{"id":127702,"date":"2015-08-24T11:15:05","date_gmt":"2015-08-24T17:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2015\/08\/24\/how-great-thou-art-threatened-to-be-fined.html"},"modified":"2015-08-25T08:09:07","modified_gmt":"2015-08-25T14:09:07","slug":"how-great-thou-art-threatened-to-be-fined","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2015\/08\/24\/how-great-thou-art-threatened-to-be-fined.html","title":{"rendered":"How Great Thou Art (Threatened to be Fined)"},"content":{"rendered":"

"How Great Thou Art" is a great old classic hymn. But, no, it's not appropriate for a high school football halftime show — especially when your district has already been sued for proselytizing events, been fined, and are under court order (http:\/\/www.clarionledger.com\/story\/news\/2015\/08\/21\/brandon-high-school-how-great-thou-art\/32143307\/<\/a>):<\/p>\n

'Defendants are permanently enjoined from including prayer, religious sermons or activities in any school sponsored event including but not limited to assemblies, graduations, award ceremonies, athletic events and any other school event.'<\/i><\/p>\n

Not to be censored or silenced when the school marching band was "benched" because that was the halftime show they had planned, a spontaneous chorus of the hymn was then sung by at least some of the folks in the stands (per http:\/\/www.onenewsnow.com\/perspectives\/todd-starnes\/2015\/08\/24\/halftime-hymn-players-hogtied<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A few thoughts:<\/p>\n

1. Hey, look, you aren't being censored<\/i> or having your religious freedoms oppressed.<\/i> Nobody was arrested. Nobody was kicked out of the stadium.<\/p>\n

2. As a private<\/i> (well, personal)<\/i> expression of devotion, this "spontaneous" outburst is completely protected by the First Amendment. But, of course, there is a big difference between Joe Citizen starting a mass hymn singing and the government (the government!), through the school district, or the school, or the school's marching band, leading everyone in prayer. <\/p>\n

3. Of course, though legal, it was a poke in the eye for anyone who isn't a Christian. I would suggest that the good attendees of Brandon High School games consider how they might feel if the halftime marching band show featured a Muslim call to prayer or other devotional doing from something other than Christianity. If the answer is, "Well, that wouldn't be natural, because Jesus is the only true Lord and we're all good Christians here," then you've flunked Church and State 101.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n