22, 1980, the U>S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, upheld the constitutionality of the school policy, which said, in short, the religious holidays may be observed in the public schools…the historical and contemporary values and the origin of religious holidays may be explained in an unbiased and objective manner…that music, art, literature and drama having religious themes or basis are permitted as part of the school-sponsored curriculum…

that the use of religious symbols such as a cross, menorah, crescent, Star of David and others may be displayed…and that the school district’s calendar should be prepared so as to minimize conflicts with religious holidays of all faiths.

(1) The facts are these, from our United States Constitution: A teacher can read the Biblical Christmas story in class. And the students can read it aloud if they choose…

(2) A school may ask a local minister or priest to tell the class the Christmas story…

(3) Christian students in a class may share what their families or churches are doing to celebrate Christmas…

(4) Lessons may be prepared on the ways Christianity has affected American culture…

(5) Discussions may be held on teachings of Jesus, including the Golden Rule, going the extra mile for someone…turning the other cheek…the Good Samaritan story, and His other teachings.

(6) Students may write religious articles for the school newspaper. Editorials, cartoons and news stories.

(7) Students may examine how Christmas and other holidays are celebrated by Christians in other cultures.

As for singing Christmas hymns and carols in public schools and other public places can be done. Remarks by the Supreme Court said, “To forbid such activities would be…contrary to our history and to our holdings.”

It boils down to this…persons who don’t want to celebrate these special times, do not have to. And persons who DO want to celebrate and discuss, are allowed to, so long as they don’t press their beliefs on those who don’t want to hear it.

If you don’t like the good Christians of this world, why don’t you….pray about it.

37BT Bill Thornton October 18, 2004